MY

Bio

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Education Background

  • BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy
  • NLSSM Sports Massage Top up
  • Burrel Education Pregnancy and Post Natal Massage

SPORTING Background

  • Field Hockey: U21 England, U18 Scotland, East of England and Essex youth squads.

  • Chelmsford Hockey Club: 15 years club member at Premier League and Division 1 level - Captain for 3 seasons. Super 6’s Indoor Hockey National Premier league, National Div 1 and East premier - Captain for 4 seasons.

  • 2012 London Marathon, Spartan Sprint OCR

Personal

The reason I’ve listed a bit about my sporting background above is to hopefully illustrate that ‘I get it’. I’ve been there on the long marathon training runs in freezing February, on the important game day with a niggle that I’m just pushing to the back of my mind, on lining up for a fitness test for Scotland Under 18 National side (in what felt like -10 in Edinburgh!) with a torn hamstring and more recently on day 3 of DOMs after a tough session at Farm Fitness.

INSTAGRAM

After some time away from the Sports Therapy practice altogether, I’ve decided to pick up again on what’s important to me and make it my priority. Now that I’m on the wrong side of 30 and having had my first child, I’ve realised even more so, the importance of taking care of your health and body. Your body should perform for you as you and your family need it to, whether that be in a sporting capacity or in normal day to day life.

Remembering to do a bit of Achilles/ sprained ankle (recently acquired 🤣) rehab during the school holidays. Excuse the mess, at this stage I can’t tidy up as fast as it’s being created 😫 As you can hear 🥴🤣 this ankle has developed a
Remembering to do a bit of Achilles/ sprained ankle (recently acquired 🤣) rehab during the school holidays. Excuse the mess, at this stage I can’t tidy up as fast as it’s being created 😫 As you can hear 🥴🤣 this ankle has developed a ‘click’ since turning it over a couple of weekends ago. No pain though or instability so with a bit of care when landing on it and strengthening, thanks to my helper, it should be good to go asap! #anklerehab #schoolholidays #sportstherapy
Here’s a simple but challenging little drill to focus on bringing your shoulder blades back and down by strengthening the rhomboids. Bear crawls and scapula push ups, keeping the core ‘on’ quickly get your rhomboids and rotator cuff muscles firing 🔥 The end of the video shows what you’re shoulder blades should look like when doing the scap push ups, your just sinking your chest down with arms still straight imagining gripping a pen in between your shoulder blades at the back. Incorporate these into your warm up as a primer if you are doing anything over head or body weight/ gymnastic moves. Also fab for if you struggle with niggles in your shoulders stemming from rounded shoulder postures (🙋🏼‍♀️) #rhomboids #shoulderniggles #scappushups #bearcrawls #mobility #shoulderstability
Over the past couple of weeks I have had some real thought provoking chats up in this little room 🥰 Tbh I think for whatever reason, the benefits of the sessions have been more mental than physical recently and the honest conversations have stuck w
Over the past couple of weeks I have had some real thought provoking chats up in this little room 🥰 Tbh I think for whatever reason, the benefits of the sessions have been more mental than physical recently and the honest conversations have stuck with me. Mostly boiling down to the way we talk to ourselves. Without getting too ‘positive vibes’ cheeseball on you - it so important to re-frame your view point of things in a way that make situations feel more manageable. I know you can’t talk yourself out of an actual injury, or being in the midst of a stressful life situation…but you CAN talk yourself into it being insurmountable and hopeless. Which more often than not, is not the case. The lovely people I’ve seen recently have been a reminder to me of how positive this approach is. To be adaptable and accepting of the place you’re at and to be capable to change it, if that’s what’s required! A good week. Signing off early this week for some mum school holidays duties xxxx #sportstherapy #sportsmassage #sport #fitness #health
We often get stuck in slight forward flexion when our backs have ‘gone’ or feel tight. Here are some movement progressions to regain some extension and rotation which should help! Start with a pillow under the hips to keep you comforta
We often get stuck in slight forward flexion when our backs have ‘gone’ or feel tight. Here are some movement progressions to regain some extension and rotation which should help! Start with a pillow under the hips to keep you comfortable in slight flexion if you are struggling. **in video 1, I’m holding onto the opposite multifidis (muscle in the lower back) to the leg I’m bending - you can feel it working as you bend your knee. Pic at the end shows where and direction of force! I use this in sessions a fair bit so those that see me will recognise it! #lowerbackpain #backproblems #forwardflexion #sportstherapy #sportsmassage
Well… we’ll take that thank you 😊 very proud to have grabbed 2nd place at @nationalfitnessgames today! Sooo tough but we pulled it out the bag and had a right laugh too, as always! What a day 🙌🏻 @cs.fitness @janey.with.a.y @gemma_
Well… we’ll take that thank you 😊 very proud to have grabbed 2nd place at @nationalfitnessgames today! Sooo tough but we pulled it out the bag and had a right laugh too, as always! What a day 🙌🏻 @cs.fitness @janey.with.a.y @gemma_ttttt
So I probably shouldn’t have used masking tape to show the 3 muscles that make up the hamstrings 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣 However, whilst not 100% spot on with the origin and insertion points, I hope It shows that semimembranosus (on the inside) and bicep femoris (on the outside) sort of wrap around the back of the leg into the side/ front of the shin. Try adding in a little rotation to the old classic hamstring stretch to feel all 3 🙌🏻 #sportsmassage #sportstherapy #hamstringstretch #hamstrings
Still processing how mental the last week has been… 4 flights, unexpected airport sprints in socks 🥵, taking in the strip sights (and smells 🥴) great food and some pre ‘game’ R+R… Then, the reason we came @hyroxworld - 8 runs and 8 gruelling workouts that conspire against your legs to ensure there is no safe place to fully take the brakes off and let rip. A true test of your pacing brain that requires you to set it right from run 1 - and this time, we had it nailed! 🙌🏻 Hats off to @cs.fitness for programming our training to a tee to ensure we bettered our previous time 👌🏻 All I had to do was turn up and agree to the misery 🤣 There’s something strangely addictive about this madness @hyroxuk for now - over and out. Thank you for all your support it genuinely gave us such a boost 🖤🙌🏻 #hyrox #hyroxworldchampionships #sixth #hyroxtraining
Travelling, different beds and a ‘few’ evening steps clocked up have got us feeling a bit creaky. So a sun salutation inspired flow this morning has got the joints moving and blood flowing 🙌🏻 So synchro these days you can’t tell where @cs.fitness finishes and I start 🤪 #sunsalutations #wakeup #yoga
2 months ago, the spike in training volume and running speed gave me a grumbling Achilles. Did the classic thing that I think most of us are guilty of and ignored it for a few days hoping it would just go away 🥴 however with a looming competition date in mind (this Saturday 😬) I quickly realised I had to get a plan in place… Lots of cold, progressive loading, stretching, cutting down hard runs to once a week and some lovely new shoes later and I’m not concerned at all about it going into the weekend 🙌🏻 Excuses will have to come from elsewhere 🤣 only joking @cs.fitness no excuses!! #greenlight #letsgo #achilles #achillesrehab
My running warm up is doubling up as rehab for my Achilles at the moment and I have to say this routine (possibly/ probably combined with trainers better for the job!) has done the trick 🙌🏻 No pain after running now, only just feeling a quiet grumb
My running warm up is doubling up as rehab for my Achilles at the moment and I have to say this routine (possibly/ probably combined with trainers better for the job!) has done the trick 🙌🏻 No pain after running now, only just feeling a quiet grumble from it in the 1st kilometre - happy! Over preparing your muscles for what you are about to ask of them is a good way to ensure you are less likely to encounter niggles. This warm up progresses through a number of the standard movements progressions for Achilles loading which I’ve nabbed a great graphic from @sportschiroluke (last slide) 🙌🏻 If you struggle with calf/ Achilles pain during and after running give this a warm up a go and see how it feels! #achillestendonitis #achillesloading #runningwarmup
Is it DOMs, a niggle or an injury? How do you know the difference?? (My own definitions) DOMs is the soreness you feel in your muscles after exercise, it’s caused by micro trauma to the muscle fibres which happens when we push that bit harder
Is it DOMs, a niggle or an injury? How do you know the difference?? (My own definitions) DOMs is the soreness you feel in your muscles after exercise, it’s caused by micro trauma to the muscle fibres which happens when we push that bit harder or for longer than we are used to. Worst case it should last no longer than 4/5 days. A ‘niggle’ I would describe, as something that re-occurs after repeating similar patterns of movement. It probably means you need to address the way you perform or move in these aggravating movements. An injury is something that doesn’t really let up, the pain/ discomfort/ lack of confidence in the area can fluctuate but overall its generally always present. At this stage you should re-evaluate the demands you are putting the area through and potentially seek advice. I’m not a physio, and I haven’t yet gone to seek advice but I think my usual calf pain post running has just crossed that line into niggle/injury. I think I’m nursing a bit of non-insertional tendinitis in my left Achilles. In the build up to the Hyrox World Champs my plan is to only run hard once a week, dunk it in ice water as often as I can and rope @sigibbs into being my sports massage therapist to work on my calves 🥴 (I will make time to get booked in somewhere too!) slight question mark over my footwear but I’m a little superstitious - so that’s bottom of the list! 🤣 #doms #niggle #injury #runninginjury #tendinitis #achilles #toomuchrunning
✋🏻Close up of my foot! 🥴 I’ve always suffered from sore calves and Achilles after runs mainly due to running on my fore foot. Recently, due to the pretty steep spike in mileage (with all the running involved in Hyrox training) I’m fin
✋🏻Close up of my foot! 🥴 I’ve always suffered from sore calves and Achilles after runs mainly due to running on my fore foot. Recently, due to the pretty steep spike in mileage (with all the running involved in Hyrox training) I’m finding that my left Achilles and plantar fascia (sole of foot between the underside of the heel and the toes) are getting increasingly tight and painful. The last 2 mornings I’ve not been able to put my heel down without pain until my foot warms up a bit. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the connective soft tissue on the underside of your foot. To prevent this progressing, I’m doing some work to help relieve it with one of the kids little hard rattle balls. A golf ball or a frozen bottle of water for a little added cryotherapy are good for the job too! I’ll also add some soft tissue work on my Achilles and calf and warm it up well with eccentric loading before runs from here! #excusethepinkcow #plantarfascia #plantarfasciitis #softtissuerelease #achillies #runningpain
So after my little reminder last week of what it feels like when your back does a number on you… I’ve seen 3 people with similar things going on. Talking to them it’s clear that initially, even though you know keeping moving is the
So after my little reminder last week of what it feels like when your back does a number on you… I’ve seen 3 people with similar things going on. Talking to them it’s clear that initially, even though you know keeping moving is the best thing to do, the need to avoid that awful ‘twinge’ pain can override. Laying flat on the floor is tricky to get into and not too comfortable once you’re there either, so… I found these seated and supported movements really helped alongside a few minutes of flowing through all the usual suspects of lower back stretches. The seated cartwheel allows you to pull yourself a little further into rotation without straining your hamstrings and glutes and the elevated pigeon pose is easier to get a greater stretch, combining a lean away from the glute your are stretching to open up that same side SI joint and QL. ** I don’t actually recommend you do these on a spinny chair with wheels however 🥴🤣👍🏻 #sportstherapy #lowerbackpain #backmobilityexercises #sijoint
SNEEZING!! 😤😡 Anyone ever injured themselves or made something worse sneezing?! 😩🤣 My back has been playing up on the lower right side from what I can only describe as ‘hormonal period back’ anyone else know the one?! It’s a
SNEEZING!! 😤😡 Anyone ever injured themselves or made something worse sneezing?! 😩🤣 My back has been playing up on the lower right side from what I can only describe as ‘hormonal period back’ anyone else know the one?! It’s a pig, every month, but im not too concerned about it as I know it will pass. Today it’s flared up a bit after a run out at the Farm so i tried to see if I could loosen it off then… I sneezed and it’s gone into spasm! 👍🏻 I’m not immune! Bit of heat and keep moving for me this afternoon then some easy stretching later on should sort it! #anyoneknowadecentsportsmassagetherapist #sneezeinjury #backspasm #periodpains #periodbackpain
The day after one of these mental competitions is so weird…flat, dazed, confused, wishing I could live in a weekend world of pizza and fitness stuff forever 🤣 (until I try to get up to walk that is 🥴) Last year I listened to @jadeskillenath
The day after one of these mental competitions is so weird…flat, dazed, confused, wishing I could live in a weekend world of pizza and fitness stuff forever 🤣 (until I try to get up to walk that is 🥴) Last year I listened to @jadeskillenathletecoach talk about @hyroxuk on the @bulldoggear podcast and I genuinely thought - absolutely not, no way, too much - that sounds insane!….and here we are…..It was all of that tbh.🤣 Very proud however, to have grabbed 3rd spot in our section! thanks to @cs.fitness putting me through some hell weeks of training and pushing me on on the day. Little and large makes for a pretty good duo! 🥰 Thanks so much to you all for your support and messages all of today! Xxx
One of the events at the weekend was a 10…TEN! rep max back squat. 🙃Having no idea how to gauge what I was capable of for one rep let alone 10 this one had me nervous 😬 I was thankful to register a score at least getting 10 reps (let&rsquo
One of the events at the weekend was a 10…TEN! rep max back squat. 🙃Having no idea how to gauge what I was capable of for one rep let alone 10 this one had me nervous 😬 I was thankful to register a score at least getting 10 reps (let’s not mention the weight 🤣, @cs.fitness saved the day on this one! With 77.5kg!!) and surviving to complete the rest of the day 🤣 but it’s definitely something to work on. Classic case of avoiding what I’m no good at!! @retype.uk 📸 👌🏻 #squats #backsquats #crossfit
Now that I’ve woken my lungs up after a 5 week cold, best keep them working! Forgot how good/ hard an overhead carry is! 🥵👍🏻
You know that good advice you get when your in a bit of pain to ‘keep it moving’….well sometimes thats a bit tricky, so here I’ve tried to show some alternate range of movement exercises which get you into the sort of shapes
You know that good advice you get when your in a bit of pain to ‘keep it moving’….well sometimes thats a bit tricky, so here I’ve tried to show some alternate range of movement exercises which get you into the sort of shapes you want to be in and could allow for more movement and ignite less or no pain! If you struggle with move 1 in each vid, try move 2! Pain and /or restriction is weird, it can be caused by lots of factors, and we mustn’t be preoccupied by trying to get ‘full range of motion’ as if that is the answer to all the problems. However sometimes we can feel a fuller range of motion in a joint by trying it out in a different way. The feeling whilst doing so can tell you a lot about why you struggle with that range. Credits to @injuryactive for the neck rotation one which has saved me a couple of times!👌🏻 #sportstherapy #sportsmassage #keepitmoving #backpain #shoulderrestriction #neckpain
Every day for about 2 weeks now I’ve planned to do some form of training. Put my kit on each day ready (who am I kidding I live in this gear 🤣) but zero training has occurred… Probably 90% of us are having a hard time shifting this col
Every day for about 2 weeks now I’ve planned to do some form of training. Put my kit on each day ready (who am I kidding I live in this gear 🤣) but zero training has occurred… Probably 90% of us are having a hard time shifting this cold that’s hovering around and I don’t have to moan about what having a coldy little one does to your plans 🥴 I’m not risk averse, but at the moment where recovery and concentration levels are low - I’m not too upset with the current levels of exertion! Injuries can often occur not through poor form or execution but through a combination of factors that have culminated in unfortunate timing… Lack of sleep Stress levels Emotions Distractions Anxiety Some days, pushing hard just isn’t the one! #sportsmassage #sportstherapy #recovery #training
Remembering to do a bit of Achilles/ sprained ankle (recently acquired 🤣) rehab during the school holidays. Excuse the mess, at this stage I can’t tidy up as fast as it’s being created 😫 As you can hear 🥴🤣 this ankle has developed a
Here’s a simple but challenging little drill to focus on bringing your shoulder blades back and down by strengthening the rhomboids. Bear crawls and scapula push ups, keeping the core ‘on’ quickly get your rhomboids and rotator cu
Over the past couple of weeks I have had some real thought provoking chats up in this little room 🥰 Tbh I think for whatever reason, the benefits of the sessions have been more mental than physical recently and the honest conversations have stuck w
We often get stuck in slight forward flexion when our backs have ‘gone’ or feel tight. Here are some movement progressions to regain some extension and rotation which should help! Start with a pillow under the hips to keep you comforta Well… we’ll take that thank you 😊 very proud to have grabbed 2nd place at @nationalfitnessgames today! Sooo tough but we pulled it out the bag and had a right laugh too, as always! What a day 🙌🏻 @cs.fitness @janey.with.a.y @gemma_
So I probably shouldn’t have used masking tape to show the 3 muscles that make up the hamstrings 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣 However, whilst not 100% spot on with the origin and insertion points, I hope It shows that semimembranosus (on the inside) and bicep
Still processing how mental the last week has been… 4 flights, unexpected airport sprints in socks 🥵, taking in the strip sights (and smells 🥴) great food and some pre ‘game’ R+R… Then, the reason we came @hyroxworld - 8
Travelling, different beds and a ‘few’ evening steps clocked up have got us feeling a bit creaky. So a sun salutation inspired flow this morning has got the joints moving and blood flowing 🙌🏻 So synchro these days you can’t tell
2 months ago, the spike in training volume and running speed gave me a grumbling Achilles. Did the classic thing that I think most of us are guilty of and ignored it for a few days hoping it would just go away 🥴 however with a looming competition d
My running warm up is doubling up as rehab for my Achilles at the moment and I have to say this routine (possibly/ probably combined with trainers better for the job!) has done the trick 🙌🏻 No pain after running now, only just feeling a quiet grumb Is it DOMs, a niggle or an injury? How do you know the difference?? (My own definitions) DOMs is the soreness you feel in your muscles after exercise, it’s caused by micro trauma to the muscle fibres which happens when we push that bit harder ✋🏻Close up of my foot! 🥴 I’ve always suffered from sore calves and Achilles after runs mainly due to running on my fore foot. Recently, due to the pretty steep spike in mileage (with all the running involved in Hyrox training) I’m fin So after my little reminder last week of what it feels like when your back does a number on you… I’ve seen 3 people with similar things going on. Talking to them it’s clear that initially, even though you know keeping moving is the SNEEZING!! 😤😡 Anyone ever injured themselves or made something worse sneezing?! 😩🤣 My back has been playing up on the lower right side from what I can only describe as ‘hormonal period back’ anyone else know the one?! It’s a The day after one of these mental competitions is so weird…flat, dazed, confused, wishing I could live in a weekend world of pizza and fitness stuff forever 🤣 (until I try to get up to walk that is 🥴) Last year I listened to @jadeskillenath One of the events at the weekend was a 10…TEN! rep max back squat. 🙃Having no idea how to gauge what I was capable of for one rep let alone 10 this one had me nervous 😬 I was thankful to register a score at least getting 10 reps (let&rsquo
Now that I’ve woken my lungs up after a 5 week cold, best keep them working! Forgot how good/ hard an overhead carry is! 🥵👍🏻
You know that good advice you get when your in a bit of pain to ‘keep it moving’….well sometimes thats a bit tricky, so here I’ve tried to show some alternate range of movement exercises which get you into the sort of shapes Every day for about 2 weeks now I’ve planned to do some form of training. Put my kit on each day ready (who am I kidding I live in this gear 🤣) but zero training has occurred… Probably 90% of us are having a hard time shifting this col