Susan Martin Soft Tissue Therapy

It’s just about impossible for an active child to avoid cuts and grazes whilst out and about playing. Often, some basic first aid and a kiss from Mum is all that’s needed, but sometimes, cuts go deeper and have the potential to scar.
All skin, regardless of age, heals in the same way but young skin heals much more quickly and easily. This helps when trying to lessen the possibility of scarring. However, it is important to treat the wound quickly so it doesn’t get infected.
Whilst the wound is actively bleeding, you need to apply direct pressure with a clean cloth over the cut. Once bleeding stops, wash the wound gently with soap and water. You could also soak the wound in the bath. This will prevent dirt from getting trapped under the skin. After cleaning, place some antibacterial ointment on the wound to keep it moist. Cover the area with a bandage or plaster until it heals.
Cuts that are deep and/or large may need stitches or steri-strips to help them close properly. Please seek medical advice if you think that your first aid is not going to be enough.
Studies have shown that a healthy diet with plenty of Vitamin C will help with wound healing.
Once the wound has healed and the scar is maturing, protect it from the sun with clothing or high SPF sunscreen. Scars will need extra sun protection for life.
Gentle massage around and over the scar can help with the healing process and encourage the scars to soften and flatten. The child can do this themselves or a parent can help. This massage should be pain free, you are not breaking down the scar, just encouraging the body to build the most effective mend.

Frozen shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis) is a condition where pain and stiffness develop in the joint to such an extent that the patient finds it difficult to move their arm. This pain and stiffness usually starts gradually, worsens over time and often resolves itself. However, this can take many months. It is usually diagnosed by your doctor or physiotherapist.
The bones, ligaments and tendons that make up your shoulder joint are encased in a capsule of connective tissue. Frozen shoulder occurs when this capsule thickens and tightens around the shoulder joint, restricting its movement.
Often there is no obvious cause, although it's more likely to occur in the following people:
Aged over 40,
Female,
Those with prolonged, restricted mobility caused by surgery, broken arm, stroke etc,
Those with Diabetes, Parkinson’s or Thyroid issues.
Most frozen shoulder treatment involves controlling the pain and encouraging as much movement in the joint as possible. You will usually be given some exercises to do which can help. Regular massage therapy is very beneficial in this treatment as it increases the blood circulation to the injured region and also reduces the formation of scar tissue. Heat therapy is also very helpful and can be applied before or after a massage. Frozen shoulders often get better on their own within 12 to 18 months.
If you suspect that a frozen shoulder is developing, please seek medical advice.

Caring for others is often a valuable and essential part of our lives. Looking after children, family members with extra needs or elderly parents can all take its’ toll on our physical and mental wellbeing. However much you love and value the person you are caring for, the sheer amount of extra work involved can cause aches, pains and worries in your own body.
We are unlikely to get specialist training for the caring role we have taken on and asking your body to move in new ways, that it is not used to, can result in muscle tensions and soreness.
These tensions can be soothed away with a regular, relaxing massage along with some advice about how to move more effectively during your day-to-day life. Self-care will improve your ability to look after your loved ones so, please, get in touch if you want to discuss how I can help you and your family.

Radiotherapy is often used to treat those with a Cancer diagnosis. It can be used to cure the cancer, make other treatments more effective or to reduce the risk of the cancer returning after treatment. Radiotherapy can be given in several ways and is considered to be a very effective treatment after surgery.
This therapy can be external, where beams of radiotherapy are aimed at the cancer site or internal, where a piece of radioactive metal is placed within the tumour to kill it off. Your medical team will recommend which is the best delivery method for your illness.
Radiotherapy is usually given in several treatment sessions at the hospital spread over a few weeks.
As well as killing cancer cells, unfortunately this treatment can damage some healthy cells in the same area. This may cause some side effects such as sore, red skin (like sunburn), feeling tired, nausea and losing your appetite. Not everyone is affected but some or all of these effects are commonly felt.
Many of these side effects will be treated by your medical team and complementary therapies such as gentle massage and reflexology have been shown to help ease these feelings.

Are you stuck in a rut?
Focussing on doing something that you really like can change your mood and lift your spirits.
It’s a good part of your self-care programme. We should all have one of these, but many of us never get round to it.
Doing things that you love, either alone or with friends and family, can help to reduce anxiety, stress and low mood. It can make us think more clearly and prioritise better.
So, let’s go - Make a list of things you like to do, then for each one consider the following:
1. When did I last do this? How long has it really been? – Time does fly even when we’re NOT having fun.
2. Is this something that I do alone or with family/friends? – Time to ring round and arrange a meet up.
3. What will this give me that is currently lacking in my life? – Relaxation, activity, fun?
Now, start planning some activities that you truly enjoy and notice the big change in your sense of wellbeing.

We all know that scars look and feel different from the skin they have replaced, but they also react differently to the sun. Now that Summer is here and we are trying to spend at least part of the day outside, extra care should be taken to avoid direct sunlight on all scars and particularly those that are still actively healing (less than 2 years old).

Keep your scars covered with clothing or high factor sunscreen if they’re within this two - year time scale. They will still be healing and changing. While the idea of getting a tan to hide your scars sounds good, it’s also impractical. Melanin is what gives your skin a tanned look, but scars produce it in uneven patches. Too much melanin on the upper layers of skin creates hyper-pigmentation. This means that the scarred area develops a red or even purple appearance. This coloration doesn’t fade easily and can make scars more noticeable. Even old scars need more protection from the sun as the new skin tends to be thinner and burn easier.

Scars heal faster when the skin is clean, infection free and well hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids during the summer to replace water lost through sweat. Spending lots of time in the pool or sea will not hydrate your skin or protect you from the sun. It can have the opposite effect as the chlorine or salt content of the water can dry your skin out more quickly. Shower after swimming to remove these chemicals then apply a good quality moisturiser.

A healthy diet with lots of protein, fresh fruit and vegetables will provide the skin with the vitamins and minerals that it needs to re-build itself. This works better that trying to rub vitamins into the skin through creams and oils. Some lotions can be too strong for the new skin and cause irritation whilst others are just a marketing gimmick. Let your body heal itself, it’s what it does best.

Muscle or tendon strains are what many runners are nervous about as they increase the mileage and aim for a specific event. This is because the enforced break in their training will have a big impact on achieving the result they want.

A STEADY increase in mileage or effort, along with regular stretching, massage and strengthening exercises can all help your muscles to cope with the stresses that this increase in activity puts upon them. Here are a few facts about strains and how to manage if you do get one. As always, any questions, please get in touch.

A muscle can be strained when some or all of its’ fibres cannot cope with the demands being placed on them. This strain can occur in the muscle belly, where the tendon attaches to the bone or (most commonly) at the musculotendinous junction.

Strains are more common in muscles that span two joints e.g. Hamstrings, Quadriceps and Gastrocnemius (calf). Muscles are most likely to strain during sudden acceleration or deceleration and strains are, therefore, most common in sprinting, football and netball. Most strains are preventable and a number of factors can contribute to the damage. These include inadequate warm up, previous injury, excessive muscle tightness and overuse.

Strains can be classified in three grades or levels where Level 1 has a small number of muscle fibres torn and Level 3 is a complete tear. In all cases, the P.R.I.C.E. protocol should be followed for the first few days until swelling and pain is reduced.
P-rotect
R-est
I-ce
C-ompression
E-levation

As the strain heals, gentle stretching, soft tissue therapy and rehabilitation exercises should ensure that the muscle heals in a strong and effective manner.

Runners knee is the common name for patellofemoral pain syndrome which causes pain around and behind the knee cap. It is one of the most common overuse injuries in people who run, hence the name. Patellofemoral pain is most often a result of abnormal mechanics forcing the patella (knee cap) to bump against the femur (thigh bone). Women and those with flat feet are more prone to this problem due to the angles between bones and joint.

There are two main causes of Runners knee:

Weak hips (outer Glutes) and inner quad muscles – These can be strengthened with specific exercises.
Tight Hamstrings, Glutes and Piriformis – Stretch, Foam Roller and Massage should help.

Make sure you have the correct footwear for your foot type, take regular rest days and do some cross training when not running. Kinesiology taping may help get you through an important race by easing the load on your knees, but is not a cure.
Medical help should be sought if there is any swelling at the knee joint or the simple strengthening and stretching work mentioned above does not improve the situation within a few weeks.

If you need help with managing any minor injury, please get in touch.

When injury strikes or everyday aches and pains need a little attention, it can be hard to decide what action to take. This picture gives a simple explanation about when to use a cool pack or heat pad to help your recovery. Please remember to always place some protection between the heat pad/ice and your skin. A tea towel is useful.
If you have any questions about managing daily aches or minor sports injuries, please get in touch.