Sports Injuries Sometimes Need Scans? Sports Injuries Sometimes Need Scans because some injuries that actually need expert intervention are not always obvious. Obviously, as a sports therapist when I am present at match days and practice sessions occasionally an injury will occur that is more serious than the normal ones. A broken leg for example and the need for someone on the spot- who knows the ropes becomes mighty important. Over the years I have referred a number of patients to Alliance Medical for Scans. Because I know that from the results of scans, they will indicate if the client/sportsperson needs to be seen by a consultant or surgeon or not. When a client comes to me my concern always is to give my best to the client and when necessary use other specialist areas of medicine for the clients benefit to ensure they get the best possible treatment to ensure recovery. Sports Injuries Sometimes Need Scans? 2 cases of mine by way of example When thinking now about when seeking scans becomes important I think of 2 cases: As mentioned above, 1 is a goalkeeper that had a knee problem a few years ago while playing matches and afterwards it would be painful and after a few days, with rest, the pain would go away but it got to the stage where the patient’s knee would be painful after most games but he never got it checked out as he would rest it and the pain would go away. Eventually, the pain went away for a while then I got involved as team sports Therapist with another team he was involved in and he didn’t mention anything about the knee until a few months before we were travelling for a tournament and he came to me during a training session and he told me the full story regarding the knee and the history of it. I referred him for a scan in a Dublin branch of alliance medical. I got him to fill out my patient history form and I sent it into Alliance medical. From that, they contacted him and arranged an appointment within 24 hours he was seen. From the scan, it showed he had Pateĺla Displacia in the right knee. They said the would refer him to a surgical consultant. He was delighted that he was able to find out what the problem was. He got his disc with the scan on it and he was sorted. The second case. a recent case-patient with a back injury the patient said that there was a pain on the left side of his back from the bottom to the top of his back and across the lumbar of his back. However, ongoing back to past injuries he said he has been having ongoing issues with his for a few years. With this in mind and with the potential for injury to his back having damage I referred him for a scan to get to the bottom of the problem. When its done then we can review his situation and take it from there. REFERRAL TO ALLIANCE MEDICAL FOR SCANS AND XRAYS As part of my service, I can refer patients for scans and x-rays with Alliance Medical within 24 to 48 hours. The patient will get a disc and myself and the GP get a written report. ALLIANCE MEDICAL does not accept the medical card but if the patient has health insurance or player insurance or can pay in cash then they are a huge help.

Tips for Gym Fitness and Training in Ireland from a Sports Therapists viewpoint My thoughts  on Tips for Gym Fitness and Training in Ireland from a sports physio angle because I treat players and athletes from a wide range of sports at all levels and I also work with teams. The use of a Gym is commonplace in many sports as part of the training. Most athletes have a good balance when it comes to physical training and physical fitness. Gym Related Injuries in Ireland: I have had good athletes coming to me with injuries that are gym related. I treat the injury and symptoms of the injury but to give advice and to give the player or athlete the best service as part of their rehab and or recovery I as a lot of questions so as to get a full picture not just of the injury but the cause and as a way of getting to know the player and athlete not just as a player and athlete but also as a person this puts them at ease and they also open up more when you ask questions. They tell me about the injury the symptoms then how it happened and where. Many athletes mention the gym as the injury source. I ask them how often they go to the gym. They say every day for 6 or 7 days. That tells a lot because that is often the cause. Players and athletes need to train but they also need recovery and rest. 7 days a week in a gym is excessive as training every single day is hard on the body and mind. Dehydration and fatigue leave an athlete and player vulnerable to injury. Tips for Gym Fitness and Training in Ireland- a Schedule I  often suggest this schedule: every 2nd day in the gym so maybe a gym session on a Monday. On a Tuesday the either rest or go for a walk or go for a light jog or a swim (that’s rest or recovery or part of) Wednesday gym session Thursday rest or the other above suggestions. Friday gym session……. That way the player or athlete is getting their gym sessions and their physical fitness is improving or they are maintaining their physical fitness, they are getting their rest and recovery which means they are less likely to get injuries. Warm-up and warm-down is essential Keeping hydrated before during and after sessions is essential. Physical fitness is essential when playing sport at all levels. Strength and conditioning and endurance training is important this ensure the player will be able for the demands of any sport that they will be able to last the full game With many indoor sports like futsal- indoor soccer being so fast and intense, this is essential. Warm-up and warm-down and stretches are important before during and after training AND matches and also so is keeping hydrated. Gym Training Fitness Powdered Drinks and Supplements: Personally, I am against these powdered drinks and supplements etc you see online that are available ‘over the counter’ in shops and on the internet. When you get them online you don’t know what you are buying until they arrive, and they only deliver short term benefit. My advice is before you get any supplements or powdered drinks, go to go first and ask his advice and see if he would recommend this that or the other over the counter products (you see gyms and sports shops advertising and selling them). There is nothing you get in them that you don’t get in normal everyday food that you eat. Get medical advice go to a dietician or your GP and discuss it with them you may not think it but what you eat or consume plays a huge part in your physical fitness and believe it or not what you eat when you eat the right food can give you the natural energy you need Those gym supplements only have short term results or benefit you speed wise of short distances and may have unforetold side effects that’s why I recommend getting medical advice big you eat and train right as a player then physical is easy to attain and maintain. I hope you have found my contribution to be useful. Any questions feel free to ask. Many athletes in the heat of the moment during training can overdo things. If you are based in Roscommon or the North-West one of my treatments might be of big help to you.

You Can Run a marathon too – A Podcast You Can Run a marathon too if you put your mind to it. We have all heard words to the effect of “you can do anything if you put your mind to it”,  and in this podcast, I speak to a local Roscommon man Tom who has now completed 3 marathons, the most recent being the 2022 Dublin City marathon and our paths crossed when I treated Tom for some not uncommon injuries picked up by him along the way. The podcast should be of interest to lots of you out there to reinforce self-belief.  Tom’s motivation was to get fit and lose weight, he tells us about his aha moment and indeed as he explains how losing 4 stone pretty quickly aided motivation. He discusses how training cleared his mind and removed stress. In this podcast, a regular guy just like you and me discusses his journey and may help you to follow his path. Listen to This Podcast -You Can Run a marathon too Part 1 Aidan and Tom discuss his journey from taking up running to taking part in 3 Dublin City Marathons. Tom Ward tells Aidan how are the most difficult stage of the 2022 Dublin City Marathon, the last 5km which is where he saw the Join Our Boys team and he looked up to heaven and thought of Archie. He said that inspired him and gave him the strength the complete the marathon. This podcast is dedicated to the memory of Archie Naughton from Join Our Boy Listen to this podcast -part 2