GET STRETCHED AT THE CLONAKILTY WATERFRONT MARATHON

Hi all, just to let you know that if you are in the registration hall on Friday 9th of December collecting your race pack for the Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon, I will be there booking in stretches for those of you with aching legs from the drive down South, or some roll over aches and pains from DCM.
Look forward to seeing you there, Fiona Bron ;))

HIP PAIN RELIEVED AFTER 1 SESSION

Hi all, Clinic today proved very interesting with one particular client (who we will call Olivia) suffering with bad hip pain coupled with lower back/upper glut pain - in short, a bad pain in the bum. This pain (or rather it was described as a bad ache) had been limiting Olivia's range of movement for the last few days and causing considerable upset in her sporting life. Even though the pain was in the left side, we start with the right to allow Olivia to relax and to experience Fascial Stretch Therapy without fearing the pain in her left side. Olivia was very pleasantly surprised when she stood up half way through the session to see that her right leg felt like it was floating compared to the left leg. After the left leg was done, Olivia's hip pain was completely resolved. She did a forward bend, a squat, flexed her hips (raised her knees) and wiggled in every way she could to reproduce the discomfort that she had been feeling - but thankfully, she seems to have gotten a significant amount of relief from just one session. Olivia will be back next week as a taster of the upper body sequence left her wanting the same release in her shoulders as she had experienced in her lower body. I am really delighted to have been able to help. Keep the emails coming, but feel free to post here too if you like - you may be asking a question that everyone else is thinking- and I have allowed anonymous posting now if you're shy :))

Fiona Bron ;)

FASCIAL - NOT 'FACIAL'

Hi folks,

I don't know why this has come up so much over the last week, but 3 people have asked me why and how stretching their faces can help with their running. While I have had a good laugh about it, it got me thinking about how little is known about this kind of therapy in this country and what I could do about it. The obvious thing is to start a blog...well here I am. The next thing is to advertise nationally - thats on the way. The most successful way to get a new therapy highlighted in the sports media, is to have a well known athlete endorse the therapy as having worked for them.
So this is the mission for 2012. If you play with a rugby squad who suffer with frequent injury, or you swim,cycle and run with a triathlon club whose injury rates are high - please contact me and I would be delighted to do a free demo in your club to highlight this therapy and show the benefits of a flexible body. The results really are like nothing you have ever seen - heavy, tight legs have been described as 'marshmallow' after a 3 minute stretch. People have thrown their heads back and laughed out loud in surprise after their feet have hit the ground after just 30 mins of a session. Check out www.stretchtowin.com to find out about when and where this phenomenon started.

FASCIAL STRETCHING TO AID RECOVERY

Hi all,
so now that Im over my jet lag from my New York trip - Im ready to share again! It was nice to be able to offer some assistance to a few of the runners doing the New York marathon, who had also done the Dublin marathon the weekend previously. One such runner had experienced bad cramping in his quads during the Dublin marathon and was very stiff and sore on arrival to New York, 2 days before his next long distance run! He had been massaged, used a foam roller, applied heat and cold, and still he was in a lot of pain and discomfort in the fronts of his thighs. As I was on holidays, I was a little unprepared for giving treatments so I had no retaining bands to immobilise limbs - but we managed with a gentle session for about 45 minutes. We started with some gentle hip mobilisation and bent leg stretching, then moved to full leg and finished with quad and hip flexor stretch. 'John' commented that after the session, his legs felt 100% lighter and that the 'painful ache' was all but gone. When I met him before the run the next morning, he told me that he was about 98% on his left and 96% on his right leg - this was an improvement on the previous day where he had to climb down the steps of the bus sideways!!!
'John' passed me at the 25mile mark at 3.48 and finished with a sub 4 hr marathon looking very strong and with no limping which was a big improvement on the previous weekend. As a personal trainer, John was delighted to have found a new therapy that he might be able to share with his clients to aid recovery and improve performance. Hope to have some interesting issues to share after next week's clinics. Again, feel free to leave a message if you want advice on how to stretch you aches and pains away! Fiona Bron ;-)

DEHYDRATION, CRAMPING & FEEDBACK FROM RUNNERS AT NYC MARATHON

Hello All,
The evenings are getting darker still and outdoor training is significantly hampered by cold wet weather and the unfortunate pains and strains that seem to accompany the cold weather. Having given it some serious thought, I have moved away from thinking that injuries are increased during the cold weather because people are not warming up enough - having spoken to and treated a number of runners at the recent New York marathon, I have come to the conclusion that hydration is a big issue during the winter. The common reminders to stay hydrated (heavy sweating during the warm summer months)(physical heat accompanied by thirst) are absent and so ongoing hydration is not as important to those individuals training hard. That is - not until the few days before a race, or a match or competition. If you start intensive hydration the day or two before a race serum electrolytes can become imbalanced (dilution) and cramping may occur. Schwellman et al (2004) discovered very low sodium and very high magnesium levels in runners who experienced cramp during ultra marathon distance. Miller et al (2010) advise that adequate continuous hydration with an electrolyte solution should be one of the preventative measures that should be taken. Moreover, adequate fuel intake during a longer run will help to prevent cramp. Does this mean that if we always cramp at mile 23, we should have some salty carbs at mile 22 to prevent it? The pretzels in New York are now beginning to make sense! The NYC marathon took a lot of runners by surprise as the day was very warm for November and cramping was a big issue during the race. I saw a few runners afterwards for recovery and they all felt that the gently myofascial stretching techniques used yielded amazing results compared to the standard self administered post marathon 3 minute stretching routine (ya....I know....3 minutes was the average!!!).
Anyway, the point being made is that hydration doesn't just mean water ! And a well hydrated body means well lubricated tissue and joints - meaning less injuries! So drink up!

RUNNERS AT THE DUBLIN MARATHON

Good Morning all,
Well after a long weekend of standing at the Dublin Marathon Expo and screaming my lungs out at the finish line for 4 hours - I could definitely do with a full body stretch this morning. The stand was a huge success with a massive amount of interest in the Fascial Stretching techniques. One Dublin runner has booked a session in Clonakilty at the beginning of December ahead of the Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon (www.runclon.ie). It was amazing to see that despite paying for physio and massage sessions at the expo, runners were still coming to the stand complaining of tightness in the calves (by far the biggest area of complaint) or the hamstrings, gluts and quads. Stretch sessions of between 3-5 minutes were resulting in runners skipping in circles around the front of the stand grinning! George Anderson, PT and running guru from the Full Potential running club was impressed with how light his legs felt after a quick calf stretch. While PNF stretching has been yielding excellent results, FST takes it 10 steps further and not only creates flexibility in the belly of the muscle but in all the surrounding tissue and in the joints. Keep your eyes peeled for a blog on George's site in the coming weeks for some tips on the most requested stretches. Stay happy :)

DUBLIN MARATHON EXPO

Hi to all runners/walkers/joggers, racers! With the countdown bringing us ever closer to the Dublin Marathon, it is time to pull back on those long runs and start working on really priming our bodies for the upcoming event. Speed sessions, fartlek, intervals....they are the last focus sessions for those of you who hope to get good times in Dublin. However, as the training is curbed to preserve glycogen stores and allow for sufficient recovery - so too is the flexibility work. I could count on one hand the amount of runners I know who build focused flexibility work into their weekly training plan. For all others, its what happens as part of a warm down at the end of a run. So, during the week where maintaining flexibility and mobility should be our focus, instead pasta, oats and protein shakes take over. Don't get me wrong- nutrition is key in these last two weeks (some people do tend to take the 'carb loading' process a bit too literally though!) - but some attention needs to be paid to our flexibility too. Spend 6 or 7 minutes working the legs and lower body to get warm and increase the heart rate gradually. Gentle stretching is key here. You are not looking to wrap your ankles around the back of your neck this week (we can work on that next week) - you just want to remain as flexible as you were last week. Breathing in to prepare, exhale as you gently lower yourself into a stretch - you should never feel pain, just a gentle stretch awareness. Breathe in again to release the stretch slightly, then exhale to lower yourself into the stretch again. Stretching in time to your breath is a great way to relax your tissue and allow it to lengthen. Counting the stretch out can be a bit stressful so just think about holding a stretch for 6 or 7 breaths and think about relaxing more every time you breath out!
Please please please get back to me if you have any specific issues and we will discuss them here on the blog - you may be asking the question everyone else wants to know the answer to!!!
Alternatively, see me at the Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon stand (no 18 ) at the expo, and Ill give you a stretch there.
Happy stretching, Fiona ;))

FREESTYLE DANCER

Hi all, apologies for the absence. Setting up the clinic in Ballincollig has been taking up quite a bit of my time. Everything is in place now and the 3rd clinic will be on Wednesday the 26th of October. This will be the final clinic before the Dublin Marathon as I will be in Dublin at the expo for the rest of the weekend - do come along as I will have the plynth with me and I will be stretching people at the Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon Stand.  Well, aside from all my lovely runners, I have treated some very interesting cases in the last fortnight. One case was a freestyle dancer who we will call Katie. Katie has been dancing since a very young age and is now close to leaving cert. Katie's main problem started just over a year ago with a pinching sensation in the front of her hip. This progressed to significant pain which impeded her ability to dance. Despite frequent visits to physiotherapists, tens therapy and visits to physical therapists, Katie just could not get relief from this hip pain. Over the year, the pain has lessened from where it was initially but she feels that her flexibility is seriously hampered on her left side and her ability to move without pain is impacting on her dancing. Katie had some very tender areas and while moving her leg through what should be a normal range of movement she was nearly hopping off the bed due to the pain in the front of her hip which was travelling into her groin and down her thigh. Following the first session (where there were lots of gasps - and so we had to move into doing everything in baby steps) Katie returned after a week. She was delighted to say that even after the week of walking to school and dancing, she felt much more fluid in her movement and while stretching at dancing, her range of movement had improved and her pain had drastically reduced. Throughout her second session, it was much easier for me to identify where her real issue were in terms of tightness and guarding as the tissue was much more relaxed. I will be seeing Katie at my clinic again on the 26th and will hopefully have more to report then.

OLD PELVIC FRACTURE CAUSING PAIN

Hi Folks,
I met with a male client yesterday who has recently increased his running in order to train for a marathon. He has been having various aches and pains with some muscle tightness causing him a bit of worry. Specifically, he has been experiencing some pain in his left hip, which he says has not bothered him in years. He explained that he fractured his pelvis a few years ago while on a skiing trip and as I went through mobilisation of his hip and checked range of movement, I noted that his left hip was really glued in the joint. Following the session, "John" couldn't believe how light his left leg felt. He said the difference between his two legs was like he had small sandbags attached to his right leg and it was just more difficult to move around full stop. John is scheduled to come back for another session in two weeks, so I'll update you then as to how he has felt over the last two weeks and how his leg feels after his second session.
Fiona Bron ;)

COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS WELCOMED

Good Morning,

I have had a few emails in the last couple of days from people from various sporting backgrounds wondering what they should do to eliminate pain during certain movements or prevent a recurring pain from limiting their abilities - I would like to invite people (even if you don't play sports and you perhaps wake every morning with stiff shoulders...or any other complaint) to leave a comment or a question at the end of this thread and we will see if we can help out. Please note that without a full consultation, it may be difficult to have a full understanding of what the real issue is - so give as much information as possible.
Alternatively, book into a clinic - mention you left a note on the blog and receive 10% off your first session ;)
Fiona Bron ;)))

INJURY PREVENTION FOR RUNNERS

Good Morning all,
Well after a fast 5 mile hill run yesterday, I was a little concerned that my knees might be a bit achy today as they ofter are after a hill session. However, a week of intensive stretching of my lateral line has ensured that my knees are stable and there is no obvious pulling on the outside of the knee during a hard session. People often ask me if these techniques prevent injury. Think about it - if you are running on the road - country or city - you have to be ready for dynamic movement as well as the rhythmical roll of perpetual forward motion. When you go to jump up/off at a footpath, or avoid a pothole, you sometimes have to move suddenly resulting in a jerky movement in the legs. That is often when a niggling ache becomes something that stops your training for a week or two. When muscle and the fascia that surrounds the tissue is tight - it does not allow an ease of movement that you might see with relaxed, supple tissue. For any of you who have met me at road races and had a calf stretch, you will know the difference between the two - its like marshmallow V's hard toffee (amazing how my analogies always come back to sweets!!!) So how do you get a really good calf stretch? Well first of all, you must remember that the calf is not the only muscle group in the leg and its no good stretching it in exclusion of everything else. Make yourself into an upside down V with your torso at 90% to your legs. Keep both knees bent slightly (as in downward dog position in yoga) and slowly alternate between bending one knee and slightly straightening the other - alternate back and forth. You will feel this stretch right the ways through the back of the legs up as far as the gluts - depending on where you are tightest, you may even get relief in the lower back from this one. Now imagine not having to do any work while stretching - just lying there while someone does all the work for you - and you get up feeling amazing - That's what we do at the Stretch For Success clinic! Get in touch and make an appointment today ;)))
Fiona Bron ;)

RUNNERS AT THE CORK CITY HALF MARATHON IN BLARNEY

What a great day out. While some people were a little reluctant to be stretched before a race (thanks to poor stretching techniques causing injury previously) we managed a few calf stretches beforehand. The big demand was after the race when quads, calves and knees were screaming at people thanks to the fabulous 6 mile stretch of hill in the first half of the race. Most runners were very tight along the lateral line - or along the side of their thigh where the IT band is. What I have found is that in a huge amount of runners, it's not the actual IT band that causes problems, its the lateral hamstring, the vastus lateralis, TFL and the ITB just glueing together as a result of lots of running and not enough stretching.Tightness in one can contribute to tightness in all the others as all these closely connected bodies are linked through the fascia. This results in the ITB pulling up at its insertion point on the outside of the knee. Having been there....big ouch! Most runners described the lateral stretch as having a long waiting itch - scratched! Others said that it really hit a spot they have been trying to reach for a long time - either with a stretch or with manual 'digging' with their fingers or those of a massage therapist. It was very satisfying to hear this as I suffered with this complaint for so long and as a result of immense pain since a marathon late last year, I am only running my first marathon of the year in November (having been treated for the first time in July- I have been pain free since).
Another issue that some runners might identify with - I did lots of upper body stretches. Runners were complaining of shoulder pain, pain behind the shoulder blade and up into the back of the head. This is a classic complaint of runners who run with forward chin (or their chin leading the run rather than the forehead). Pilates or yoga classes can often help with posture issues - alternatively, more medical evidence is now emerging regarding the benefits of chi running which is a hugely efficient method of running for long distance runners. So, I am off myself to run a half marathon next weekend in Dublin and hopefully to get a stretch with some colleagues. Ill be posting shortly with some news on a client with a tear inside her hip joint and chronic hip and thigh pain for the last 3 years following a road traffic accident. Fiona Bron ;)

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO SESSIONS

Hi All,  received a report from 'Jane' yesterday evening that there is a warm 'glow' in her hip. It feels very comfortable and instead of rolling around in bed last night looking for a comfortable spot, she was able to lie on her side which she hasn't been able to do for a while without discomfort. Today, I saw 'Liz'. Liz has been having a lot of problems with lower back discomfort, leg pain, ankle pain and weakness and a dull ache and pinching pain down the front of her right leg (thigh area) which has prevented her from running for a considerable amount of time. In between our session last week and this week, Liz has been doing a few stretches herself at home and the difference today was amazing. The range of movement that I saw was far superior to last week. The funny thing was, during the session, Liz kept flinching and I was concerned that I was hurting her - This treatment is NOT supposed to hurt! So I asked her if, when I rotated her hip and brought her into a stretch, whether it was pinching. She took a minute to think about it and then said 'actually no, it's not pinching at all - I'm just afraid that it will'. So this is another thing I would like to highlight - part of this treatment is allowing your body and teaching your nervous system that it can 'let go' of the tissue. Often times, your body will send a muscle into spasm - and its a protective mechanism. But when the source of pain is removed, the body still thinks it has to 'protect'. So all the slow gentle movements and stretches in one of these sessions is as valuable as the next, even if the stretch doesn't feel as strong as it could! I will be up in Cork for the half marathon at the weekend - I was hoping to run but Ive been sick for the week so Ill stretch some bodies instead. Come on over if you fancy a quick calf stretch sampler!
Fiona Bron

RUNNER WITH PLANTAR FASCITIS TREATED

Hi all, sorry for the delay in posting! I have had a couple of questions via email, and we will get to them shortly - but first, how did "Jane" feel after her session?
Well firstly, lets look at what Jane has been doing. Jane runs for fun - that said, she runs marathons for fun, it's not just 2 or 3 miles here and there. She also suffers very badly with plantar fascitis in her left foot. Another interesting fact that we discovered before the session started was that Jane had an inguinal hernia repair just over a year ago in her right groin.
So, we started with a gentle traction and warm up on the left side. Range of movement was good, but it felt like I was moving Jane's leg through mud as opposed to a ball and socket joint. Through all of the stretch sequence, even the bent leg movements, Jane could feel everything right down to her heel. For instance, at one stage, I was mobilising Jane's hips and loweb back and I asked her where she was feeling it most and she said her left calf! So this highlights the fact that EVERYTHING is connected inside. We should not be focusing on grouping stretches into single muscles!
Some of the stretches on the left reflected as discomfort in Jane's right groin - simply because the tissue here was soooo tight! Jane's right side was locked so tight compared to the left, even though all her pain was in the left side. IT band area (another HUGE complaint with runners, triathletes and cyclists) on the right side was very tight and there wasn't half as much movement as there had been on the left. So, how did Jane feel after she stood up? Firstly, might I say that I asked Jane to stand up once I had finished her left side so that she could compare it to the right. I asked her to lift one knee and then the other. She commented that one leg felt like it was floating (the treated leg) and the other leg now felt like it was glued - she found it difficult to find the words to describe it. Once treatment was finished, Jane sat down to put her shoes on. She said that for the first time for as long as she could remember, she could sit without any kind of discomfort. She hadn't realised that she had actually been tight in so many areas and so uncomfortable all the time....until she wasn't anymore! We finished up with a calf stretch while standing. Jane is coming back on Friday for another treatment so we will see how she feels then, and ill report back here. Remember, the clinic is up and running in Ballincollig on the 26th of September, so any aching bodies after the Cork mini marathon will definitely benefit from a session. Clinic starts at 10.30 and will go on until Monday evening so book an appointment in advance now to avoid being disappointed. I am treating a lady tomorrow who does a lot of driving and has had to stop running due to an array of very limiting aches and pains. westcorkfit@gmail.com for info ;)

RUNNERS ISSUES: PLANTAR FASCITIS DISCUSSED

Plantar fasciitis - Pain or stiffness in the sole of the foot and the heel, especially in the morning

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. This tissue is called the plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot. 

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot is overstretched or overused. This can be painful and make walking more difficult. A classis symptom is stiff feet in the morning when you get out of bed and difficulty putting your heel on the ground. This can be associated with severe pain in the heel when it comes into contact with the ground of the sole of your shoe.

Risk factors for plantar fasciitis include:

• Foot arch problems (flat feet and high arches)
• Obesity or sudden weight gain
• Long-distance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces
• Sudden weight gain
• Tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel)
• Shoes with poor arch support or soft soles (flip flops!)

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common complaints relating to the foot, especially in runners.
 

Symptoms

The most common complaint is pain and stiffness in the bottom of the heel. The heel pain may be dull or sharp. The bottom of the foot may also ache or burn.
The pain is usually worse:

• In the morning when you take your first steps
• After standing or sitting for a while
• When climbing stairs
• After intense activity

The pain may develop slowly over time, or suddenly after intense activity.

 

Recommended Treatment. 

Your doctor may usually first recommend:

• Using a painkiller like Ibruprofen or paracetamol - (always consult your Doctor before treating any conditions you are unsure about)
• Heel stretching exercises
• Resting as much as possible
• Wearing shoes with good support and cushions
  
  
  Other steps to relieve pain include:
  -Apply ice to the painful area. Do this at least twice a day for 10 - 15 minutes, more often in the first couple of days.
  -Try wearing a heel cup, felt pads in the heel area, or shoe inserts.
  -Use night splints to stretch the injured fascia and allow it to heal - These prevent the bedclothes from plantar flexing your foot which adds to the tightening of the tissue.
  
  So why am I talking about this condition? Well, I had suffered from plantar fascitis for years until a fascial stretch session, the results of which lasted 6 weeks, showed me that I can help the healing process. The stiffness slowly returned after about 6 weeks but it has never been close to where it was, and today I hope to treat a runner who is taking part in the Dingle Marathon this weekend.  Keep an eye out for updates later today and after the weekend on how my VIP fares post stretch!

Musician with sore shoulders and locked fingers

NO REAL NAMES OR IDENTIFYING DETAILS WILL BE USED-
I saw a lady the other day the who plays the fiddle, amongst other instruments. She was complaining of stiffness in her shoulders and took for granted that she would never straighten the fingers of her right hand which, at rest, were in an exaggerated flexed position. Throughout the session, I found that actually she was very tight across the chest in pecs on both sides and was able to release these considerably. With a little bit of extra time spent on the right hand, the client (who for the purpose of this blog we will call Jane) was surprised to look up during the session and see her hand lying flat across her stomach. Movement in the shoulders was actually quite good but again the upper arms were very tight, particularly the biceps.
So enough about what was and what wasn't tight. Let's talk about the before and after.
Before the session, Jane felt that her shoulders were tight and that it was probably due to stress and her body position while playing music. As Jane had an old neck injury on one side, I treaded very lightly to make sure that we didn't aggravate anything. Once we were finished, both of Jane's arms were lying straight down along her sides and fingers of both hands were straight. Jane recognised that all the restrictions in her shoulder movement had actually been coming from her pectoral muscles and that she felt much freer after treatment. Jane has said that she would love to come back for another session  but would like to wait and see how long the effects of this session last first so that she can book a few sessions in together but spaced apart.
It just goes to show that we don't have to play full contact sports to sustain injury and end up with tightness and sometimes pain. What we do on a daily basis - be it driving for a living, or painting ceilings or working at a computer, can all impact on how we feel in our own bodies. Give this treatment a go and let us know how you felt afterwards :) I will be treating two runners tomorrow  - one post back surgery and one with severe plantar fascitis - Ill keep you posted ;)

Fascial Stretch Therapy Clinic Introduced to Clonakilty and Ballincollig

Hi all, Welcome to the FST blog! I am delighted to say that the first FST clinic will be held in Ballincollig on the 26th of September. If you have an event coming up and you have injuries that just keep coming back to bite you - give this therapy a go. It is amazing for tight calves, hamstrings.....tight everything. At a recent running event in Clonmel, a runner who's calves I had stretched came over and hugged me after the 1/2 marathon. He said his legs had never felt better finishing an event - and that was only a fast stretch at the side of the road, imagine what a 1 or 1.5 hr session could do! Has anyone ever benefited from this technique? If so, I would love to hear about it!
Fiona Bron