Just about anyone who does a lot of sport will, at some stage, have suffered from some sort of injury problem. This may have been something quite minor or something more serious that has meant weeks, or even months, off training. Triathletes can be particularly prone to injury due to the sheer workload and physical stress we put our bodies under, especially given that we are training for three different sports. But where do we go when we have a sore knee, painful achilles or back problem etc? These days there are so many different types of therapies available that it’s often difficult to know which one to chose.

The following is a brief explanation as to what the most commonly used therapists actually do. A strong word of advice though; before randomly choosing someone from the Yellow Pages or off the internet, find someone who is properly qualified with all the relevant certifications and insurance and, if possible, who comes recommended to you by another athlete.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is probably one of the most commonly used treatments when you are looking to solve an injury problem, especially in the initial phases. Physiotherapy is designed to recover movement and maximise mobility to help achieve stability, strength and co-ordination as one or more of these parameters is normally affected following an injury. Through an in-depth clinical examination and the use of specific equipment a physiotherapist can investigate posture, bio-mechanics, muscle performance, movement patterns and co-ordination to determine the cause or causes of the injury and formulate a rehabilitation programme. There are often external influences that may be involved and the use of video and even computer software can help analyse poor movement technique or equipment problems: bike set-up or inappropriate footwear, for example.

Treatments often involve soft tissue and joint mobilisation or manipulation to recover movement. Electrotherapy can be used to aid in tissue healing in association with a specific progressive exercise regime and finally a strengthening exercise programme may be provided to complete your recovery and prevent further recurrence of the problem.

Osteopathy

As the name suggests, osteo means to do with bones and path indicates disease, this is the practitioner you'll turn to when you have skeletal problems. The most common reason for a triathlete to seek out an osteopath is when they are suffering from a low back pain or similar problem. Low back pain is common in triathletes for a number of reasons; poor core stability and bad bike set-ups being the most frequently identified. Traditionally, osteopaths have been utilized for their expertise in spinal manipulation but are now often sought out for soft tissue problems such as muscular and ligament strains as well as the spinal, back and neck problems.

Osteopathy works on releasing joint restrictions by various treatment techniques from tissue massage to joint manipulation. The therapist’s goal is to achieve full mobility of the joints, soft tissues and structural re-alignment of the body segment, regaining normal tissue movement and a return to a healthy functioning body.

Podiatry

A podiatrist is a fully qualified chiropodist who specialises in lower limb bi-mechanics; typically they will be used for evaluating your gait and movement patterns of the muscles and joints. They are qualified to assess, diagnose and treat problems ranging from regular day-to-day issues through to many sports injuries.

There are several types of foot postures each with their own potential problems. Often, commonly with age, the feet tend to collapse inwards towards a flat footed posture, termed 'pronation'. The opposite of pronation is a high arched foot which is termed 'suspiration'. A supinated foot is often related to stiffness and also tightness in the lower leg musculature. Then there is the normal neutral foot, which presents with a normal bio-mechanical alignment.

Often the course of action will be to produce custom orthotic insoles. A cast will be taken of your feet and a mould produced where accurate corrections are made to your foot's positioning by constructing a custom orthotic insole. These orthotics can be placed in your daily and sporting shoes to help correct the bio-mechanical problems that are causing your symptoms. It is essential that there is a balance between sufficient correction and control of the foot and also shock absorption during walking and running. Amazing results can be achieved using this process and many triathletes have found it to be hugely successful in the prevention and cure of a lot of sports injuries.

Sports massage

Sports massage therapy helps alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body's soft tissues during physical activity. When minor injuries and lesions occur due to overexertion or overuse, massage can break them down quickly and effectively. Regular sports massage can help prevent many injuries that prevent us from performing and achieving the goals we set ourselves.

Each type of activity places different demands on the athlete and uses the muscle groups in a different way. Sports massage can be used to help heal strained muscles and allow healthy ones to reach peak performance and maintain it while minimising the risk of injury. All sports massage is sports specific, something that may seem obvious but is often overlooked; the same muscles may be treated in different ways depending on the use to which they are being put.

Sports massage is based on the various elements of Swedish massage and often incorporates a combination of other practices involving stretching, compression, friction, toning, and trigger point response techniques similar to Acupressure and Shiatsu. In addition to making you feel good, it reduces the heart rate and blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, reduces muscle tension, improves flexibility, and relieves pain. This therapy is without a doubt a ‘prevention that is better than cure’ and most athletes find that by having regular treatments they may save themselves from spending money on more expensive treatments later on.

Chiropractic

Chiropractors treat problems with joints, bones and muscles, and the effects they have on the nervous system. Working on all the joints of the body, concentrating particularly on the spine, they use their hands to make often gentle, specific adjustments (the chiropractic word for manipulation) to improve the efficiency of the nervous system and release the body's natural healing ability. Chiropractic treatment aims to restore normal function to your joints and muscles as well as your nervous system, and may increase your control, co-ordination and muscle strength.

Whether you are just competing for fun or are an elite athlete, your body is prone to the same kinds of injuries. Repeated stresses can lead to a slight loss of proper movement in the bones of your spine (vertebrae) and joints which, in turn, can interfere with the healthy working of your muscles and nerves. Chiropractors can be used for a wide variety of injuries including; lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder sprain and sciatica problems.

Summary

As you can see there is a huge range of potential therapies to choose from when looking for someone to help you with an injury problem. Most people will typically first see a fully qualified physiotherapist who will then advise them as to the best plan of action for their particular complaint. This may mean continuing treatment with the physiotherapist or they may decide it's best for you to see a different type of therapist.

For those of you out there who are lucky enough not to have experienced any injury problems, or are currently injury free, it’s a good idea to invest in good regular sports massage. In addition, all athletes will benefit from allowing their bodies to heal themselves and in order to allow this process to happen you should try to:

• get a regular seven to nine hours sleep every night, and
• drink lots of water to keep hydrated (dehydration can affect or even be the cause of some injuries)

And, personally, I don't think you can beat a good old-fashioned hot bath followed by some light gentle stretching after a tough run or bike session!