As written by Physiotherapist, Sam Lewis.  Each year many individuals set out to achieve a variety of New Year’s goals. Whether these be to drink a little less or spend less late nights at work, a common goal many of us set out to achieve is to run more regularly. Unfortunately new runners, and runners returning following a prolonged break find themselves frequently battling injury and constant ‘niggles’ that prevent them from being able to maintain a regular running program and achieve their running goals.  New runners with injuries are a common presentation within the clinic and ev ..read more

Blog written by physiotherapist, Darby Graham In this blog, I will be answering some common questions we hear from patients and outlining how we might manage an athlete after an ACL rupture that is not undergoing surgery. Q1: Does everyone need surgery after a high grade ACL tear? The short answer is no. Conservative (non-surgical) management can be highly successful for a large number of people, and there has been high quality research that has shown that it can be just as successful. In Australia, ACL reconstructions are very common due to cultural expectations and our exposure to profession ..read more

Bone stress injuries (BSI’s) are a common injury presentation in endurance runners, with distance runners having some of the highest incidents of BSI’s. They frequently occur in the lead up to running events, and cause a significant disruption to training.  It is well understood that cumulative loading contributes to bone fatigue. Due to the repetitive and cyclical nature of endurance running, cumulative bone loading is an inherent feature.  Bone fatigue presents as microdamage and triggers targeted bone remodeling where bone-resorbing osteoclasts remove damaged regions of bone befor ..read more

Strength Training for Triathletes: Triathlons are a high demand event which places a significant amount of physical stress on the body. Therefore, it is important to understand the demands of each component of the triathlon when considering strength training.    Demands of Triathlons: We all know that the triathlon consists of three different sports being swimming, cycling and running. Having three segments of the event influences how triathletes prioritize their training throughout the year. Given the high demand of the event, as important as it is to train in the pool, training on ..read more

Core Control Core control is something that we commonly talk about here at The Injury Clinic, but what does it actually mean? And what muscles make up the core? Core Muscles When we talk about the core, we are talking about the muscles that stabilise the trunk. These include (but are not limited to): Deep core (transverse abdominius), Deep spine stabilisers (such as lumbar multifidus), Gluteals, Pelvic floor, and, Diaphragm.  These muscles must all be working in a synchronised and orderly fashion for us to move effectively and efficiently.  People are often surprised to find that t ..read more

Blog written by Dietitian Alice Rose  Adolescents find themselves in a unique situation where they must meet the nutritional requirements associated with growth, development, school performance and good health. Active adolescents also need a diet that caters for the energy demands of undertaking daily training and competition. Adolescence is a period of significant physical development that includes changes to body composition, metabolic and hormonal fluctuations, maturation of organ systems and establishment of nutrient stores, all which affect future health. Macronutrients (carbohydrate ..read more

Written by Physiotherapist, Lachie Cooper. Running related injuries are some of the more common presentations we see at The Injury Clinic. Although running related injuries are varied and may affect a variety of different tissues in the body, there are often common risk factors and management principles that we may apply. In this blog, we’ll discuss some factors which contribute to the onset of running-related injuries, common mistakes that people make when managing these injuries, and practical steps that you can take to keep you running for longer!   Why do running related injuries occu ..read more

Written by strength and conditioning coach, Mason Spikers. Running is the most accessible leisure activity for the greater population, it can also bring upon unwanted niggles, tightness or even injuries which can inhibit the ability to continue running. Up to 79% of runners will experience an injury in a year and is caused by neglecting the additional strength training (van der Worp MP et al.) This prompts the question: Do we consider strength training for rehabilitation?   Studies have shown that increasing running load and the overuse of muscles are a main cause of running injuries (Hre ..read more

Women have been participating in sport for quite some time now, however, evidence is still emerging on the physiological differences between men and women and how this affects athletic performance. There are still gaps in the evidence, but we need to acknowledge that women are not just small men. Please note, for the purpose of this blog we consider females as those who have female hormones and female reproductive systems. We acknowledge that not all people with female hormones identify as being female.    THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE & SPORT: 41% of 14-16yo say their periods stop them f ..read more

Written by physiotherapist and Director, Laura Anderson.   Running events are back on the calendar for a lot of people after a disrupted three years, and we’re noticing an uptick in running injury presentations to the clinic.  So, we thought it might be a good time to give an overview on managing running injuries at The Injury Clinic.  There are many factors that are proposed to contribute to running-related injuries. These include training load, biomechanical factors, and lifestyle and emotional stressors.  As running-related injuries often occur following changes to train ..read more