Performance Therapy — High Performance Therapy

   Trigger Points - Stretching for the Hip Flexors   Muscles of the Hips, Thigh and Buttocks The hips and buttocks are comprised of a number of both large muscles (e.g., gluteus maximus) and small muscles (e.g., piriformis). These muscles are primarily responsible for hip stabilization and lower leg movement. The muscles around the hip and buttocks, along with the structure of the hip joint, allow for a large range of movement of the lower leg; including flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, and rotation. Stretching Hamstring injuries, hip arthritis, hip bursitis, thigh muscle strains .... hip and thigh pain is common and is...

The deltoid, along with supraspinatus and associated rotator cuff muscles, will regularly develop myofascial trigger points as result of reduced core efficiency. Failure to translate forces from the lower body to the shoulder will result in arthrokinematic stress and the formation of active myofascial trigger points. The restoration of core neuromuscular efficiency will provide a foundation for myofascial trigger point therapy, utilizing neuromuscular therapy and correctly prescribed exercise.   Deltoid Trigger Points Pain is felt as a dull ache for the most part, with increased pain on contraction of the muscle or when attempts are made to move the arm. Pain...

Did you know that the ankle is the most frequently injured joint, both in athletics and in daily life? Ankle sprains are the most common athletic injury, and 70–85% of these are inversion-type sprains. It has been reported that 10–30% of people with acute inversion-type sprains develop chronic mechanical instabilities as well as functional deficits, and approximately 80% of ankle sprains recur. According to the UK National Health Service (NHS), ankle sprain injuries account for around 1–1.5 million visits to accident and emergency (A&E) departments in the UK each year; and it is estimated that every day over 27,000 people...

Inflammation of the quadriceps tendon can be a result of repetitive stress to the quadriceps or excessive stress before the muscle is conditioned Minor tears may occur in the tendon when it is stretched while subjected to loading. Pain just above the patella (kneecap), especially when extending (straightening) the knee, usually accompanies this injury. Cause of injury Repetitive stress to the tendon, e.g. running or jumping. Repetitive acceleration and deceleration, e.g. hurdling or football. Untreated injury to the quadriceps.     Signs and symptoms Pain just above the patella. Jumping, running, kneeling or walking down stairs may aggravate the pain....

Successful treatment using trigger point therapy in a high-performance obstacle and endurance racing athlete As a therapist or trainer, I’m sure you can identify with the immense satisfaction of knowing that your work has had a direct impact on an athlete being able to achieve their goals. Another one of these proud moments happened for me recently. I first met Tim Kacprzak at the start of his obstacle racing and ultra running athletic journey when he was training for World’s Toughest Mudder, a gruelling 24-hour race in freezing conditions held in the United States. More recently, I worked intensively with...