Are you into sports this summer? By Denise Payne
After the London Olympics in 2012 we thought it couldn’t get any better for sport in the UK but as the Wimbledon Tennis Championship and the Grand Depart of the Tour de France have proved, record numbers of us are watching and more importantly, playing sports in the UK, some for the first time.
So if you have been inspired to pick up your tennis racquet or dust off your bicycle and join in, then take a moment to think about how you are going to get the most out of your sporting Summer.
If you haven’t played for a while you will be checking over your equipment, probably purchasing some new gear and generally making sure everything is in good working order.
So what about the most important piece of equipment….your body?
Increasingly, amateur and professional sports men and women alike are realising the benefits that Osteopathy can bring to their sporting performance.
In 2012, for the first time in Olympic history, Osteopaths were invited to be part of the Central Medical Team for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, looking after athletes and support staff from all over the world. An indication of the important role Osteopathy now plays in supporting athletes at the highest level.
So what can a session of Osteopathy do for you in your chosen sport this Summer?
Firstly, a thorough Osteopathic assessment before you play will help identify any pre-existing problems in your joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and most importantly your spine. This, combined with treatment, will ensure that you are in the best possible condition to play without incurring an injury.
If you have an old injury, treatment now will lessen the chances of it recurring and spoiling your enjoyment of your sport or ultimately preventing you from playing.
Your Osteopath will also offer you advice on how best to prepare for the season, tailored to your individual needs and unique circumstances. Helping you achieve and maintain the optimum physical conditioning and flexibility required to perform at your best.
Good Osteopathic care will enable you to train for longer, at a higher intensity and with increased efficiency and can help you to improve your technique and performance as well as enabling you to play in comfort.
If you have been unlucky enough to have sustained an injury already, then Osteopathic treatment will help you to recover and get back to enjoying your sport as soon as possible.
Additionally, good sports care is not just about ‘tennis elbow’ or ‘runners knee’, its about your spine and your Osteopath is uniquely placed to offer you a holistic approach to optimal spinal health that may be unfamiliar to you if you have only previously experienced the traditional approach of sports physiotherapy.
Optimal spinal health and flexibility not only help to prevent injury after a long winter of not playing, but also improve your game. You can train harder and play longer, improve your overall performance through increased fitness,flexibility and endurance and your playing season won’t be cut short by painful injury or repetitive strain.
So book today to take advantage of our offer throughout August with All sessions half price and enjoy your sporting Summer in a way you may not have thought possible.
Denise has 15 years experience as a fully qualified Structural and Cranial Osteopath and is a member of the Osteopathic Sports Care Association (OSCA) the organisation so influential in bringing Osteopathy to the Olympic Games for the first time in 2012.
For more information and bookings please contact us on 0203 659 2711 or info@highgateholisticclinic.com