Why do most sports people end up with an injury at some point?

Well, normally it is because they don't know that their injuries are due to poor function and that they have biomechanical problems, and/or that they are wearing the wrong footwear for sport. There are many third party factors too, like poor training habits and running on concrete all the time, which will exaggerate the biomechanical issues.

There can be many different factors, and we will find them all.

Moving from practitioner to practitioner, is this a good idea?

Well sports injury specialists are like any other profession, there are good ones and there are bad ones. We have found that 95% of practitioners only treat the symptoms. All repetitive injuries are biomechanical in origin, so it makes sense to look at function and gait, i.e. the way you walk and run. Clifton likes to works with athletes over a period of years in some cases to prevent future injuries too.

We have found that 95% of practitioners treat the symptoms, which is great but it only moves the problem some where else shortly after. "Biomechanics is the foundation stome of motion" (Clifton Bradeley)

Why do I get back pain along side other injuries?

Great question! Clifton says that the key to efficient function in sport is a stable sacral base (base of the spine). He says that if your pelvis is level in all three body planes then most sports injuries will either heal on their own or will settle quicker. Clifton's techniques are unique and will tell you how you function throughout your whole body.

This is based on the theory that the pelvis is the seat, the upper body is the passenger and the legs the locomotors drives.

Clifton says that if the pelvis is out i.e. then the legs will function asymmetrically and the upper body centre of mass (gravity) will be pushed to one side massively increasing the risk of injury. Most knee, Achilles and back pain etc issues are based on this theory.

At the start of an injury what should I do?

For the first week cut back on your training and avoid hills and speed work.

If it is painful walking then you should not be running on it. If your injury does not settle down after 10 days then think about the reasons behind it and book a biomechanical assessment with a Podiatrist. This will tell you why you get injuries and how to reduce the risk of future injuries, whilst you prepare for your chosen event.

Can poor quality or worn out running shoes cause an injury?

Yes! Sub-4 opened it's own running store to help people buy the right shoes.

I would say that at least 50% of runners are not in the right category of running shoes. These categories are Neutral, Structured Cushioning and Maximum Support. Sub-4 staff can help you with this but some times the biomechanical assessment will reveal your shoe category.

Who should I see first about my inury?

Well! if you have had a traumatic kick during a game of football for example, and have damaged or torn a muscle then I would recommend you see a fully qualified physiotherapist first. If you have fallen off a horse for example onto your back and you have new back pain then see a fully qualified Chiropractor or osteopath.

But if you have any type of repetitive injury from your feet, knee hip, lower back right up to your shoulder and head then see a fully qualified Podiatrist who specialises in the whole kinetic chain (body). This is because repetitive injuries are non-traumatic in origin and need to be corrected at source. For example, a foot or knee issue can originate in the back.

A back injury can originate from lower limb function and you must have this assessed acturately by somebody who specialises in biomechanics. If the underlying cause is not identified and addessed, this can delay healing, cost you unnecessary fees and create long term destrucive changes later in life.

• If you have any questions not answered here, please contact us for more information.