Welcome to the first post of our blog for Cahir Physiotherapy Clinic in Co. Tipperary. Here we hope to keep you updated regularly on the latest in injury prevention advice, cutting edge physiotherapy and exercise research and what we’re up to in our working week in Co. Tipperary.
In spite of, or maybe because of, the awful weather we’ve been really busy with new injuries in the clinic over the past 2 weeks.
Lots of people locally have been overdoing it with cutting trees and clearing gardens after the storm. This overload of unusual physical work, combined with a lack of exercise due to the prolonged bad weather, is a lethal combination for back pain, neck pain, shoulder and elbow injuries.
In the physiotherapy clinic we’ve been busy treating patients with muscle and tendon injuries…. and I hear the chainsaw mechanics are busy too!
The key thing to recover from these injuries is to rest from the offending activity- hopefully all the trees have been cut by now-and gradually return to your regular exercise routine. If you don’t normally exercise now is a great time to start.
But…don’t just rest- your muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments prefer gentle movement even when sore. For example, if your shoulders are sore, try this: sitting tall, gently raise your shoulders towards your ears, stretch the shoulder blades back, then gently lower. Repeat this slowly and then change direction. Then still sitting tall, slowly lower your right ear towards your right shoulder gently then return to the middle again. Don’t force it. Repeat on the other side.
