Water sports is a major part of the Olympics, and is relevant to us locally, here in Lymington. Many people in the surrounding area probably treat the annual Cowes Week as their own personal Olympics. That alongside the fierce rivalry of local coastal rowing club competition, water sports is a prevalent part of life in this area.
With so many of our current sailing Olympians, and one current local rower hailing from this very special part of the country, training here in Lymington or close by, we’ve put together our thoughts on Sailing and Rowing.
Here at The Lymington Chiropractic Clinic we are excited to have Gareth working with us and can now offer a range of Sports Injury Therapy, as well as Chiropractic Treatments. For event competitors we offer Pre and Post Event Massage which are bespoke treatments designed to optimise performance and reduce risk of injury.
SAILING
We asked one of our patients who is a regular Cowes competitor how the competition impacts the body. This is what he had to say from the perspective of helming a J70 boat.
“The lower and upper back takes the punishment from a poor sitting position where you are hunched and twisted as well as pulling and straining. Your neck suffers from being bent and twisted in the same position. On a boat you don’t get the opportunity to balance your body out. The windier it is the harder it is on your body. Normal sailing would mean being in these positions for about an hour. Competitive sailing at Cowes is far more prolonged – 7 hours a day for 7 days of the week. To add to the pressure on the body we travel by rib so you can add jolting and jarring to the experience.”
As chiropractors we take into account the prolonged positions and strains put on the body when sailing (competitive or not). Difficult blustery conditions make lower-back, core, shoulder and neck problems more likely because of having to adjust to the variable pressures being put through the body.
Understanding the pressures on the muscles and joints means we can be more precise in providing care to manage a competitor either during or after Cowes Week.
The variety of skills we have – spinal adjustment, soft tissue work, acupuncture, Kinesio taping – can all be used to help in the short-term and long-term. It does depend on the needs at the time.
ROWING
As a rower, repetitive action can cause undue pain in your glutes or calves, your hips or lower back.
Experience tells us that rowers need good core strength, cardiovascular endurance, good rotational mobility and strength in their wrists.
We know that regular strain and/or pain affects functionality, especially when a repetitive motion is required in training and competition. Postural issues can affect how efficiently the body works and sometimes pain and discomfort can be felt in the back, shoulders and into the upper and lower limbs which affect movements we take for granted like walking and running, sitting or even lying down, never mind a perpetual rowing motion.
Overall performance can be resolved through Functional Analysis assessment, targeted chiropractic treatment and rehabilitation exercises. Our main aim as chiropractors is to improve a patient’s health by targeting the cause of painful symptoms, focusing on the mobility of the spine and surrounding tissues.
By testing a rower’s core strength and analysing functional movement in their knees, ankles, hips and associated muscle activity, we can identify any areas of weakness and then put a treatment plan together which optimises functionality and tackles pain caused by repetitive movements. Through a series of simple, gentle adjustments, massage and specific exercises for muscular and tendinous chains, we can help ease discomfort in joints and muscles, reduce the effects of reoccurring pain and improve physical health, overall functionality, and thus minimise the chance of injury and ultimately improve performance.
Specific sports injuries can also be treated by Gareth Watkins our Sports Injury Therapist through Injury Assessment and Rehabilitation Therapy. During your initial appointment Gareth will diagnose the problem, create an individual rehabilitation plan, to include exercises and stretches, and begin your treatment. Rehabilitation Therapy sessions then treat the injury and may include electrotherapy, which can greatly enhance recovery. Gareth’s Pre-event Massage includes PNF stretching to create extra muscle length before the event, which optimises performance and reduces risk of injury. Post-event Massage is tailored to assist with DOMS, lymphatic drainage and recovery.
So, whether you are a competitive sailor or rower, or not, if pain and discomfort are preventing you from enjoying life and participating in your chosen activities, call 01590 679560 or BOOK ONLINE for appointments with chiropractors Colin, Charlotte or Fiona, or Sports Injury Therapist Gareth.
For acupuncture appointments, call Amanda directly on 07876 343 821.
For podiatry call Paul directly on 07857 137732.