Lower Body Sports Injuries
Hamstring/Groin strains
The hamstrings are very susceptible to injury due to them being weaker than their counterparts, the quadriceps. This means that any imbalance in the hip, knee or pelvis can cause tears anywhere along the length of the muscle. This often occurs as the leg is decelerating (e.g. after kicking a football), or when the leg is suddenly straightened (e.g. as a runner sets off). When treating a recurrent injury we address any signs of pelvic imbalance and previous knee or ankle injuries that may put extra strain on the hamstrings. Believe it or not, a muscle rarely strains on its own when everything around it is running smoothly.
Knee pain
Most knee pain is easy to treat and is not the result of arthritis. Subtle imbalances within the hip and foot cause a rotational force at the knee resulting in pain and inflammation of the tendons and cartilage (menisci). Other times poor running style or an awkward gait can produce irritation in the tissues of the knee. Only in exceptional circumstances is surgery required. The majority of cases we can dramatically relieve by working on the different structures of the knee itself and resolving any imbalances at the neighbouring joints of the leg.
Due to an osteopath’s highly developed sense of touch, specific problems can be identified and treated with ease. These include: Meniscal/Cartilage Problems, Knee Locking, Arthritis, Patella Mal-tracking & Osgood-Schlatters.
Shin splints
These are a common blight of runners occurring after ’too much training too soon’ causing inflammation and micro-fracture of the bone surface. Often, poor ankle and knee biomechanics are to blame leading to excessive force in the shin. Osteopaths are able to use their highly developed sense of touch to recognise the early signs. When treating the condition working directly on the tissues and adjacent areas can greatly ease the inflammation allowing you to resume training.
Ankle sprains
Did you know you can experience pain anywhere around the foot and ankle as a result of a sprain to the ankle’s ligaments? You may not even recall going over on your ankle for there to be a problem but there is usually a background of double-jointedness for this to be the case.
Ankle strains are very common and usually resolve completely after 2 or 3 weeks with ice and rest, but often retained muscle spasm and joint restrictions can lead to chronic injury. When an old injury hasn’t resolved fully it can lead to a recurrence or injury elsewhere. By manipulating the joint and relaxing the muscles we can help the joint resume normal motion much quicker and more completely, thus relieving the pain and swelling. Taping to restore control and allow normal function is used in the early stages of your recovery.
Foot and Heel pains
Usually a traumatic event or a change to your routine can bring about foot pain. This can encourage the muscles to fatigue on the inner part of sole (plantar fasciitis) or allow tight muscles to tug at the heel (achilles’ tendinopathy). By improving the function of the ankle and the joints within the arches of the foot, the pain will ease and normal movement will return. This will be in addition to releasing the tight muscles which influence joint movement, and possibly taping the joint to give additional support in your recovery period, allowing you to continue with your training.
An osteopath’s highly developed sense of touch can identify the specific problem to your foot pain. We will often be able to tell you the process of how and why it came about by assessing the local tissues as well as being aware of others mechanical issues which may have made you use your foot differently and without you noticing!
Problems we can help relieve include plantar fascitis and pes planus (dropped arches), metatarsalgia, tendon & ligament problems, pain from heel spurs, bunions and neuromas (trapped nerves)