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Balance Performance Physiotherapy case studyHenman Communications2011 – 2012

henman 2Follow us on Twitter@HenmanComm | www.henmancom.com

Henman Communications was appointed by Balance Performance Physiotherapy to raise awareness of their physiotherapy, sports performance and well-being services in the sport, health and fitness and medical media.

This case-study outlines our PR strategy, activities and results.

Background Balance Performance employs a team of over 30 highly qualified and experienced professionals. The Balance team is multi-disciplinary and consists of some of the most highly experienced and talented therapists, doctors, coaches and specialists in the UK.

Balance’s facilities are state-of-the-art from Alter-G ‘anti-gravity treadmill to Trigger Point Performance Therapy, KT Tape to Kettlebells, sophisticated use of movement to straightforward intensity of effort.

The Balance team take time to educate their clients so they are fully informed, engaged and empowered to maintain their own health and well-being.

OverviewBalance works with individuals from all levels; from Professional and Olympic athletes to office workers.

Testimonial “We are delighted to be working with Henman Communications to develop our PR strategy and plans. The lead into London 2012 is a very exciting time for Balance Performance. We have recently opened our new studio in Fulham to take our innovative approach and expertise to the people of West London.

Henman Communications have helped us build on a decade of experience working in sports such as running, triathlon and the combat sports sector, but also in new sports such as golf. They have also helped us highlight the innovative health and fitness products that we retail and also educate professionals and the public on how to use them effectively. On-going PR has been very important and has helped us build those networks.”

Scott Morris, Performance Director, Balance Performance Physiotherapy

Henman Communications

Henman Communications | 2nd Floor | 6 Morie Street | London | SW18 1SL

M +44 (0)7810 448782 E [email protected] www.henmancom.com Twitter @HenmanComm

MEDIA INFORMATION Wednesday 16th November 2011

BALANCE PERFORMANCE LAUNCH NEW

FULHAM PHYSIO STUDIO WITH 50% DISCOUNT OFFER

Balance Performance, one of the leading sports physiotherapy and rehabilitation specialists in

the UK will be launching a new physiotherapy studio in Fulham in West London, and are offering a

50% discount on the price of the first treatment session.

Scott Morris, Performance Director at Balance Performance says:” We are delighted to be launching

our new Balance Performance studio, located in the Fit Rooms Gym off the North End Road in

Fulham to take our innovative approach to sports physiotherapy, rehabilitation and recovery to West

London. As part of the launch we are offering all customers 50% discount in price off their first

physiotherapy session up until the 31st March next year! Discount vouchers can be picked up from

Fit Rooms or bring in the voucher from the paper to quality for your discount.”

Balance Performance employs only the most experienced physiotherapy and rehabilitation

professionals. The team consists of over 30 qualified specialists including: sports doctors, sports,

spinal and neuro physiotherapists, massage therapists, strength and conditioning coaches, sports and

orthopaedic podiatrists, nutritionists and sports scientists. The team works with individuals from all

backgrounds and levels up to Olympic athletes. Every patient is treated like an Olympian where a

bespoke programme of rehabilitation or training is tailored to their needs, to overcome an injury or

improve their performance. .

Balance Performance provide in-depth analysis and assessment of clients injuries or issues through

both biomechanical knowledge and where appropriate using video analysis. This may look at a golf

swing, tennis serve, running technique and even your cycle analysis.

Biulding Brands through PR



Balance Performance Physiotherapy Team 22nd and 23rd September 2012 Media enquires contact Richard Henman on M +447810 448782 / [email protected] The Virgin Active London Triathlon Stand No. L50

Scott Morris Performance Director BSc, MBA, MCSP, MHPC

Scott qualified from Southampton University in 2002 and gained a huge range of experience in both the NHS and private practice from A&E to Canary Wharf.

Scott has a strong sporting background having competed at a high level in both distance running and cycling. He is passionate about sport and enjoys working with athletes from all disciplines and levels.

Scott utilises manual techniques and acupuncture whenever needed but also works closely with Jason and Jonathan to ensure that his clients achieve their goals. Scott is very proud to be part of such a special team that offers its clients a truly unique service and quality of care unparalleled in the UK.

Graham Anderson Co-Founder, Consultant Physiotherapist & Clinical Director MSc, MCSP, SRP With over 25year's experience of working in a variety of sports, Graham has worked at 3 Olympic games as HQ physiotherapist to Team GB, 3 Commonwealth games and 9 World, Student and Youth Olympic Games. In 200 he worked closely with the Modern Pentathlon team. 2004 designated to work with the endurance runners and 2008; he worked with Judo and Taekwondo – these roles all outside his Olympic Games HQ role.




MEDIA INFORMATION Tuesday 4th October 2011

PROFILE FEATURE

Graham Anderson, leading ATP World Tour

physiotherapist talks about his experience and life on tour What is your name, age and profession? ANSWER: GRAHAM ANDERSON 49, Chartered Physiotherapist How long have you been a sports physiotherapist? ANSWER: 25 years Which sports have you worked in over the years? ANSWER: I began in rugby, then gradually worked with different sports including badminton, judo, boxing, korfball, athletics, football, hockey, triathlon, golf, and road cycling - all at national / elite team level. I then became more specialists in professional tennis, England badminton and endurance cycling and have often been used to support GB squash too. Now most of my time is taken with tennis and badminton. What elite athletes have you treated? ANSWER: I have treated many household names when working at the last 3 Olympics with team GB where as HQ physiotherapist I worked with rowers, track athletes, gymnasts and tennis players side by side. Now working in professional tennis I work with all the men on the ATP world tour from Novak Djorkovic, Federer, and Nadal to some of the lesser ranked doubles players. When did you set up Balance Performance in Clapham in London? ANSWER: Just over 10 years ago What services does Balance Performance provide and who are your clients? ANSWER: Balance Performance provide medically orientated multidisciplinary sports and wellbeing team (including doctors, sports physiotherapists, masseurs, strength and conditioning trainers, podiatrists, nutritionists) to treat injuries and improve the performance of the elite and the not so elite. Everyone is treated like an Olympic athlete at a level bespoke tailored to their needs, be it injury or improvement. We provide expert and professional analysis through biomechanical knowledge and video analysis - be it tennis serve, a golf swing a running style or even on bike cycle analysis. Our

Biulding Brands through PR



MEDIA ALERT 22nd and 23rd September 2012 Media enquires contact Richard Henman on M +447810 448782 / [email protected] The Virgin Active London Triathlon Balance Performance Physiotherapy Stand No. L50

BALANCE PERFORMANCE LEAD THE WAY IN SPORTS INJURY AND REHAB

UK’s leading sports physiotherapy, performance and recovery specialists Balance Performance will be offering free sports injury advice, KT Tape (kinesiology) taping and demonstrating the benefits of Trigger Point Therapy tools at the London Triathlon Show at the Excel Centre on the 22nd and 23rd September. KT Tape is a revolutionary sports medicine solution for treating and preventing common sports injuries such as ITBS, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, knee pain and more. Ultra-light, elastic, and strong, it is highly effective at providing pain relief, stability and support, faster recovery for injured or sore muscles and joints-without sacrificing comfort or freedom of movement. As Scott Morris, Performance Director at Balance Performance says: “As you will have probably seen at London 2012, many athletes were wearing brightly coloured tape on their bodies. This is kinesiology tape or KT Tape. It is a light elastic tape that can be used for helping with musculoskeletal problems which can arise from overuse injuries, muscle strains and swelling. Properties that make the tape appealing to athletes is its elasticity in that it moves with the body, so athletes feel very comfortable with it on.” Scott Morris, will also be joined on the Balance Performance stand by Melissa Brand, one of the UK’s leading elite triathletes and Team Timex Multisport Athlete, Maxifuel Ambassador and WAthletic Sports Model at 4.30pm on Saturday 22ND September after competing in the Virgin Active London Triathlon, to demonstrate KT Tape and TPT tools. Scott goes on to say: “The elastic nature of KT tape allows it to be applied over and around muscles and joints in order to provide lightweight and comfortable support to prevent injury and speed recovery. It can provide mechanical support for joints and alleviate stress on muscles. It can also provide feedback to the nervous system to facilitate or inhibit.




MEDIA INFORMATION Monday 10th October 2011

Q & A with Graham Anderson MSc MCSP SRP

talking about life as a sports physiotherapist with England Badminton

What is your name, age and profession? ANSWER: GRAHAM ANDERSON 49, Chartered Physiotherapist How long have you been a sports physiotherapist? ANSWER: 25 years Which sports have you worked in over the years? ANSWER: I began in rugby, then gradually worked with different sports including England Badminton, British judo, English boxing, korfball, athletics, football, hockey, triathlon, golf, and road cycling - all at national / elite team level. I then became more specialists in professional tennis, England Badminton and endurance cycling and have often been used to support GB squash too. Now most of my time is taken with tennis and badminton. What elite athletes have you treated? ANSWER: I have treated many household names across all the racket sports, tennis, badminton and squash when working at the last 3 Olympics with team GB in HQ, the last 4 Commonwealth Games starting in 1998. Now working in professional tennis I work with all the men on the ATP world tour from Novak Djorkovic, Federer, and Nadal to some of the lesser ranked doubles players. When did you set up Balance Performance in Clapham in London? ANSWER: Just over 10 years ago What services does Balance Performance provide and who are your clients? ANSWER: Balance Performance provide medically orientated multidisciplinary sports and wellbeing team (including doctors, sports physiotherapists, masseurs, strength and conditioning trainers, podiatrists, nutritionists) to treat injuries and improve the performance of the elite and the not so elite. Everyone is treated like an Olympic athlete at a level bespoke tailored to their needs, be it injury or improvement. We provide expert and professional analysis through biomechanical knowledge and video analysis - be it tennis serve, a round the head badminton smash, a squash forehand boast, a golf swing, a running style or even on cycle analysis. Our speciality is rehabilitation taking the client


• Barefoot running workshop with Naeem Akram, barefoot running coach, and Darryl Edwards, founder of The Fitness Explorer.

• Media packs: core messages, information sheets, testimonials, visuals, video, staff biographies

• Filming, editing and distribution of video testimonials with: Dion Harrison (Pro Triathlete) and Claire Bennett (British Nol.2 Fencer)

• Press release drafting and media distribution

• Press cuttings books & media evaluation reports

• Media relations - setting up & managing one-to-one media interviews

• Advice on: marketing strategy, HTML newsletters, marketing collateral,

• Press office at The Virgin London Triathlon and The Virgin London Marathon exhibitions,

• Internal staff communications.

Our deliverables included

• PR strategy and planning

• Integrated strategy to include:

• The three Balance physiotherapy clinics – Clapham, Fulham and The City

• Raise the profile of retail fitness products to drive revenue

o KT tape o TPT trigger point therapy o Alter G ‘anti-gravity’ treadmill o Crosscore 180 o Kettle Bells

PR Brief

Building Brands through PR.



MEDIA ALERT

Accelerated sports rehab in safer

conditions using NASA ‘anti-

gravity’ technology Dr Lucy Goldby PhD MCSP, Co-Founder and Clinical Director of

Balance Performance Physiotherapy will be running a workshop for the

media to try out the revolutionary AlterG ‘anti-gravity’ treadmill.

Date: Thursday, 8th March, 2012

Time: 1.00 - 4.00pm

Location: Balance Performance Physiotherapy: 113 Gauden Road, Clapham, London, SW4 6LE

“For rehabilitation we used to work with elbow crutches and ask weight bearing, non-weight bearing?

Partial? Egg-shell?? Now we can say, 64% weight bearing? 89%? 32 or 34%. We can be totally

bespoke to the difficult pathological fractures, non-unions, reconstructive surgery, the list is endless.

For some conditions the speed of rehabilitation has changed dramatically. In Tendo Achilles repairs

which necessitate immobilisation for a long period of time, the patients are immediately on their feet in

a very supported and comfortable way. A lot of the psychological fear of movement which

accompanies lengthy immobilisation is eradicated by the support the machine gives. The patient

cannot fall or accidentally put too much weight on the limb. The same is true for those with

amputations and joint replacements.”

Dr Lucy Goldby PhD MCSP, Co-Founder and Clinical Director of Balance Performance in

London. To book a place please contact

Richard Henman at Henman Communications on M +447810 448782, [email protected]

Scott Morris, Performance Director on 020 7627 2308, M +447760414944, [email protected]

More information

www.balancephysio.com

www.shop.balancephysio.com

www.facebook.com/BalancePerformanceLondon

www.twitter.com/BalancePhysio

British scientists investigating natural ways to enhance athletic

performance have had their latest study published in the American

Journal of Physiology, providing evidence that Neovite colostrum* can

massively reduce gut permeability, commonly known as ‘leaky gut

syndrome’, brought about when exercise raises core temperature. A research group led by Ray Playford, Professor of Medicine at Barts

and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry looked at athletes

who were asked to run for 20 minutes at 80 per cent of their aerobic

maximum. At the end of the exercise, changes in the subjects gut

leakiness were measured using urine sample, also determined were

changes in the athletes’ core temperature. Under standard conditions,

gut leakiness had increased by 250 per cent and temperature had

risen by 2 degrees. However, when the group were given a drink of

dairy Neovite colostrum for two weeks before the trial, the rise in gut

leakiness was reduced by about 80 per cent, despite the same effort

and temperature rise.Gut disorders induced by exercise are common in athletes when the

body’s response to increased permeability is to clear the gut contents,

giving rise to symptoms such as diarrhoea to avoid toxins from gut

organisms entering the bloodstream, as these lead to heatstroke

which can result in damage to the internal organs.

Joe Beer, writer, triathlon coach remarks on the benefits of colostrum,

“I can see from personal experience that there’s de.nitely something

taking place. Probably the greatest result is the capacity to absorb

training without getting unwell or breaking down. Athletes notice that

their body is absorbing the training. This would seem to be the result

of colostrum improving the function of the gut which in turn boosts the

absorption of nutrients, which makes for better recovery.”Toby Radcliffe, professional Ironman and long course triathlete is

sponsored by Neovite and comments, “I’ve experienced improved

recovery during hard loading periods of training, which has allowed me

to achieve more in training and bounce back quicker. Most noticeable

has been an improvement in gut health , I experience much fewer

problems on running now, which means that I no longer need to plan

long run routes to include emergency toilet stops!”Neovite colostrum was provided for the trial by Colostrum

UK Ltd. To review the abstract study published visit:

http://ajpgi.physiology.org/www.neovite.com | t: 020 82 44 83 83

TOO HOT TO TROT?

Toby RadcliffeJoe Beer

Henman Communications Henman Communications | 2nd Floor | 6 Morie Street | London | SW18 1SL


MEDIA INFORMATION Wednesday 16th November 2011

BALANCE PERFORMANCE LAUNCH NEW FULHAM PHYSIO STUDIO WITH 50% DISCOUNT OFFER Balance Performance, one of the leading sports physiotherapy and rehabilitation specialists in

the UK will be launching a new physiotherapy studio in Fulham in West London, and are offering a

50% discount on the price of the first treatment session.

Scott Morris, Performance Director at Balance Performance says:” We are delighted to be launching

our new Balance Performance studio, located in the Fit Rooms Gym off the North End Road in

Fulham to take our innovative approach to sports physiotherapy, rehabilitation and recovery to West

London. As part of the launch we are offering all customers 50% discount in price off their first

physiotherapy session up until the 31st March next year! Discount vouchers can be picked up from

Fit Rooms or bring in the voucher from the paper to quality for your discount.”

Balance Performance employs only the most experienced physiotherapy and rehabilitation

professionals. The team consists of over 30 qualified specialists including: sports doctors, sports,

spinal and neuro physiotherapists, massage therapists, strength and conditioning coaches, sports and

orthopaedic podiatrists, nutritionists and sports scientists. The team works with individuals from all

backgrounds and levels up to Olympic athletes. Every patient is treated like an Olympian where a

bespoke programme of rehabilitation or training is tailored to their needs, to overcome an injury or

improve their performance. .

Balance Performance provide in-depth analysis and assessment of clients injuries or issues through

both biomechanical knowledge and where appropriate using video analysis. This may look at a golf

swing, tennis serve, running technique and even your cycle analysis.


Print & online Editorial features

Media coverage

Rugby Fitness

mensfitness.co.uk /NOVEMBER 2011/ 45

Top Trainers

Power ListThe

Not all trainers are created equal. MF selects the 25 men to listen to if you’re serious about getting in shape – and gives you a head start by asking them for advice

Bodybuilder and conditioning coach Mitchell is the UK’s foremost expert on body composition, whether he’s prepping film stars for the screen or stripping his own body fat down to an ultra-lean seven per cent.

Mitchell’s advice ‘I can give you a thousand little tricks to improve your body, but every successful physical transformation is always underpinned by one thing: approaching the task at hand with joy, ferocity and total commitment. Forget about fear, learn to enjoy the challenge. You must attack life with gusto. And above all else, thou shalt not be a pussy.’More nickmitchellblog.com

Nick Mitchell

Words Joel Snape Photography Pete Webb

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THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 S16 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Tooting, on the ragged edge of south-west London, is the sort of town where the estate is your home rather than your car, and where gangs can all too easily become families.

It was here that Winston Gordon, a double Olympian, was raised. A pupil at Ernest Bevin School, he freely admits that he could have succumbed to a life on the streets had it not been for a school assembly given by a PE teacher, Margaret Hicks, when he was 11.

Hicks demanded a volunteer to help her demonstrate a judo hold. Gordon stepped up and to the mirth of his classmates, was unable to shake himself free.

Stung by the laughter ringing in his ears, he resolved to learn how. Now, more than two decades on, he has returned to the school to teach the sport.

Just as the gospel of judo provided Gordon with salvation, now he eulogises about its power to empower, to correct, to heal. “Judo’s a very disciplined thing,” he says. “It teaches you that if anything arises, you just walk on by. Let it go.

“When you get onto the mat, if you don’t respect anybody who’s on that mat, you’re not worthy to be on it. You’ve got to respect everybody, whatever their creed or colour of origin. When you go on that judo mat, everybody’s won.”

Gordon is a proud Londoner, and has seen with his own eyes how a city can be riven by discord. It is why he was glued to the television set on July 6, 2005.

He was at a training camp in Spain, watching the announcement of the 2012 Olympic host city on a television in the hotel dining room. “The French were at the next table,” he remembers. “They’d all got their faces painted. When it happened, and London beat Paris, we just all went crazy.

“The French were all crying and whatnot, while we were jumping on

the air. We were saying to them: ‘Hope you’ve got enough paint, because you’re coming to London.’

“It’s going to be the best thing. The experience is just going to be incredible. It will open people’s eyes. The kids of today are going to be much more engaged with sport, which is great for the health of London. More people on bikes, more people doing fitness. It’s just going to kick off. It will unite everybody.”

For Gordon, a competitor in the 90kg middleweight category, this will be his third Games, and he has unfinished business. In Athens he lost agonisingly in a play-off for the bronze medal, while four years ago he was below his best due to injury and was eliminated in the first round. “Third time lucky,” he says cheerfully. “If I can come away with a medal, I will.”

The host nation has guaranteed places in all 14 men’s and women’s events at London 2012, and despite his injury problems, Gordon is still by far and away the leading candidate to represent Britain in his division. He will make his return to major tournament action at next

week’s European Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

The landscape of British judo in the last few years has been one of turbulence; crisis, perhaps, for a nation attempting to end a 12-year Olympic medal drought stretching back to Kate Howey’s silver in Sydney.

After a dreadful World Championships in Paris last August, in which no Briton finished better than fifth, the entire elite coaching staff was sacked. One of those was performance director Hicks, the PE teacher who had gripped Gordon in his first hold.

Her replacement, Daniel Lascau, has placed a strong emphasis on youth, with 16 year-olds Hayley Willis and Kate-Jemima Yeats-Brown and 18 year-old Max Stewart among the squad for the European Championships. Yet on shifting cultural sands, amid a sea of new faces, Gordon has remained.

Now, at 35, one of the elder statesmen of the team along with the likes of Euan Burton and Karina Bryant, his body is no longer as robust as it was.

He is only just feeling his way back to full fitness after a broken finger that forced him to miss the Olympic test event at the ExCeL last December. Yet he refuses to accept that London 2012 could be his swansong, and even looks forward to competing at Rio in 2016.

“It’s possible,” he says. “As long as the fire’s still burning. Who knows in life? Once that flame goes, that’ll be the finish of me. I’m getting on now, and obviously there’s a few youngsters coming through trying to nick my place. But as long as I’m still firing, nationally and internationally, I’m going to keep going.”

And why not? Judo has given Gordon so much — and through his work with youngsters, it is a debt he is repaying with interest. Though the life of a judoka is nowhere near as glamorous as that of the footballers and basketball players idolised by young Londoners today, Gordon believes judo offers something richer.

“Judo’s given me an opportunity to go abroad, to places like Japan, where it was founded, Korea, Russia, Germany. The judo world is like a family unit. It’s opened up my eyes to other parts of the world.

“We think we’re in a little bubble, but through judo you see how people live elsewhere in the globe. That’s how people who weren’t friends before become friends and respect each other. Judo is a way of life. It stays with you forever.”

LONDON 2012

Gordon hopes for last laugh

Lascau puts Britain By Jonathan Liew

The man charged with restoring success to British judo has claimed that he has instilled a winning mentality into the sport in this country after years of underachievement.

Ahead of next week’s European Championships, performance director Daniel Lascau claimed that when he took over last autumn, British judo was in a “crisis situation” after failing to win a single medal at the World Championships. Britain has targeted a haul of one to three medals at London 2012.

The disappointing performance in Paris last August led to the dismissal of the entire elite coaching staff and the appointment of Lascau, a 42 year-old who was born in Romania but won gold at the World Championships for Germany in 1991.

“We are much more aggressive in the fights and have the attitude to go on to the mat as winners,” he said. “It was a crisis situation after the World Championships in Paris.

“I had a very good relationship with the British Judo Association, so we just decided to take a project of 10 months to build a team for the Olympics, to make sure the coaches

Making amends: Winston Gordon departed from the Beijing Games (main picture) in the first round

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 * * *

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S17THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

How to play Developed from jujitsu, the hand-to-hand combat technique of ancient samurai warriors, judo basically involves throwing opponents to the floor and holding them in submission. Fighters compete in events determined by their weight, and at London 2012 there will be seven weight classes.

Tactics and techniquesAlthough strength and power are important, possessing the mental agility to quickly spot and exploit your opponent’s weakness is even more so. One of the first things you need to learn in judo is how to fall. This is so that when you are thrown to the ground, you are able to land safely.

History lesson Judo was first included in the 1964 Olympics but was clearly not a hit as it was axed four years later. However, since 1972 it has become a regular fixture with Japan, somewhat unsurprisingly, dominating with 65 medals – 28 more than second-placed France.

LegendRyoko Tani (right) broke on the Olympic scene as a 16 year-old at the Barcelona Games in 1992 with a silver medal. In the following eight years, she lost only one fight – the Olympic gold-medal contest in Atlanta 1996. Ryoko finally won a gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Games and again in Athens.

Random factAt the Tokyo 1964 Olympics in the open class, a 1.98-metre Dutchman named Anton Geesink (left) defeated three-time Japanese national champion Kaminaga Akio in front of a stunned 15,000 crowd at the Nippon Budokan Hall. Geesink followed this up with gold at the world championships.

What to say...“When watching this sport you really have to respect the self-control and courage of the judoka as they achieve ippon.” What not to say...“I think that Superstars has gone downhill since Brian Jacks left the show.”

on track after crisisand the fighters know what they have to do.”

There has been a renewed focus on youth, 16-year-olds Hayley Willis and Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown being selected with one eye on the Rio Games in 2016.

“If the juniors can produce a surprise performance then they can go to London 2012,” Lascau said. “It’s important to expose them to the top level of senior judoka.”

Although Britain already has a guaranteed host nation place in every judo category at London 2012, the European Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia, are the last opportunity to gain world ranking points that will determine seedings for the competition in London this summer.

Britain won just two bronze medals at last year’s championships in Istanbul.

Kick start: Daniel Lascau was appointed after Britain’s dismal World Championships

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W W W.t e n n i s h e a d. n e t 17

I’ve worked in plenty of different sports over the last 20 years but I got into tennis when I was asked to join the Wimbledon team as one of their physios. When

I took the job as lead physio eight years ago I had seriously big shoes to fill in those of John Matthews, who had done 36 years at the Championships. I’ve been there ever since.→ There are three full-timers and six part-time physiotherapists working for the ATP World Tour and I’m one of the latter, travelling on tour for 16 weeks a year. I generally do events in Europe but do occasionally get to go to the States.→ The lower back is the most common problem area for tennis players, whether they play professionally or recreationally, and on tour that is often caused by changing court surfaces. Going from a hard court to grass, where players have to adapt to a lower bouncing ball, for instance, can be a common cause of back pain. Contra lateral injuries, in other words ‘on opposite sides’ – like the left hip for a right-hander – can also be a big problem.→ You have to do a certain amount of manual therapy and push-shove treatment to give players a little extra range at big tournaments when they need it, but I much prefer to do

preventative work rather than patching up players. Prevention, through conditioning and stretching, is important and what I spend most of my time doing.→ In general, tennis players need to work an awful lot more on their flexibility and we’re trying to encourage that. Ask them to do an exercise that doesn’t involve tennis and you’ll find they are not very skilled or controlled and their flexibility is quite poor.→ Because we are not all at every tournament, I communicate electronically with fellow ATP physios so we all know what’s happening with the players and who’s got problems. We have to be aware of what’s going on.→ We work long, long days. We are the first to leave the hotel in the morning – sometimes at 8.30am when players go on court for a knock-up ahead of an 11am start – and the last to leave after the players have done their media and come to us for a massage. Just when you think you’ve got five minutes to write up your notes, another player comes in. You are constantly in demand.→ The travel is the worst part of the job but the ATP looks after us. Flights are arranged and they pick us up from airports.→ I worked at the US Open for the first time last year thanks to Hurricane Irene. It had been a dream of mine to work there. I was supposed to be going home but I was stranded in New York and became an extra physio at the tournament. Within an hour of my arrival I was on Arthur Ashe Stadium!→ The best moment of my life would have to be working at the Olympics. I was in the holding camp in Sydney and Athens and in the village with Team GB in Beijing. The beauty about my role there is that I work with all different sports. I’ll see a pole-vaulter, a gymnast, one of the judo team and then a tennis player walk through the door. It’s nice to really mix it up and think about things.→ I don’t get star struck. In the end, they are just another bit of meat on the physio couch. I’ll admit, I do like finding top athletes aren’t conditioned enough in a certain area or discovering a problem that they haven’t been looking at. I’m not looking for flaws, but finding flaws that can actually help them. n

factfile AGE: 49 | livEs: london | born: renfrew, scotland

“I don’t get star struck. In the end, they are just another bit of meat on the physio couch”

Graham anderson

more about grahamGraham is Consultant Physiotherapist and Clinical Director at Balance Performance Physiotherapy, a London-based clinic he set up to treat injuries and improve player performance from club to elite level. For more info visit www.balancephysio.com

Graham andersonintervieW: jamie renton

ATP World Tour PhysioTherAPisT

used to getting up close and personal with the game’s leading stars, atP physio graham anderson talks injuries, treatment and the olympic games

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inside ouT: GrAhAm Anderson

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triathlon, golf and cycling sta

rs

during his 23-year career


The Experts The workshop was run by Naeem Akram, a certified running coach for leading barefoot running brand Vivobarefoot, and Darryl Edwards, founder of Fitness Explorer and qualified Register of Exercise (REPS) Level 4 personal trainer who specialises in Movement Therapy.

The Workshop The workshop looked at natural MOVEment and our PRIMALITY philosophy as an anagram which underlines this. Discussion topics during the workshop included: What is Natural Movement? The 25 Components of Fitness, What is the matter with Tabata? Function vs. Structure and Fitness Dualism. Interactive demonstrations and audience participation will include: Bipedal Motion, Quadrupedal Motion, Primal Play, and Social Based Fitness

Our PR activities included:

• A barefoot running workshop at Balance Performance

• A photo shoot for Out Door Fitness magazine

• Co-ordination of the DSP feature in Out Door Fitness magazine

Barefoot Running & Movement Workshop


Pre London 2012 Olympic Judo Workshop with Winston Gordon

Our deliverables included

• Media invitation drafted and distributed to key Judo, sports and health

• Press packs: testimonials, profiles, media release

• Media ‘sell-ins’ & follow up

• One-to-one broadcast and print interviews

• Photo shoot with Winston, Balance team and school children

• video clips circulated to the media and stakeholders

• Q & A with Winston Gordon and the school children

• Judo demonstration with Judo squad at Ernest Bevan School

• Interview management on the day

• Stakeholder Management with

o Ernest Bevan School o British Judo Association o Greenhouse Charity

• Athlete liaison with Winston Gordon

• Media monitoring & evaluation

• Press cuttings book

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THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

S16

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Tooting, on the ragged edge of south-west London, is the sort of town where the estate is your home rather than your car, and where gangs can all too easily become families. It was here that Winston Gordon, a double Olympian, was raised. A pupil at Ernest Bevin School, he freely admits that he could have succumbed to a life on the streets had it not been for a school assembly given by a PE teacher, Margaret Hicks, when he was 11.

Hicks demanded a volunteer to help her demonstrate a judo hold. Gordon stepped up and to the mirth of his classmates, was unable to shake himself free.Stung by the laughter ringing in his ears, he resolved to learn how. Now, more than two decades on, he has returned to the school to teach the sport.Just as the gospel of judo provided Gordon with salvation, now he eulogises about its power to empower, to correct, to heal. “Judo’s a very disciplined thing,” he says. “It teaches you that if anything arises, you just walk on by. Let it go. “When you get onto the mat, if you don’t respect anybody who’s on that mat, you’re not worthy to be on it. You’ve got to respect everybody, whatever their creed or colour of origin. When you go on that judo mat, everybody’s won.” Gordon is a proud Londoner, and has seen with his own eyes how a city can be riven by discord. It is why he was glued to the television set on July 6, 2005.

He was at a training camp in Spain, watching the announcement of the 2012 Olympic host city on a television in the hotel dining room. “The French were at the next table,” he remembers. “They’d all got their faces painted. When it happened, and London beat Paris, we just all went crazy.“The French were all crying and whatnot, while we were jumping on

the air. We were saying to them: ‘Hope you’ve got enough paint, because you’re coming to London.’“It’s going to be the best thing. The experience is just going to be incredible. It will open people’s eyes. The kids of today are going to be much more engaged with sport, which is great for the health of London. More people on bikes, more people doing fitness. It’s just going to kick off. It will unite everybody.” For Gordon, a competitor in the 90kg middleweight category, this will be his third Games, and he has unfinished business. In Athens he lost agonisingly in a play-off for the bronze medal, while four years ago he was below his best due to injury and was eliminated in the first round. “Third time lucky,” he says cheerfully. “If I can come away with a medal, I will.” The host nation has guaranteed places in all 14 men’s and women’s events at London 2012, and despite his injury problems, Gordon is still by far and away the leading candidate to represent Britain in his division. He will make his return to major tournament action at next

week’s European Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia.The landscape of British judo in the last few years has been one of turbulence; crisis, perhaps, for a nation attempting to end a 12-year Olympic medal drought stretching back to Kate Howey’s silver in Sydney.

After a dreadful World Championships in Paris last August, in which no Briton finished better than fifth, the entire elite coaching staff was sacked. One of those was performance director Hicks, the PE teacher who had gripped Gordon in his first hold.Her replacement, Daniel Lascau, has placed a strong emphasis on youth, with 16 year-olds Hayley Willis and Kate-Jemima Yeats-Brown and 18 year-old Max Stewart among the squad for the European Championships. Yet on shifting cultural sands, amid a sea of new faces, Gordon has remained.Now, at 35, one of the elder statesmen of the team along with the likes of Euan Burton and Karina Bryant, his body is no longer as robust as it was.

He is only just feeling his way back to full fitness after a broken finger that forced him to miss the Olympic test event at the ExCeL last December. Yet he refuses to accept that London 2012 could be his swansong, and even looks forward to competing at Rio in 2016.“It’s possible,” he says. “As long as the fire’s still burning. Who knows in life? Once that flame goes, that’ll be the finish of me. I’m getting on now, and obviously there’s a few youngsters coming through trying to nick my place. But as long as I’m still firing, nationally and internationally, I’m going to keep going.” And why not? Judo has given Gordon so much — and through his work with youngsters, it is a debt he is repaying with interest. Though the life of a judoka is nowhere near as glamorous as that of the footballers and basketball players idolised by young Londoners today, Gordon believes judo offers something richer.“Judo’s given me an opportunity to go abroad, to places like Japan, where it was founded, Korea, Russia, Germany. The judo world is like a family unit. It’s opened up my eyes to other parts of the world. “We think we’re in a little bubble, but through judo you see how people live elsewhere in the globe. That’s how people who weren’t friends before become friends and respect each other. Judo is a way of life. It stays with you forever.”

LONDON 2012

Gordon hopes for last laugh

Lascau puts Britain By Jonathan Liew

The man charged with restoring success to British judo has claimed that he has instilled a winning mentality into the sport in this country after years of underachievement. Ahead of next week’s European Championships, performance director Daniel Lascau claimed that when he took over last autumn, British judo was in a “crisis situation” after failing to win a single medal at the World Championships. Britain has targeted a haul of one to three medals at London 2012.

The disappointing performance in Paris last August led to the dismissal of the entire elite coaching staff and the appointment of Lascau, a 42 year-old who was born in Romania but won gold at the World Championships for Germany in 1991. “We are much more aggressive in the fights and have the attitude to go on to the mat as winners,” he said. “It was a crisis situation after the World Championships in Paris. “I had a very good relationship with the British Judo Association, so we just decided to take a project of 10 months to build a team for the Olympics, to make sure the coaches

Making amends: Winston Gordon departed from the Beijing Games (main picture) in the first round

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

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S17

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

How to play Developed from jujitsu, the hand-to-hand combat technique of ancient samurai warriors, judo basically involves throwing opponents to the floor and holding them in submission. Fighters compete in events determined by their weight, and at London 2012 there will be seven weight classes.

Tactics and techniquesAlthough strength and power are important, possessing the mental agility to quickly spot and exploit your opponent’s weakness is even more so. One of the first things you need to learn in judo is how to fall. This is so that when you are thrown to the ground, you are able to land safely.History lesson

Judo was first included in the 1964 Olympics but was clearly not a hit as it was axed four years later. However, since 1972 it has become a regular fixture with Japan, somewhat unsurprisingly, dominating with 65 medals – 28 more than second-placed France.

LegendRyoko Tani (right) broke on the Olympic scene as a 16 year-old at the Barcelona Games in 1992 with a silver medal. In the following eight years, she lost only one fight – the Olympic gold-medal contest in Atlanta 1996. Ryoko finally won a gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Games and again in Athens.

Random factAt the Tokyo 1964 Olympics in the open class, a 1.98-metre Dutchman named Anton Geesink (left) defeated three-time Japanese national champion Kaminaga Akio in front of a stunned 15,000 crowd at the Nippon Budokan Hall. Geesink followed this up with gold at the world championships.

What to say...“When watching this sport you really have to respect the self-control and courage of the judoka as they achieve ippon.” What not to say...“I think that Superstars has gone downhill since Brian Jacks left the show.”

on track after crisisand the fighters know what they have to do.”

There has been a renewed focus on youth, 16-year-olds Hayley Willis and Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown being selected with one eye on the Rio Games in 2016.

“If the juniors can produce a surprise performance then they can go to London 2012,” Lascau said. “It’s important to expose them to the top level of senior judoka.” Although Britain already has a guaranteed host nation place in every judo category at London 2012, the European Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia, are the last opportunity to gain world ranking points that will determine seedings for the competition in London this summer. Britain won just two bronze medals at last year’s championships in Istanbul.

Kick start: Daniel Lascau was appointed after Britain’s dismal World Championships


Athlete sponsorship

Ambassadors included

• Claire Bennett: No.3 British Olympic ladies fencer

• Dion Harrison: Former world amateur triathlon champion

• Toby Radcliffe: Iron man competitor and elite triathlete

• Naeem Akram: Vivobarefoot running coach

• Darryl Edwards: Founder of The Fitness Explorer & movement specialist

Brand Ambassadors During our PR engagement we arranged and co-ordinated ‘service in kind’ sponsorship deals with several leading Olympic athletes.

The team at Balance would look after each athletes: training, strength and conditioning, well-being, nutrition and other specialist requirements and provide free use of the performance training facilities and equipment and personal trainers, in return for PR and marketing opportunities.


The London Golf Show

We assisted Balance Performance with their launch of the new The Trigger Point Therapy Performance Golf kit at the London Golf Show at Earls Court.

Scott Morris, Performance Director at Balance Performance and qualified Trigger Point Therapy trainer comments:

“The most common swing flaws and golf related injuries are caused by physical limitations in one or more of the 8 areas of the body that we has the greatest influence on a golf swing biomechanics. Any tight or overactive muscles can disrupt the process, resulting in loss of distance and accuracy. The Trigger Point Therapy Performance Golf kit allows you to restore your full range of motion, lengthen any tight muscles and allow your body to produce a powerful, efficient and consistent swing.”

Our PR activities included:

• Media packs

• Drafting and distribution of media invitation to golf media

• Media ‘sell-ins’ and follow up

• Sending TPT samples to editors of all the golf magazines for product reviews

• Social media strategy & delivery

• Photography at event

Health Magazine Winter 2012

www.health-magazine.co.uk

23

on the ballHow regular golf can help you keep on top

of your health

A Golfer’s best friendA powerful, effi cient and consistent swing can be achieved by lengthening tight muscles, according to Scott Morris, Performance Director at Balance Performance

Trigger Point Performance's "Performance Golf kit" is the ultimate package to massage and maintain the eight areas of the body that have the greatest impact on a golfer's swing. This kit is what we recommend for anyone having aches and pains in these areas.The Performance Golf Kit consists of: Golf GuidebookThe instructional Golf Guidebook, included in this kit, contains a detailed breakdown of the biomechanical chain reaction that occurs when a golfer swings his club. It goes even further to show how to manipulate each of the eight critical areas, using our Trigger Point massage tools.

TP 2-ballOur TP 2-Ball is meant to contain two of our massage balls which expands the number of manipulations that are possible with our tools. This also allows us to offer alternative manipulations in our Golf Guidebook. The TP 2-Ball is included in our new Performance Golf Kit.

For further information call 020 762 72308 or see www.balancephysio.com. To purchase the TPT Performance Golf Kit visit www.shop.balancephysio.com/products/tpt-performance-golf-kitCompetitionBalance Performance are offering one lucky reader the chance to win

a Trigger Point Therapy Performance Golf Kit. To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question:

What is the name given to a one under par score on a single hole?a) a bogey b) an eagle c) a birdieEmail your answer, name and contact details to [email protected] to enter. all entries must be received before 31/03/12

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Winter Hill is a truly magnificent golf club owned and managed by the John Lewis Partnership. The golf club was the dream child of John Spedan Lewis, the founder of the Partnership. Discovering Winter Hill for the first time is like uncovering a hidden treasure. Built on fast-draining terrain, it boasts exceptional views over Cookham, the River Thames and the famous Cliveden.

Played at its longest, the course is 6,364 yards in length with a par of 72. From the ladies’ tee the course is 5,761 yards, par 73. There is also a practice area and a putting green available for

those wishing to brush up on their skills and two fully qualified PGA golf professionals are on hand to book lessons and give expert advice. Members and visitors alike are always guaranteed a warm and friendly welcome. The club is ideal for both small and large groups

and offers an exquisite and tranquil setting for society days. We can tailor-make a package for you if you wish and can offer a complete range of extras including coaching clinics, video tee off, tournament administration, leaderboard and all the little extras that ensure you have a successful day and your event is truly one to be remembered.

WINTER HILL

USEFUL INFORMATION

Winter Hill Golf Club, Grange Lane, Cookham, Berks, SL6 9RP. Tel: 01628 527613.Website: www.winterhillgolfclub.net.

Society Packages: Start from as little as £22 for a summer twilight package through to£55 for an all day package.Green Fees: 18 holes £36, 9 holes £20.

How to get there: All information including maps are on our website at www.winterhillgolfclub.net.

Other Facilities: Buggy hire, practice area, 2 PGA professionals on site, restaurant, bar and function rooms.

PART OF THE JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP

USEFUL INFORMATION

Health benefi ts of golfIf you thought golf was too leisurely to be healthy, think againGolf can be good for your health, with an average golf course providing up to four kilometres

of walking. Pulling and carrying clubs can also help improve fi tness and strength, while the

social element of the game contributes signifi cant wellbeing benefi ts. As a casual pastime,

golf can help counteract the stresses of everyday life, while as a competitive activity it can

offer all-important mental stimulation. Golf can be played on your own or in a team, and by people of all abilities and ages. A good

way to get started is to take lessons to acquire the fundamental skills before hitting the

course. Alternatively, you could gather a group of friends, hire some clubs and make your

way around your local public cours.. As you improve, you may consider purchasing a set of

clubs and, if you are really keen, you may have the clubs custom-made to suit you.Compared to other sports, the overall risk of injury in golf is fairly low. However, injuries still

can and do occur. Common injuries are to the lower back, wrist and elbow, head and eye.

Causes of injury include overuse, incorrect technique, hitting the ground instead of the ball,

aggravation of a previous injury and falling. The best way to avoid Injury is to warm up and stretch before playing with gentle movement

and mobility exercises, followed by gentle air swings or ball hits using short irons. Good

technique is your best defence against injuries, making lessons all the more important. It also

helps to stand at least four club lengths away from a swinging club, use good equipment and

clothing and wear sun protection (clothing, hat and 30+ sunscreen) at all times. It also helps

to lift and carry clubs safely and, when necessary, use a buggy.

The Trigger Point massage tool in use

Trigger Point Therapy Performance Golf Kit

Balance Performance Physiotherapy | 113 Gauden Road | Clapham | London | SW4 6LE

Web: www.balancephysio.com | Online shop: www.shop.balancephysio.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/balanceperformancelondon

Twitter: www.twitter.com/BalancePrfmance

MEDIA INFORMATION

BALANCE PERFORMANCE STAND N0.D30

BALANCE PERFORMANCE LAUNCH NEW

TRIGGER POINT THERAPY PERFORMANCE

GOLF KIT

Balance Performance would like to invite you to review the new Trigger Point

Therapy Performance Golf Kit at The London Golf Show 2011.

Trigger Point’s Performance Golf kit is the ultimate package to massage and maintain the areas of the body that

have the greatest impact on a golfer's swing. This kit is recommended for anyone having aches, pains and

tightness in areas such as the: calves, quadriceps, hip flexors, gluteals, pectorials and thoracic spine.

Scott Morris, Performance Director at Balance Performance and qualified Trigger Point Therapy trainer

comments: “The most common swing flaws and golf related injuries are caused by physical limitations in one or

more of the 8 areas of the body that we has the greatest influence on a golf swing biomechanics. Any tight or

overactive muscles can disrupt the process, resulting in loss of distance and accuracy. The Trigger Point Therapy

Performance Golf kit allows you to restore your full range of motion, lengthen any tight muscles and allow your

body to produce a powerful, efficient and consistent swing.”

PRODUCT: New Trigger Point Therapy Performance Golf Kit

EVENT: The London Golf Show 2011, Earls Court, London

WHERE: Balance Performance stand No. D30

DATE: between the11th-13th November at Earls Court in London

There will be regular daily TPT Performance Golf Kit demonstrations, on the main stage during the show.

To receive free TPT Performance Golf Kit samples for product reviews please contact Richard Henman on

+447810 448782 / [email protected]

About TPT Performance Golf Kit - http://www.shop.balancephysio.com/products/tpt-performance-golf-kit

The London Golf Show 2011 - http://www.londongolfshow.com/nec-golf-exhibitor-list?view=list&id=42


Content Generation

Dion Harrison - Professional Triathlete talks Balance Performance Physiotherapy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjbeyHnLkso

Claire Bennett Team GB Fencer talks Trigger Point Therapy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GSc_EiSxhk

Claire Bennett Team GB Fencer tries the CrossCore 180 with Andy “IronMac”Mckenzie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WnintECvtQ

Claire Bennett Team GB Fencer talks Balance Performance Physiotherapy and Anti-Gravity Training http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzkYEum5EFM

Video testimonials Our deliverables included:

• Filming & editing

• Scripting

• Distribution of content across social media to key online sports and lifestyle media

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjbeyHnLkso

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GSc_EiSxhk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WnintECvtQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzkYEum5EFM


Running Fitness magazine

We created a media partnership with leading running magazine ‘Running Fitness’. Every month one of the team from Balance provided an editorial feature focusing on a range of sports injuries including: sports nutrition, sports massage, joint flexibility, body weight, achilles tendonitis, kinesiology tape, plantar fasciitis, anti-gravity training, gait analysis, back pain and runner’s knee.

Over the course of 12 months these articles built Balance’s media profile and positioned them as one of the leading UK sports physiotherapy clinics, with expertise across all sports injuries and sports recovery field.

The end of the feature included a text box with website and links to social media channels.

Media Partnerships ❤ ❤

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44 n www.runningfreemag.co.uk

Balance Performance Physiotherapy 113 Gauden Road, Clapham, London, SW4 6LE, Tel: 020 76272308 Web: www.balancephysio.com Online shop: www.shop.balancephysio.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/BalancePerformanceLondon Twitter: www.twitter.com/BalancePhysio

My whole life has been a quest for love – to understand it and express it, feel it, communicate it, receive it and teach it – a lofty quest indeed! But it felt very fitting that as it is Valentine’s Day this month, Nat asked me to write my column with Love in mind!

Traditionally Valentine’s Day was the day when love was celebrated between intimate companions. Although now of course it is more associated with romantic love where lovers exchange gifts and cards and confirm their love for one another.

Relationships at their best should be about love, support and enhanced creativity. Running is an individual sport, but the love that is generated by the groups of people joining together to train and race together is powerful and inspiring.

Partaking in a race, whether as a spectator, supporter or competitor connects us to a profound love, open hearts, free from the constraints of fear that, sadly, often accompany human relations. In its place we see human nature at its best, people striving to be and do more than they have before. Friends and family and strangers connecting in positive and powerful ways that surely model a way of being that could bring about world peace?

Equality is found through

a foot race, with paradoxically, only one winner. But everyone taking part, whatever their speed, is a winner of their own race. The singlet and shorts attire equalises us all, no class or gender or standard of living separating us, just a mass of humanity joining together with a common yet simple goal of setting out on a journey at the sound of a claxon.

A race represents for me love in motion, relationship at its purest and most uncomplicated, human beings wanting the best for one another, supporting one another on the lone journey, understanding, not judging.

When we face ourselves, which we cannot fail to do in a foot race, it asks that we love and accept ourselves. We are not a better person if we win or a lesser person if we fail – we are just us, doing our thing, revealing our soul in motion on the running road and connecting and journeying with our fellow human beings in the race of life.

Many friendships and bonds are formed on the run, no distractions, no barriers, only the road in front and our friends by our side and wherever love has been shared by a couple or a community the vibration remains, and so running together and loving together is changing the world into a better place.

Running to leaRnThis month read our expert’s advice on children getting over injury

ouR eXPeRtGraham Anderson is a highly experienced Sports Physiotherapist at Balance Performance Physiotherapy. He has worked for Team GB at the last 3 Olympics and currently with the ATP world tour. He is regarded as one of the country’s most senior physios working with both adults and children.

A MEDITATION ON THE MOVE

Julia Armstrong is a lifelong runner and all-round running philosopher. She’s run a 2.36 marathon and ranks second in the UK for V50. Every month she shares her thoughts. Catch up at www.runningtolearn.com

CHILD INJURYI would say from experience that very few serious injuries occur to children less than 10 years of age. Often the inexperienced physio can over treat the simple traumatic injuries as generally children recover fast with little input.

Injuries related to sports fall into two types of trauma: repetitive trauma and a single traumatic event. Often these injuries are trivialised and the young athlete is encouraged to “toughen up and play through the pain”. This approach is not in the child’s best interest for the following reasons:It often leads to delayed healing and return to sports.It can turn an easily treatable injury into one that becomes difficult to treat. It may result in the child precluded from sports participation.

GETTING OVER INJURY Factors affecting a child sustaining an injury are:1 Body make up; Body weight; posture and hormones2 Lack of adequate warm-up3 In contact sports, the physical maturity of the child compared to opponents.4 Degree of supervision of children playing sport5 Lack off protective equipment6 The amount of sport played – per week and per session Like us all a child’s body needs time to recover and regenerate from training. When a child is growing recovery is slower due to reduced bone strength. In addition, the growth plates at the end of the bones become extremely vulnerable to external forces. Repetitive, moderate to high-intensity activities can easily overload the musculoskeletal system causing injuries.

Conclusionn Generally children recover from sports injuries quickly. They are also less likely to get injured than the adult.n Certain injuries tend to occur to certain age groups and sexes.n Knee swelling, pain, and loss of function are not normal.n Injuries that appear minor can have serious consequences.n When in doubt, seek expert medical advice.

explainedINJURIES

Running

Love in mind

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June heralds the promise of real summer weather; windless, sunny, perfect days to race around a track. As I get older and the desire to run fast seems to be as strong as when I was young, I look back to my track running days ‘where it all started’.

Early season races were often fraught with rain and wind and cold - even in May- chasing times at open meets and British Milers Club races to get qualifications for the AAA’s championships.

I have memories of running into a head wind with the disappointment seeping whilst actually racing, when the times being called each lap got slower and the hoped for times seemed so elusive.

But with June came more hope, and with the sun on our backs the track was a welcome place to be.

I find myself drawn back there; I am inspired by the photos of master athletes and I am inspired and impressed by how fast they are running.

I know that running fast will not make me immortal; I know that I will never run as fast I want to and that is fine; I know that trying to run fast should be fun not angst ridden; I know that running fast should be joyful not painful; I know that it doesn’t actually matter how fast I run; I know that no-one else cares how

fast I run; I know that I am the same person inside as when I started, but I accept myself now.

Inside we’re all the same person we were then and young at heart. Running gives us the place to play and be free, and to run about like we did when we were young.

I can still remember my first proper track session when I was young. It was a hot summers’ evening in early July 1974. I had made my way up to the grass track at Woolmer Hill School to join Haslemere Border Athletics Club. I had expressed to my Mother the desire to ‘get better at running’ and so she had telephoned Tony Becker, the club’s captain, for me who had assured her that I would be very welcome.

As yet, there were no girls in the club, so I took my best friend Wendy with me for moral support and she lay on the grass in the sun watching me run.

The session was a set of repetitions over 300 metres; I ran barefoot as I had no running spikes and my green flash gym shoes seemed too slippy.

I ran fast and free in the sun, chasing after a stream of lads. I loved every moment; I flopped down on the grass next to Wendy when we had finished, feeling happy and alive. I was in my element and I knew that this was where I was meant to be.

Running to leaRn

This month our expert, Regan Siviter, shares her advice on kinesiology tape to manage running injuries.

ouR eXPeRtRegan is a highly experienced sports physiotherapist working at Balance Performance Physiotherapy in London. She has a Masters in Sports Physiotherapy and she has worked with athletes from all levels and completed the Edinburgh Marathon in 2009.



WHAT IS KINESIOLOGY TAPE? Increasingly athletes are being seen with bright coloured tape on their bodies, this is kinesiology tape. It is a light elastic tape that can be used for helping with musculoskeletal problems which can arise from overuse injuries, muscle strains or spasms, and swelling. Properties that make the tape appealing to athletes is its elasticity in that it moves with the body, so athletes feel very comfortable with it on.

DO IT YOURSELF!Kinesiology tape is not a new concept and therapists have been using it for several years however its benefits to sports people are only now being fully appreciated. A big step has been the ability for athletes to buy the tape and apply it themselves; this is where kinesiology tape comes into its own. Unless you are fortunate enough to be a professional athlete it’s unlikely you have access to a sports physio 24/7, so the tape allows you to take control and manage the problem yourself.

HOW DOES IT WORK?The elastic nature of the tape allows it to be applied over and around dynamic structures such as muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons in order to provide lightweight and comfortable mechanical support in order to prevent injury and speed recovery or healing.

It can also alleviate stress on connective tissue and provide feedback to the nervous system to facilitate or inhibit muscle function.

The tape is normally laid along the length of muscles and doesn’t go around limbs. This prevents that tight and uncomfortable feeling that braces and supports tend to give. Essentially athletes are not aware they are wearing the tape; this allows them to concentrate on their sport and not their injury.

As a therapist I have seen the benefits of using the tape for several years however I am now delighted to see the tape more widely available as its true power lies in its ability to empower the athlete to take control of their problem and continue to perform.

explainedINJURIES

Running

Track running days


44 n RunninG FREE

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Running whilst wet and muddyTimes have changed since I was a lass; back then, when the weather was bad, it really was bad. We had no treadmills, so no indoor option was available, and my coach was of the “when the going gets tough, the tough get going,” variety. He believed that the tougher the conditions and the less clothes we wore, the stronger we became. I remember one particular training session - it was a bitterly cold sleety and snowy day, and then came a fast and furious hailstorm. We were all wearing only shorts and singlets, and the sensation of the hail hitting me is still a vivid memory.

All my running was off road, as it is now, so my shoes were permanently getting completely bathed in mud. I was fortunate in having an engineer father who liked to preserve and look after things. He could no more see muddy shoes sitting abandoned to be “dealt with later” in my world, than fly, and so they were cleaned for me! I then managed to find a husband of the same mindset!

Running off road is good for the bodyThese days, we have more choice when it comes to the weather. Running in the UK means that we are likely to experience more rainy, windy, and muddy weather than not, especially in the winter, but the phrase:

“there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad choice of clothing,” rings true for 21st century running. If the purse says “yes” we can buy gear that means we can run in the elements and enjoy all the wild, wet windiness and icy cold of winter with equilibrium, staying warm and dry, whilst feeling the joy of being part of it all.

Running off road is good for the body. It creates less impact, allows you to be more in touch with nature and all the inner peace that can bring. The uneven ground contributes to better core stability and strength in the joints, with the constant need to adjust just to stay standing. Generally, off road can mean some hills to climb too – or am I brainwashed by living on the edge of the South Downs.

Muddy wintery running can be a true meditation. The weather whipping and whistling around can blow out any tension and stress that can accumulate with the day to day treadmill of travel and work and decisions and pressure and pace.

The pace of running is immaterial on the muddy trail. Just run and become part of it all. The warmth and dry of home, the hot bath, the soft towels and the food awaiting, all become far sweeter for experiencing mother nature expressing herself as she chooses.

Running to leaRn

This month read our expert’s advice on how to treat knee injuries

ouR expeRtPaula Coates is a chartered physiotherapist and clinical specialist based in London working at Balance Performance Physiotherapy. She is an international seminar speaker and author. Published books include Running Repairs – A Runner’s Guide to Keeping Injury Free (A&C Black). She’s also very fit and has run eight marathons with a ninth one planned!

a Meditation on the Move


WHAT IS RUNNERS KNEE?The knee is one of the most complex joints in the body and pain usually results from overuse, poor form or inadequate stretching. Simple causes of knee pain often clear up on their own or with self-management. In truth, knee injuries are not inevitable and though common, are easily treated if properly managed and knee pain need not stop you from running.

There are so many things that can be injured around the knee joint and the exact location of the pain can help identify the structure involved. Pain on the front of the knee can be due to bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis, or chondromalacia. Whereas pain on the sides of the knee is commonly related to injuries to the collateral ligaments, arthritis, or tears to the meniscae. Pain in the back of the knee can be caused by arthritis, meniscal tears or a Baker’s cyst. (A Baker’s cyst is an accumulation of joint fluid (synovial fluid).

THE CAUSESThe patella can move up and down, side to side in the groove, as well as tilt and rotate. The patella depends upon muscle strength and balance, to prevent overuse and incorrect tracking. If the patella is mal-tracking it can cause inflammation which will result in pain. It is normally aggravated by activity, walking down stairs, long periods of inactivity and squatting. Other causes include muscle imbalances, worn out or the wrong style shoes, tight muscles in the thigh and hip and over training.

TREATMENTRest is one of the first lines of defence. Turn to non-impact exercise, such as swimming or the cross trainer, to keep your fitness level while allowing your pain to settle. A physiotherapist is the best person to teach you a specific treatment plan. Depending upon the results of your assessment, there will be strengthening and stretching exercises to add to your routine. Other things that are likely to help are, icing the knees after exercise, correct footwear, orthotics after assessment from a podiatrist, soft tissue massage and taping the patella. I would always advise an assessment with a physiotherapist so you are sure of your diagnosis and rest at any signs of overuse.

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My last year of running was rich with experience. I started 2011 in Barcelona, racing around the streets as the sun was setting on New Year’s Eve. In March I was running over the cobbles in Prague and in April, despite a bout of food poisoning I visited Nice, and as always loved running along the Rue D’Anglaise. The highlight of the year was my 3.08 in the Edinburgh Marathon, which ranked me third fastest over 50 year old in the country last year, but it wasn’t just the satisfying performance that made it so memorable, I was returning 25 years on from running in the Commonwealth Games Marathon in Edinburgh and it was very special to have my brother by the roadside again as he had been all those years ago.

Racing up the Glacier 3000m in August was an experience I didn’t want to miss despite a vulnerable knee. It could be argued that that run set it back and contributed to the next 4 months spent in the gym!

In 1986 – after the marathon in Edinburgh where I didn’t cross the finish line, my brother stood up at a meal where friends and family had gathered and he said: “It doesn’t matter what happened to Julia today – what matters is that she has gathered us all together.” I found it difficult to hear or understand then,

as I was working hard to come to terms with my very public failure and biggest sporting disappointment of my life. But now all these years on and I’m still running and loving it more, I can hear him loud and clear.

Races gather people, the participants gather to run the race, and all the supporters and friends and family gather too. Everyone has an experience and is connected through the race.

I am occasionally, although less so now than in the past, asked “why I run”. I think the bigger participation has meant it is less unusual than it was when I was running all those years ago.

I run to see what is possible, I run to learn, I run to stretch myself and grow, I run because it is what my soul asks that I do…

This year it seems that I am less world bound and more connected to asking that I keep building and don’t break myself down again. With that in mind I have less racing the world planned, although I have just entered a mountain run in August! But as I am more home orientated in my racing and training, I am handing the baton over to Traviss and Dave who will be racing round the world and telling you of their adventures as they journey – no doubt reading their tales will give me itchy feet again!

Running to leaRnThis month our experts advice on anti- gravity to aid recovery and performance

ouR eXPeRtDr Lucy Goldby is Director of Spinal Care at Balance Performance. She has over 25 years experience in clinical spinal disorders and is a renowned back pain specialist. From her research Lucy finds that only real long term solutions emerge from ongoing commitment to rehabilitation and exercise



WHY IS ANTI-GRAVITY IMPORTANT?The anti-gravity running machine (Alter-G) is just that. It has the capacity to reduce body weight in incremental amounts of 1% down to 20% of the individual’s total body weight. For the extremely fit and those wanting to improve performance levels, a small percentage reduction in body weight results in a disproportionate increase in speed, subsequently allowing all training sessions to take place at greater speeds and higher working levels. This makes the cardiovascular system work harder and creates a training effect that is not achievable at normal gravity.

Over time this results in increased endurance and greater CV capacity to utilise at normal gravity. Consequently for those whose job and lifestyle dictates that they perform maximally, training on the Alter-G has become a must and is as crucial to their training schedule as prophylactic sports massage or trigger point therapy.

SPEEDY REHABILITATIONFor rehabilitation we can be totally bespoke for fractures, non-unions, reconstructive surgery, the list is endless. For some conditions the speed of rehabilitation has changed dramatically. In Achilles tendon repairs, which necessitate immobilisation for a long period of time, the patients are immediately on their feet in a very supported and comfortable way.

Recreational runners and triathletes, many of whom will sign up for endurance races and fail to include appropriate strength and conditioning sessions into their schedule. They stop when pain develops and seek help. Prior to the Alter-G, we would have to stop individuals training until we had resolved the issues of poor performance or muscle dysfunctions and too frequently this would mean deferring a race. With the Alter-G everyone continues to run, reducing their load until they are pain free, which means that they can continue to increase their training by the required weekly intervals and achieve their goals. We simultaneously continue to correct their muscle dysfunctions and everybody’s happy.

The Alter-G has been used on every condition and age group within both our practice and the USA. I can’t think of anyone that it hasn’t benefitted.

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Looking back

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Does a New Year still hold the promise of being better, doing better, succeeding where you have failed before or has running changed that? Does running as a way of life mean that you are now living with a discipline that asks that you consider the effect of your lifestyle on your health and running performances at all times?

For runners New Year can often herald that a marathon is about 15 weeks away - perhaps training resumes as normal and maybe the resolutions have been made with the signing on the dotted line to complete 26 miles for the first time or faster than ever before, or because that is what you do now come the spring.

At its most Zen, running offers the chance to be in a New Year’s resolution state at all times; living as you dream, feeling good in yourself, getting out of the way of yourself and allowing the running to take you where it will.

Stay in the step and the next will take care of itself.

But what if you are feeling out of step – running fallen by the wayside and the merry making having taken its toll on body and soul?

The answer is just to take another step. It is entirely natural to have the occasional relapse.

Even though New Year is commonly sited as a time to ‘definitely change’, this can

be too much pressure and often New Year’s resolve vanishes within a few weeks especially as it is still cold and dark and wintery!

If we adopt a paradigm of personal development and strive for excellence as a way of living, then New Year can give a boost to our goals and dreams. Perhaps it can be a good time for a rewrite of the vision, maybe some tweaking, but essentially if we work to believe in ourselves and know that we are worth taking seriously.

We will maintain these changes for a while and then inevitably there will be a relapse and a stepping away from the path. This can happen at any time, but ironically more so at Christmas with the pressure of parties. The temptation of more food and drink and less running.

However if you are familiar with the change cycle and its rhythm that is there all the time; making some changes, then relapsing, you will be more comfortable with the Christmas indulges and be more gentle with yourself about resuming training and eating more healthily.

Deep lasting change will occur after the cycle has been travelled round many times and its beauty is it allows you to take out the harsh critic from your head and instead be allowing but resolved and inspired.

Running to leaRnThis month read our expert’s advice on how flexibility can aid injury

ouR expeRtTrevor Speller is an experienced Sports and Remedial Massage Therapist at Balance Performance. In 2009 he returned to university to study for a Masters in Osteopathy. He is a member of the Institute for Sports and Remedial Massage and the Sports Massage Association. He specialises in deep tissue massage, soft tissue and myofascial release.



WHY IS FLEXIBILITY IMPORTANT?Flexibility and mobility training should be a regular part of a runners training programme. Many of the running clients I see think flexibility is just about stretching muscles. Flexibility is the ability for our joints to move through their full range of motion (ROM). So your flexibility programme should also involve movements of your joints.

The key focus when you are trying to improve your flexibility and mobility should be the ability to isolate and create leverage of the muscle/s or joints you want to stretch or mobilise. It is important you take into account the risk of the movement you are performing, the closer you work into your end of range, the more cautious you should become. Focusing on your breathing (deep slow breaths) will help you improve your stretch.

What are the benefits of regular flexibility and mobility training?n Enhances your ability to take your muscle and joints through a wide range of motion n Increases muscle, fascial and joint healthn Strengthens and improves control of your muscles and jointsn Reduces muscles spasms, strains, tears and tightnessn Breaks down fibrotic scar tissue adhesions and reduces inflammationn Helps you eliminate metabolic waste (lactic acid, the body’s waste product that makes your muscles feel stiff after a hard training session) from cells by stimulating and pumping the lymphatic systemn Increases oxygenation to the tissues, thus improving recovery and regeneration between training sessions n Develops body awareness by improving balance and coordinationn Aids and increases performance

A good and well tailored running programme should factor in flexibility and mobility which will enhance performance, aid recovery and reduce your chance of injury.

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New Year new you

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Christmas morning The Christmas morning run has always held for me a magical quality. The land is silent and the atmosphere quiet and still. Behind the lit windows and closed front doors, I imagine the activity and excitement, the contents of Christmas stockings strewn about, chocolate being consumed, bucks fizz flowing, all while I am running.

Sometimes I meet other runners out too, in Santa hats or with tinsel in their hair, we greet one another with ‘Merry Christmas’ and on we run.

Spending Christmas day with my Aunt was a tradition when I was young. I would return after my run down to the sea in Lyme Regis, to a house, warm and bright, Christmas music blaring, the smell of the turkey roasting and ‘the bar’ already open. “What can I get you Julia,” my Uncle would shout, I always sensed disappointment in him when I asked only for a fruit juice!

I have never really had a head for alcohol, mainly because I have never really done the training required!

Double celebrationsOne Christmas passed in a haze of fragility having attempted to ‘join in fully’ and celebrate a friend’s 21st on Christmas Eve.

I only have to recall this situation to remember that training is required whatever we undertake! Be

prepared and practice and anything can be achieved!

When we ‘rush in’ and try to accomplish something too soon, without preparation, it is likely to ‘put us off’. To run or dance or sing or play a musical instrument effortlessly requires much hard work and diligent practice. When we embark on something too early or try too hard, without having done the practice, and prepared ourselves, then it can feel as if we are in a minefield of just ‘getting through’, whether that be the race or a presentation or exam.

With the correct amount of effort and attention to letting go of tension and being mindful that there is no need to ‘overdo’ it, then everything flows.

I love to runRunning on Christmas day is easy for me. I have often been asked “Don’t you ever have fun?” Running is my way of having fun!

With so many more of us running now, there is more acceptance from those who don’t choose to don running kit and head out on Dec 25th. It is understood that ‘yes’, it is fun for us folk who like to do what we love, every day of the year!

The drinking bit not so easy for me! I think that probably ‘not embarking’ on a training programme to drink my way through Christmas is the preferable course of action.

Stick to the running Julia!

Running to leaRnThis month read our expert’s advice on how sports massage aids injury

ouR expeRtTrevor Speller is an experienced Sports and Remedial Massage Therapist at Balance Performance. In 2009 he returned to university to study for a Masters in Osteopathy. He is a member of the Institute for Sports and Remedial Massage and the Sports Massage Association. He specialises in deep tissue massage, soft tissue and myofascial release.



SPORTS MASSAGERegular sports massage treatment can be a positive addition to a runner’s training programme. The increase in physical demands that running places on the body can lead to functional and structural adaptations within the body. The repetitive mechanical load placed on the body causes adaptations to occur in our connective tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, joints and fascia) which remodel to deal with the increased mechanical demand. Due to this remodelling process, connective tissue can become stronger, tighter, thicker and shorter, which can often lead to common running injuries such as Runner’s knee/iliotibial band syndrome, shin splints/compartment syndrome, back and knee pain, plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis.

RUNNING INJURIES I regularly see clients with running injuries that have put the hard and long mileage in but have failed to spend enough time working on flexibility, stretching, strengthening, mobility and regeneration (nutrition, rest, re-hydration, adequate sleep). The body needs time to recover and regenerate from training and daily life. This is where sports massage can play a vital part in helping runners deal with this remodelling and recovery process. Regular sports massage can help: n Loosen and keep muscles supplen Increase muscle flexibility and strength n Decrease muscle soreness and fatigue post-trainingn Aid recovery from training and injuryn Relieve tension in muscle, ligaments, tendons and joints n Enhance performance n Develop body awarenessn Promote relaxation, recovery and regeneration

SELF MASSAGEI regularly teach clients how to develop a stretching, flexibility, mobility and self-massage programme. Self massage foam rolling equipment, such as Trigger Point Performance Therapy myofascial compression tools are a fantastic way of releasing tight muscles after training.

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