Sports massage is a great treatment technique to reduce aches & pains, improve joint mobility and reduce muscular tension which is no doubt on the rise currently!

With you, our amazing clients not being able to currently access their regular sports massage at the clinic, this blog aims to support you in maintaining your health & wellness at home to reduce the likelihood of your aches & pains intruding into your daily routine

As you fully well know & probably are currently experiencing, this extended period of reduced activity is resulting in muscle tightness, joint stiffness, increased muscular tension due to how inactive we currently are! The goal of 10,000 steps per day is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve, you may even be surprised how groggy & stiff our bodies feel when our normal activity is restricted!

Sadly, you aren’t currently able to book in with one of your brilliant therapists to get you back to peak health but we can share with you some top self help tips & tricks to maintain the benefits you’ve achieved whilst working with your therapist

Tips and Tricks for Self-Rehabilitation

1. Self massage – while none of us are as flexible as elasti-girl & therefore won’t be able to massage our back or glutes we can still reach some problematic areas to reap the benefits! Apply a moderate amount of massage / baby oil and slowly work into an area of the body gradually increasing the pressure you apply into the muscle for 10 minutes. You’ll be surprised how much benefit this will give to a particularly sore & tight muscle.
2. Epsom salts – absolutely no excuses for not having enough time to take a long bath anymore! Epsom salts are a great addition to your bath as they aid with muscle relaxation & nourishment. In addition to the salts, the hot bath works wonders aswell! The heat provided from the hot water relaxes down muscle tension, nourishes the muscle & joints with blood, oxygen & nutrients!
3. Hot water bottle – if the bath is too time consuming, a hot water bottle can mimic the benefits. Hot water bottles are brilliant for injury rehabilitation and the reduction of tightness & tension. Place a hot water bottle on a sore area of the body for 20-30 minutes, you can repeat this several times a day also!
4. Hydration – the human body is around 60% water so there’s no doubt that when we’re dehydrated it has a huge knock-on effect on our health & muscles. Dehydrated muscle are much more likely to be sore, tense & tight and so drinking the recommended 2 litres of water per day goes a long way in battling aches & pains.
5. Spiky ball / foam roller – These pieces of equipment are lifesavers for muscular aches & pains! Follow these links for some great exercises & tips for using them: Foam roller tips & exercise & Tennis ball self-release exercise.
6. Posture – posture is important but not necessarily the postures we are in, it’s all about the time we are in that posture for! The best posture is your next one, meaning it’s best to avoid static positions and keep moving. Even if you adopt the classic textbook posture, if we hold that posture for hours on end, you’re going to ache no doubt! Keep moving to keep well & healthy.

Hopefully this gives you a great start to battling your aches & pains at home during this inactive time. Good luck!

Every one of us here at Katie Bell Physiotherapy & Wellness are eager to being able to welcome you back to the clinic to resume helping you to move, feel & live better!

Keep well & stay safe.