Osteopathy, exercise and getting back to sport
When you enjoy training, an injury or a movement that keeps bothering you can be frustrating. A shoulder might feel fine throughout the day but hurt during a press. Your back may tighten up on longer rides, or a knee may stop you getting through a normal workout. The question is often quite simple: what needs attention so you can get back to doing what you enjoy?
At Natural Balance Osteopathy, I combine manual osteopathic treatment with movement assessment and remedial exercise. Understanding the activity you are struggling with is an important part of that work.
Looking at the movement
Knowing where something hurts is a starting point. I also want to know when it happens, which movements bring it on, and whether you have changed your training because of it. A recent injury, an old problem that keeps returning, and a gradual increase in discomfort can call for different approaches.
Assessment considers the affected area and how it moves with the rest of your body. For someone having difficulty with a squat, for example, that may mean looking at the movement of the ankles and hips alongside the knees and back. The aim is to understand what is relevant to that person and that task, rather than assume that everyone with the same complaint needs the same treatment.
Combining treatment with exercise
Hands-on treatment and exercise have different roles within an appointment. Manual treatment addresses the areas identified during assessment. Exercise gives us a way to work on a particular movement, build strength or practise control between visits.
Any exercise I recommend should have a clear purpose. You should understand what it is working on, how to do it, and how it relates to the activity you want to return to. It also needs to fit your current ability and the equipment and time you have available.
Keeping your sport in mind
Strength training, cycling and martial arts place very different demands on the body. Tell me about the lifts, positions or movements that are giving you trouble, as well as any advice you are already following from a physiotherapist or coach. Those details help make the appointment useful to your training.
I enjoy strength training, mountain biking and Brazilian jiu-jitsu myself, so I appreciate how much it matters to stay active. My work as a Manual Osteopathic Practitioner and Advanced Movement Therapist builds on 17 years in healthcare, including my previous work in massage therapy.
You are welcome to book at our Oro-Medonte clinic to discuss an injury, a recurring restriction or a movement you would like to work on. Natural Balance Osteopathy is located at 28 Shelswell Blvd and welcomes people from Barrie, Orillia and the surrounding communities.
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