A word on niggles…
Do niggles matter? Say you feel discomfort in your knee when you squat, or a pinch in your neck with your shoulder press. It might be a burn in your heel when you run, or a twinge in your shoulder when you throw a ball. It might not be bad enough to make you stop, so do you ignore it and push through in the hope it will go away, or do you rest completely in fear it will get worse?
Turns out neither option is exactly right.
Recent research has found that athletes who reported a niggle were 3x – 6.5x more likely to sustain an injury within 7 days1. This research was conducted on semi-professional football players, however it is an important consideration with any physical activity that niggles can be a warning sign for an injury about to occur.
From what we see every day in the clinic, we know that it is much easier to get on top of niggles or injuries quickly when they are seen to in the early stages and can be managed correctly from the start.
At Aspley Physiotherapy we believe best management is to keep you doing what you love safely. While actively treating your injury, we will work with you and anyone supervising your sport or exercise: your coach, personal trainer, or class instructor. We can help with modifications and alterations to exercises and activity, to allow you to safely continue in the gym or on the sporting field.
If your injury is severe enough that you need to have a break from your usual form of exercise, we will develop a comprehensive program to maintain your strength and fitness while your injury heals. This could be anything from a pilates-based program, a home exercise program, hydrotherapy program or in the gym.
Once you recover, we will help you transition back to full training and educate you on how to prevent the injury from recurring.
Contact the clinic on 3263 5786 or book online HERE with one of our physiotherapists and get on top your niggle.
1 Whalan et al, 2020.