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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Society Member Bridget Higgs recently completed the London Marathon, running in support of the Spinal Research Charity. Bridget’s story is a fascinating one and from so many different angles; as someone not sure about taking on such a challenge, to not getting a place, to plucking up courage to run for Spinal Research, to how her desire to provide the best possible sports therapy advice to marathon runners inspired her to go on this journey. Tell us a little about yourself and how and where Sports Therapy fits in. I graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2005 with a BSc Sport and Exercise Science. Unable to decide my next step, I spent a year travelling. In that time, I searched for a course that would combine my passion for anatomy and physiology with my love of sport. Sports Therapy was the answer. So, in 2008 I completed my MSc Sports Therapy from the University of Teesside. It feels crazy that I’ve been qualified for nearly 10 years! Since then I have worked in multiple sports at elite level. I currently work in a private clinic as well as having my own mobile Sports Therapy company and I have just started a new job with England Touch Rugby. What prompted you to run the London Marathon? Had you ever done anything of this scale before? When I turned 30 I decided to celebrate by applying for the London Marathon (crazy I know!), but unfortunately, I didn’t get a place. I decided against applying for a charity place because I was worried about having to raise the dedicated amount. Over the next couple of years, I totally talked myself out of the idea of ever running a marathon. I convinced myself I wouldn’t be able to stick to the training and that my body wouldn’t cope. Then last year I had a patient who had completed multiple marathons over the years and I was helping to get her fit again following a bout of illness. During her appointments I realised that she was providing me with far more knowledge about marathon training than I was able to give her. It really made me stop and think. If I ever wanted to be able to give the best advice to patients about marathon training, going above and beyond just injury advice, I needed to experience one myself. So, in 2016 I entered the ballot for 2017. Unfortunately, again I didn’t get a place but my partner did. I thought ‘right, now or never’! I knew I would be far more motivated with a training partner so I plucked up the courage to contact a charity and within 10 minutes of talking with the Spinal Research Charity I was signed up. It really was that easy! Is there a reason why you chose to support the Spinal Research charity? I actually have three reasons as to why I chose to support Spinal Research. At secondary school I completed a work experience placement at a Rehabilitation Centre for those affected by spinal cord injuries. I was placed with a young lad (the same age as me) who had dived into a swimming pool on holiday and was now paralysed from the neck down. Whilst I was helping him with his rehab I realised it so easily could have been me, it was a silly mistake anyone could make. I really wanted to help him and he really was the spark that ignited my rehabilitation journey. A family friend was in a car accident a few years ago. He was 19 at the time about to go to Cambridge University when he suffered an upper cervical fracture and is now quadriplegic. Spinal Research does a fantastic job funding research into the repair and recovery of the spinal cord so that people like him could have a better quality of life. I work alongside chiropractors and the majority of my patients have spinal injuries. Although they are not spinal cord injuries I am fascinated by and have a lot of respect for the spine/ spinal cord and nervous system. I felt supporting Spinal Research fitted in perfectly. As far as the fundraising is concerned, I am so thankful to my friends, family and patients who supported me. I really couldn’t have done it without them. It wasn’t easy. I constantly uploaded Facebook posts and wrote blog posts about my progress to gently nudge people to support me. I also made cards to sell at work and I organised a big fundraising afternoon tea. It was all worth it though and I was thrilled to raise £3170.25 in total which was well over the £1800 target the charity set. What was the training/build up like? If you think the 26.2 miles race will be tough, believe me, the training is tougher! Prior to starting the training programme, I was a recreational runner. I had completed some 10km events and half marathon years ago. However, the thought of 26.2 miles was very daunting. I decided to follow a programme in which I completed 4 runs, 1 cross training day and 2 rest days per week. The long run was completed on a Saturday. I started training just before Christmas running regular 5km 2-3 times per week and then followed an 18 week program. I did all the training on my own with the occasional friend joining me for a run. On the whole I think I stuck to 90% of the programme and I never missed a long run. To be honest I think I was scared into it. The long run is so important as this is where your confidence is gained. Were there any big changes to your daily routine? There were no real changes to my daily routine just making sure I kicked myself out of the door to do a run, even when the weather was bad and I really didn’t want to. I also had to up my food intake and take on more carbohydrates. How did you use your Sports Therapy knowledge to prevent getting injured ? One of the main reasons for doing a marathon at this point in my life was because I have such a great support network. I work in a clinic with another Sports Therapist, Adam, and two Chiropractors. I knew I would be able to rely on them if my body struggled with the increased distance. To be honest I already wear orthotics so my biomechanical issues for running had already been addressed. I then made sure that I had weekly massages and Chiropractic adjustments to keep me functioning properly throughout training. Two weeks prior to race day I went to a podiatrist who gave my feet some TLC where hard skin had built up. They felt amazing afterwards. Injury wise, apart from some initial blisters, I didn’t really suffer. I had one little wobble half way through my training where my knee plicae flared up due to too much downhill running. I rested, iced and taped my knee and it settled down after a few days. I was nervous of it returning but it was fine. Otherwise I just kept on top of stretching and to be honest didn’t overdo it. If I felt too tired for a mid-week run I listened to my body and skipped that run. On the race day Vaseline and blister plasters were my friends and I finished the race with nothing more than muscle fatigue! How did you feel when you crossed the finish line? So many emotions engulfed me as I crossed the finish line. I was bursting with pride, utterly exhausted, totally relieved to have finished and amazed that I had actually just completed a challenge I thought I would never be able to do. I must admit there were a few tears; I think it is just so overwhelming. I did wander around totally exhausted not really knowing what to do. All I wanted to do was hug someone, but my family and boyfriend were waiting with the charity. I was reunited with them after about 10 minutes and I think I had the biggest smile on my face! Do you have any advice for anyone thinking of running the marathon in the future? JUST DO IT! I doubted myself a lot. Was I fit enough? Would I be able to get myself out the door when it’s miserable outside? Could I raise the amount requested by the charity? Would I get injured? The list goes on. But I did it. I managed the training and I smashed my fundraising target. So, you can too! It just takes a lot of determination, a huge amount of positive thinking and great support from those around you. I found patients loved it as it was a great talking point. The support received from so many people is fantastic and the feeling you get once you have completed the race is incredible. Go and make yourself proud. Can people still make a donation? Yes people can still donate by going to Virgin Giving and typing in Bridget Higgs or by clicking on the link below: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=bridget-higgs-SAVMLMBONDS3332017-86603561&faId=783731&isTeam=false[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]2nd year Sports Therapy student John Daly from the Portobello Institute in Dublin recently enjoyed a memorable experience at  the 2017 Enduro World Cup Series, 4th round. John spent three days supporting world class riders at the event which was held in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Enduro racing is not for the faint hearted but it is hugely exciting. John explained: ‘Competitors ride their mountain bikes as fast as they can downhill over 6 timed stages.  The times are added together and the winner is the rider with the lowest combined overall score, so the fastest times. When you mix high speeds, tight turns, obstacles and jumps over all sorts of terrain Enduro is a dangerous sport but the athletes are tough as nails’. The Enduro World Cup Series is the biggest Enduro event in the world and while it would be easy to assume that John is an avid mountain biker himself, it could not be further from the truth. Daniel Brickenden, a Cross Country Mountain Bike rider and friend of John’s, heard that Emerald Enduro were looking for a therapist to support at the event and he gave them John’s details.  John said: ‘I’ve never competed in an Enduro event. I didn’t know much about the sport until I researched it’ but that didn’t faze him. Neither did the fact that the event attracted some of the world’s top riders including Irish rider Greg Callaghan, winner of last year’s Emerald Enduro, together with journalists, photographers and film crews from around the world. The event included two days of practice and one day of racing. John said: ‘Although there were many crashes over the 3 days, nobody was seriously injured. There was another Sports Therapist working at the event and I was mainly doing pre and post event massage treatments. Most of the riders just needed tight muscles worked on. My worst case over the weekend was with Marco Osborne (ranked 22nd in the world) who had crashed twice on the Saturday practice. Marco was happy to finish 18th overall after all 6 stages on the Sunday. ‘Now having been involved and seeing how it works, I learned a lot about it and the athletes. I didn’t realise how big the sport was, especially in Ireland, but seeing thousands of passionate fans lining the course was brilliant. It’s an amazing sport to watch and I would certainly recommend it to everyone’. Apart from the thrill of supporting at the event, John had another big surprise at the end of the stage. He said: ‘East Coast Adventure is organising the National Downhill Mountain Bike Championships in Northern Ireland in July 2017. After helping a young rider from County Down, they approached me about my availability and invited me to the event. Three other therapists along with myself are currently in contact with the organisers and are looking forward to supporting the National Downhill Mountain Bike Championships’. Editor’s Note : Many thanks John for getting in touch and introducing this exciting sport. Good luck with your future studies and career – who knows what door will open next. You can view some brilliant video footage and images from Emerald Enduro 2017 : http://www.enduroworldseries.com/image-gallery-wicklow-media-recce/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Kirsten Wing, a  BSC(Hons) Sports Therapy student  at Hartpury College recently had the opportunity to attend the  RugbySafe Conference 2017. The 2nd year student represented Hollie Bailey, Senior Sports Therapy Lecturer at Hartpury and also Head of Sports Medicine at Dorset and Wilts County Rugby. Hollie had been unable to attend the event but rather than waste the invite, the forward thinking Lecturer extended it to one of her students to gain some brilliant experience and to report back to Hollie, staff and students on the event. Kirsten takes up the story. ‘The RugbySafe Conference 2017 saw researchers and representatives from all over England gather in Warwick for what promised to be an innovative discussion around putting the ‘welfare of the player at the heart of the game. ‘Discussions around player welfare insights and epidemiology studies presented by Dr Mike England and ‘Training & Education Regulation and Guidelines’ presented by Rachel Brown, produced the highlights of the day. The results from the national rugby survey were also discussed. It reported a growth in players and the frequency of playing rugby had also increased’. One particularly interesting fact that came out showed that the growth status for medical support staff is unknown. Kirsten said : ‘It was highlighted that this surge in players and amount of rugby being played requires more medical staff at grass roots. For me this emphasises the growing need for Sports Therapists who are Members of The Society of Sports Therapists to work at amateur level.’ Kirsten had also reported back on Rugby Aware, which aims to demonstrate the RFU’s commitment to player welfare and help clubs understand their responsibilities. A structured warm up course to be rolled out in the summer had shown promising results, potentially reducing rates of injury, including the occurrence of concussion. It was good to hear that rules are being tightened particularly for young players. Kirsten said : ‘Clubs who had piloted new safety projects reported their findings; this included the issuing of a player/guardian signed concussion letter acknowledging the suspected injury; this is then passed on to the relevant schools, clubs and or county.’ She continued: ‘The room sounded unanimous when the suggestion was made to clamp down to ensure first aiders are present at every game played whether it’s 15’s, 7’s, 10’s etc. After all as one Safety Officer said: “the aim is to create a safe playing environment where players can play more, longer and safer” Hollie, who is also a Director at STAR Medical Clinic, having heard the feedback said: ‘We can expect the RFU to be clamping down to ensure the welfare of the player. It also highlights the importance of and need for Emergency Care and Injury Prevention that Member Sports Therapists can provide within rugby”. We asked Kirsten how she felt about the experience. She said: “I felt honoured to be asked by Hollie, however I was nervous as I didn’t know what to expect. The conference was one of the most informative and enlightening experiences I have had since moving to the UK to study. It showed me that Sports Therapists have to reassess the safety risks and think about how to manage injury prevention. I really enjoyed getting to meet qualified therapists and it made me feel positive about the career opportunities there are for me when I graduate. It made me think about the bigger picture and how research is so important to inform practice with regards to injury epidemiology and providing a safe playing environment”. The RFU approached Kirsten and enquired if she would like to complete her dissertation on current medical provision in rugby union. Hollie said: “It just shows the importance of students to attend conferences, where they can network to find work placement opportunities and witness first-hand the need for good quality research, which ultimately they can contribute towards”. Below are some key links from the conference : Overview of the Rugby Safe Programme: http://www.englandrugby.com/mm/Document/Governance/GameSupport/01/31/44/99/Rugby_Safe_bookletFINAL_English.pdf Reducing musculoskeletal injury and concussion risk in schoolboy rugby players with a pre-activity movement control exercise programme: a cluster randomised controlled trial http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2017/05/08/bjsports-2016-097434[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Calling All Society Members The Society of Sports Therapists is delighted to announce that under the Bruce Hobbs Travelling Scholarship Award Scheme, a second educational travel award is being offered for 2017. This Award is being made in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Sports Medicine Clinic. Open to Society Members only and running from the 28th October – 7th November 2017, this is a fantastic opportunity for a Member to spend time at the clinic and experience life in a North American University Sport and Exercise Medicine Centre. To find out full details about this new and exciting opportunity, Members should visit the Members’ area of the website [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Society of Sports Therapists is delighted to announce that for 2017 there are two International student internships to be awarded. University of Windsor, Ontario This is the 9th year for the Society to link with the University of Windsor, Ontario and the Green Shield Sports Therapy clinic. The support our graduates have received during this time has been fantastic and has provided them with unforgettable experiences. York University, Toronto For the first time ever, the Society has also linked with York University to offer a 4 week internship hosted by the School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Athletic Therapy Certificate Programme, York University, Canada. This is a second exciting opportunity for a graduate from one of the Society’s accredited universities. To find out more about both internships and the entry criteria, students should visit the Members’ area of the website. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The role of any professional body, including The Society of Sports Therapists, is to protect and serve its Members. However, some of the services offered and provided by the Society may not necessarily be required by its Members such as legal support and fitness to practise advice. Hopefully, whilst these may only be required by a few they are still of vital importance. Other benefits that are more widely utilised include Professional Malpractice & Public Liability Insurance, International Insurance Cover, Lobbying and Representing the Profession, Protecting Member Rights and Legal and Professional Advice to name but a few. To this list, the Society is now delighted to introduce Member discounts on products and services and welcomes on-board its founder group of SSTExtra partners. Our sincere thanks to: Bio-Synergy, First Aid 4 Sport, Lotus Publishing, Medicals for Sport, Physique Management and Rocktape. The Society of Sports Therapists welcomes you. Members will now need to log in to the members’ area to find out more details.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]‘Our entire level 4 cohort worked, with students from Levels 5 and 6 returning again to help out, and 5 members of staff supervising. It took weeks of planning to ensure transport of massage tables, resources, and administration. This enormous and complex task was only possible due to the amazing efforts and dedication of our students and staff. It was my personal 8th year in succession with Barnardo’s, and we were located this year in the luxurious surroundings of the Waldorf Hilton Hotel at Aldwych’ Maddie Crowther, Events Manager, Barnardo’s clearly felt that Michael and the UEL team had done a wonderful job. She said: “A massive huge fantastical THANK YOU to you, your team and your students for yesterday’s London Marathon. Our runners were over the moon that they got their much needed massages, and yesterday seemed like a tough one for a lot of them. But as always your students were brilliant with every single one of them. Thanks a million once again!’ It was indeed a tough day for the inexperienced runners with some spending over 8 hours on the streets of London. Katie Moore, Events Co-ordinator, Barnardo’s HQ said: ‘The faces of relief on our runners’ faces when we mentioned a massage make you and the team being there so so important! ‘ For Michael, it had proved a very rewarding day. He said: Our students were fantastic and it was great to see them develop skills in soft-tissue therapy, recovery advice, communication and interpersonal skills, and clinical governance, including treatment records and health & safety. This type of experience is vital in preparing undergraduates for the profession, and as a bonus they get to be part of one of arguably the best sporting day of the year, whilst also supporting charitable causes. Editor’s Note: Thanks Michael for getting in touch and well done to you and your students and staff. We would love to hear more inspiring stories from the 2017 London Marathon. Did you run in it? Did your university, like UEL, provide support to a charity? Did you personally help out or answer last minute calls to go along and help a charity? Did your clinic provide support? Whatever you did, we would love to hear from you. Tell us about your day. Please email maggie@charleswhitney.com or call Maggie on 01582 808271 or tweet us @theSSTofficial[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Members of The Society of Sports Therapists are invited to take part in a free online public engagement project: I’m a Scientist, In the Zone (http://inthezone.imascientist.org.uk/scientists). This is part of the high profile Wellcome Trust In the Zone project (http://getinthezone.org.uk), inspired the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The event is solely for sports scientists/therapists and other researchers working on the human body in motion – I’m a Scientist, In the Zone (http://inthezone.imascientist.org.uk/scientists). It involves answering questions from either primary or secondary school students, having live online chats with them (a bit like Facebook chat or Skype chat) and the students voting for their favourite scientist to win a £500 prize.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Graduate Sports Therapists Kristian Weaver, Nick Stubbings and Amanda Turner are names you may be familiar with. They are, of course, previous winners of The Society of Sports Therapists Student Travelling Scholarship and described the opportunity as ‘Unforgettable’, ‘life changing’ and ‘inspiring. Now it could be your turn to put your name in the spotlight as applications for the 2012 award are now open. The prize is a trip to Windsor, Ontario, Canada to spend time in the Athletic Therapy Department at the University of Windsor with Athletic Therapists Kathy Harvie and Dave Stoute. Speaking on her return last year about why anyone eligible for the award should apply, Amanda said: “Having the opportunity to work with amazing and inspirational therapists like Kathy and Dave is a once in a life time chance. It has given a more diverse experience, spending time with an array of different sports teams which you would not normally have the opportunity to work with in the UK, for example ice hockey and American football. It has really given me the confidence and skills to go on and pursue a career in Sports Therapy.’ To read about Amanda, Nick or Kristian’s time in Canada, simply use the search link on the home page.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column width=”5/12″][vc_single_image source=”featured_image” img_size=”full” style=”vc_box_rounded” onclick=”link_image”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”7/12″][vc_column_text]It’s going to be an exciting year for Society Member Claire Jones who will be working at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. A graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, Claire will be stationed in the Athletes Village with her main role being a Sports Massage Practitioner. Speaking to the Society shortly after finding out she had been selected, Claire was looking forward to the challenges and experience that lay ahead. She said: ‘I am very excited about the position, especially being placed in the Athletes Village, as this means I will be seeing a whole selection of athletes from different sports and countries’.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column][vc_column_text]Claire has already completed her Olympic Orientation Training and recently supported two Olympic Test events, Weightlifting and Wrestling. Speaking about the test events, Claire said: ‘I really enjoyed both events and they have given me even more enthusiasm for the actual games, I can’t wait to be involved’. As well as having an important role at the London 2012 Olympics, Claire will also be gaining some great experience at the Paralympic games a few weeks later. She will be supporting th e athletes at the Rowing and Canoeing events. It certainly looks like a busy summer for Claire. We will be keeping in touch with her in the build up to the Games and look forward to hearing about her time there.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]