Sport Physiotherapist Kempton Park

(Adapted from F-Marc.com, FIFA’s Medical Assessment and Research Centre) Football is the most popular team sport in the world. There are already more than 265 million registered players, and the number of participants is continuing to grow. With Football Fever hitting our country this year and being played in everyone’s backyard, a proper warm up is definitely justified. The warm up is vital before any game of football, or indeed any training session, in order to avoid injuring oneself. Football is a game that regularly places considerable strain on the joints and muscles and therefore it is extremely important to complete a thorough warm-up regime. Players all over the world miss games due to knee and ankle injuries, and female players in particular are at high risk of suffering anterior cruciate knee ligament tears. Warming up prior to playing and training is a matter of routine for any serious player. A smart warm-up not only improves your performance, but also helps you to p

Knee Injuries in Runners Sources: Running Injuries by Tim Noakes & Stephen Granger; Clinical Sports Medicine by Peter Brukner & Karim Khan There are many types of injuries runners can get exposed to and some injuries could be very debilitating. This article will highlight the two most common running knee injuries with the emphasis on prevention and treatment of each condition. Surveys have shown that the knee is by far the most common site of injury (19-44%), followed by tibial and fibular bone strain (15-18%). The most common knee injury is “runner’s knee”, also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Since 1970 the incidence of PFPS has risen from 23-44%. The incidence of another common knee injury, namely Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBFS) as also increased. This probably reflects the more recent trend towards firmer running shoes with less cushioning. Runner’s Knee/ Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) The upper leg (femur) and lower leg (tib

Exercise Associated Muscle Cramping (EAMC) Sources: Clinics in Sport Medicine Have you ever experienced a muscle cramp whilst doing your long run? Want to know why it happens? How to prevent it? Read on... - What brings this about? Exercise associated muscle cramping (EAMC) is defined as a painful, spasmodic, and involuntary contraction of skeletal muscle that occurs during or immediately after exercise. The most scientifically based hypothesis for Exercise Associated Muscle Cramping (EAMC) is the “muscle fatigue hypothesis” of Prof Martin Schwellnus and colleagues from the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. -What causes premature muscle fatigue and EAMC? According to a study by Manjra and colleagues of over 1300 marathon runners in 1996, certain risk factors for EAMC were identified that included: • older age, • longer history of running, • higher body mass index, • shorter daily stretching time, • irregular stretching habits, • and a positive family history

David van Wyk will be joining the South African Team as Physiotherapist for the World Games in July held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. http://www.worldgames2009.tw/wg2009/eng/index.php