So we are now almost at the end of January which is the time when most New Years Resolutions can falter. One of many reasons which may bring your new training programme to an abrupt end is injury. Here are a few physio tips to help prevent this:

If you have started running bear in mind the 10% rule. Don’t increase the amount of training you are doing by anymore than 10% one week to the next.

Incorporate strength work/conditioning exercises into your training programme. The older we get the more important this becomes.

Avoid just working the ‘mirror muscles’ eg if your on the bench press working your pecs don’t forget the muscles at the back of your shoulders.

Put healthy fuel in your engine. Try not to use exercise as an excuse to eat more cake!

Sleep is really important. If you average 6hrs sleep per night for a week then your brain functions like someone who is over the limit.

These points will be covered in greater detail in future posts.

I have just returned from Mallorca where I competed in the cycle discipline of the 3 day Iron Man, which involved a 112 mile ride. I was concerned as to how I was going to manage the distance, as I am limited in the amount of time I can dedicate to training, but with some clever advice and encouragement from my very helpful coach/friend, Paul Willis, I coped considerably better than I thought I would.

With access to the state of the art enormous gym at Cheltenham Ladies College we can now offer running assessment and coaching, using one of the numerous treadmills! It is amazing what alterations people make to their running following an injury, which they are normally totally unaware of. Even if you have never been injured most of us do not run as efficiently as we should do, as we are not taught to run as children. Believe it or not it is a skill! By learning how to run better you will help to prevent injury and improve your running times.

The clinic has just relocated to Cheltenham Ladies College Sports Centre. We are within the very impressive, new sports centre and have access to all the gym facilities for rehabilitation.

Georgina attended a very informative course this weekend on an update on anterior cruciate rehabilitation of the knee.

To date most protocols advocate 9 months before return to competitive sport, but recent research shows, by using an objective assessments along the way, the timescales can and should driven by individual performance.

Now that my youngest daughter has started school the clinic will now be open every day except Wednesdays.

Walking for 20-40 minutes per day has huge health benefits. It has been proven to reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease, dementia, diabetes, cancer and depression. If done correctly it also reduces injury risk as it engages the gluteal muscles which are the primary muscle for propelling us forward. However if you sit for more than 6 hours the gluteal muscles ‘switch off’. With regard to walking correctly it needs to be done at a brisk pace and with a full arm swing.[Very few of us use a full arm swing] Try it for a week and see how you feel!

Just spent a great 4 days ski touring in France. Its good to have an occasional adventure!

Injury Prevention Talk aimed at Runners on Thursday 1st February at 7pm at Cheltenham Ladies College Sports Centre, Malvern Road, GL50 2NX.There is no charge for the talk. If you would like to attend please contact Georgina to reserve your place.