What are cramps and why do bones break!!? FAQ’s in the Clinic!
Questions frequently asked in the clinic……. What exactly is a cramp….? Sciencey bit… Defined as an imbalance in elecrolytes in a muscle i.e. sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Ordinary Joe explanation... The system lacks these ingredients which can cause the muscle to shorten and the nerve fibres to contract! Intense pain and spasm in the calf is usually the giveaway sign of a cramp! OUCH! What is a muscle ‘knot’….? Medical description… “Myofascial Trigger Point” Non medical answer….. A hard ‘lump’ in an overused muscle caused by muscle fibres getting sticky and forming an ‘adhesion’ (Knot!). These are commonly found in the shoulders for all the stress heads. Feel your shoulders… bet you’ll find them! Kudos to you if you don’t have any! :-) Deep tissue massage and a long holiday in the sunshine usually helps with this! Why do we swell after injury….? Ok, most of you know it’s an inflammatory response, but essentially it’s the body’s natural reaction to try to stop you moving by rushing the blood to the site of injury and immobilising you with sharp pain! It’s the body’s way of saying “REST”!! What’s the difference between a Ligament and a tendon….? Ligament: Is [...]