Hannah Downey Sports Therapy & Massage

16/01/2024

Treating one of my clients who has been suffering with upper neck, back and shoulder tension from repetitive movements at work. All from the comfort of his own home. If you feel you would benefit from a treatment, get in touch today and we can chat through a plan and what we can do to get you feeling like you again.

Ps Actual treatment speed may vary (slower).

Pps I will get better with video editing and placement....I am a dinosaur when it comes to this. One must keep up with the modern world though!

05/01/2024

Happy New Year, everyone!
I've seen a few posts with people re-introducing themselves, so I thought I'd do the same. It's easy to hide behind these little squares and forget to add the human element!
I'm Hannah, a Soft Tissue Therapist based in Glossop, right at the foot of the Peak District. I'm lucky to be in such a beautiful area and take full advantage of the hills whenever I can with my husband and newly adopted dog, Jenny!
When I'm not treating clients, I do a spot of dog walking a couple of days a week - gets me into the hills and getting some miles under my belt; exercise, canine company and good, crisp northern fresh air!

I love my role as a Soft Tissue Therapist and working with my clients to achieve their goals.
I work in a clinic 2 days a week, and also offer mobile appointments. I can come and see you in the comfort of your own home - no glossop traffic for you to worry about!
I offer Sports and Deep Tissue massage, along with stretch/ mobility work and rehab plans for you to work on in between appointments.
Get in touch today for a consultation!

20/11/2023

When I am with my clients, I will often talk about lymph fluid and how massage affects it. But what is lymph fluid?
It is a clear to white fluid that is made up of white blood cells called lymphocytes. There is also fluid present from the intestines called Chyle, which contains fats and proteins.
Think of the Lymphatic System as a Sewerage System. It is created by millions of little vessels all over our bodies. These vessels are much finer than in our blood circulation system and carry the lymph fluid.
The main duties of the lymphatic system are:
It contains white blood cells that attack bacteria in the blood and body tissues
Acts as a one-way drainage system that transports fluid from body tissues into the blood circulation
Gets rid of waste products produced by cells (inc. carbon dioxide, lactic acid, urea, and ammonia)
As blood circulates the body, plasma leaves the blood vessels and travels into the body tissues, delivering food, oxygen, and hormones to the cells. This plasma becomes tissue fluid and surrounds all our body’s tissues. It then collects waste products, excess water, and toxins from the cells. 90% of this fluid passes back into the blood circulation. However, the remaining 10% of fluid is left behind and known as lymph. We then need a system to drain this fluid, i.e., the Lymphatic System, so that we do not swell and bloat.
So, as a therapist, when we are treating you, we are encouraging that lymph fluid around the system towards the lymph nodes where it can be eliminated. It can ease discomfort and reduce areas of swelling. It does speed up your lymphatic system and can leave you feeling dehydrated, so remember to drink plenty of water after your treatment!

07/11/2023

Scapula Winging is a phrase used when describing a dysfunction, caused when the muscles surrounding the Scapula are too weak to stabilize. This results in an imbalance and abnormal scapula motion.
Symptoms can include pain or weakness during the G.H. joint movement.
The scapula is the largest bone in the shoulder complex and has a large number of muscles attached to it. All of the muscles act at the same time, allowing the glenohumeral (G.H) joint (shoulder joint) to move in space. If any of these muscles are not functioning correctly, it leads to a break in the rhythmic motion of the scapula. This is known as Scapula Dysrhythmia, which leads to the apparent winging of the scapula.
This being said, true scapula winging is due to Serratus Anterior dysfunction. It is not common and is caused by injury to the nerve supplying the S.A muscle or lesion/ inflammation damage to the nerve.
Other variations of apparent scapula winging come from:
Loss of Trapezius muscle function
Weakness of Scapula stabilizers
Winging secondary to instability
Winging secondary to pain
Brachial Plexus injury

Conservative treatments such as physical therapy and pain control will assist in the management of your symptoms. This could include:
Shoulder muscle imbalance correction exercises
Shoulder muscle strength exercises
Scapula setting exercises
Shoulder range of movement exercises

12/09/2023

Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation or irritation of the plantar fascia, which is the thick strip of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes (or the Calcaneus to the Phalanges—insert Friends joke here). The Plantar Fascia extends the entire length of the foot, and the calf muscles have a big influence on how it functions. If there is tension/ weakness in the calves, this will limit dorsiflexion.
The symptoms for Plantar Fasciitis can include dull aches/ pain at the bottom of the foot (arch) or near the heal, heel swelling, sharp/ stabbing pain when using the affected foot, or pressure on the heel.
These symptoms can be caused by carrying extra weight, using unsuitable footwear, new or increased activity, prolonged standing on hard surfaces, tight calf muscles or Achillies Tendon, flat feet/ high arch, amongst other things.
Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis includes:
Rest your foot as much as you can. Avoid running, excessive walking, and long periods of standing. Do this for 1 – 3 weeks (as advised by your clinician). This can help to reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms.
Ice can help to reduce pain and swelling. Use an ice pack for 20 mins on the affected area, up to 3 times a day. You can also try rolling a frozen bottle of water under your foot for an ice massage.
Muscle strengthening is key as it we need to keep the supporting muscles strong to support the fascia, allowing it to function correctly without discomfort. Strengthening the supporting muscles helps to reduce stress on the fascia and reduce inflammation.
Stretching is just as important as strengthening. It allows the fascia to stay flexible, prevents it from tearing, keeping it strong and healthy, and preventing debilitating injuries and foot pain.
If you feel like any of this sounds familiar, get in touch today and arrange a consultation. We can work through some assessments to determine the best course of treatment.

12/09/2023

11/07/2023

We are well and truly into events season now, competing across all variations of sports—running, cycling, swimming... you name it, it’s happening! Such an exciting and important time for those who have been training towards their goals. I see a lot of clients who take part in these events, and a common conversation I have with them is about lack of stretching. I know it can seem like an extra task on top of what is already a pretty intense regime. However, stretching and conditioning work puts you in good stead for the long run (no pun intended). If longevity is what you are striving for in your chosen sport, then make sure you are doing the aftercare.
Why is it important?
Stretching increases your range of motion and flexibility by reducing stiffness. It can encourage improved performance in your sport and reduce your risk of injury.
So, we have dynamic and static stretching. What’s the difference?
Dynamic stretching is generally what is used to warm up for an activity. It involves movements that extend the muscles at a controlled rate. Dynamic stretching should mimic the activity you are about to take part in as it helps to rehearse the movement patterns and increase coordination. It activates your nervous system and muscles, which improves your joint movement and muscle flexibility, as well as your balance and control. This should be done before you start your routine as it prepares your body for what’s ahead!
Static stretching consists of moving a joint to its point of bind/ as far as it can go and holding it for a length of time, commonly between 30—90 seconds. Static stretching is done after any sport/ activity to help the muscles relax, let the muscle fibres realign, and re-establish a normal range of movement.
As well as pre/ post event stretching, try and a session a week into your calendar, dedicating to a stretch session. Your body will thank you during the recovery period!
I can assist with your stretch work by using Muscle Energy Techniques (MET’s) which lengthen the muscles and normalise joint range, or Soft Tissue Release (STR’s) which restores the flexibility of the muscle. Come and have a chat if you think you could benefit.

11/07/2023

Sometimes it's difficult to get a full stretch so here are some examples of assisted stretching...all you need is a towel.

Slide 1- Hamstrings
This stretch is a great way to improve flexibility in this muscle group.
Lie on your back and place a towel around your foot.
Hold the ends of the towel and use it to lift your leg gently.
Keep your knee straight, and hold the stretched position for 30 seconds.
Repeat the stretch 3 times on each side.

2. Quads
Tightness in your Quads is common if you play a lot of contact/ high impact sports, or have a sedentary lifestyle. The Quad muscle 're**us Femoris' runs over your kneecap and can cause 'Runners Knee', clinically known as Patellofemoral Syndrome. Try this stretch to alleviate some of the tension:
Lie face down and wrap a towel around your ankle.
Pull both ends up, so your knee bends until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and then slowly release.
Switch legs.

3. Calf Muscles. Here you have the two heads of your Gastrocnemius and lying directly underneath, your Soleus muscle. These muscles attach into your Achilles Tendon which attaches at the base of your foot.
Sit with your leg out in front of you and wrap a towel around your toes and the ball of your foot.
Grab both ends of the towel and pull until you feel a stretch behind your lower leg.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and repeat 3 times on each leg.

If you find these helpful and would like more variations, let me know!

I can help with assisted stretching through various techniques during your treatments.

11/07/2023

You may have heard the phrase Agonist vs. Antagonist Muscles, but what exactly does this mean?
Your muscles work in pairs; I’m going to use the Biceps and Triceps as the example here. When you flex your arm, your bicep contracts, making it the agonist muscle. While the bicep contracts, the Tricep a.k.a, the antagonist muscle, is relaxing, allowing for free movement of the joint and muscles. When the bicep becomes relaxed, the Tricep will switch to the role of the agonist.
The agonist muscle initiates the movement of the body during contraction by pulling on the bones to cause flexion or extension. The antagonist opposes that movement in a complementary way by performing the opposite action to allow for a return to the original position
Other variations of agonist vs. antagonist pairs are:
Hamstrings & Quads
Gastrocnemius and Tibialis Anterior
Latissimus Dorsi and Deltoids
You will find these pairings all throughout your body, and it is one of the first things I will look at during assessment. If there is restriction in a muscle, it could lie with the paired muscle also being restricted. My role is to identify this and get your muscles back to balance. This can be done by using massage techniques, as well as muscle energy techniques and/ or soft tissue release.

11/07/2023

Sciatica is the irritation or injury of the sciatic nerve that runs from your lower back, through your buttocks, down into your leg all the way through to your foot. It is a mixed nerve, meaning it has both motor and sensory fibres, which provide sensory and function in the lower limbs. It divides into 2 main branches: the tibial nerve and the common peroneal nerve near the back of the knee.
It is the longest nerve in your body and also the thickest, at about 2cm wide.
Sciatica is pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the legs, and symptoms can vary, including:
Lower back pain
Leg pain (often worse than back pain)
Muscle spasms in the back
Weakness in the leg or foot
Sciatica can be managed and will often disappear by itself . Things that can help ease the discomfort are:
Carrying on with your normal activities
Regular exercise for sciatica
Start gentle exercise as soon as you can
Small firm cushions/ support for sleeping
Painkillers as advised by GP or Pharmacist
Sciatic flossing is a great exercise to release some of the discomfort. Take a look at the images in slide 4, for instructions.
Piriformis Syndrome can often be mistaken for Sciatica. The Piriformis muscle lies near the sciatic nerve, and if it presses into it, it can cause similar symptoms to Sciatica. However, we can differentiate fairly easily as piriformis syndrome is mostly local buttock pain and, in worse cases, some leg pain. Sciatica is typified with lower back pain, buttock pain, and leg pain, which tracks down the back of the leg.
If you are experiencing sciatica symptoms, get in touch today, and let’s have a chat about what we can do to ease the discomfort.

11/07/2023

Serratus anterior muscle A.K.A the boxer’s muscle!
The serratus anterior muscle is critical for shoulder stability. Its overall health is really important, as it directly relates to the ability of our rotator cuff muscles to function properly.
What does serratus anterior mean?
The serratus anterior muscle was named for its finger-like muscular origins that look serrated. “Serratus” comes from the Latin ‘Serrare’ meaning “to saw”. The other part of this muscle’s name, anterior, refers to the muscle’s location on the front or anterior side of the body.
Interestingly, serratus is known as the boxer’s muscle because it is the strongest protractor of the scapula. That means it sends the scapula forward around the rib cage. This anatomical movement is primarily what allows for the whole movement seen in a punch.
It attaches to the upper 8—9 ribs and inserts on the medial birder of the scapula.
As I have already mentioned, it protracts the scapula (brings the scapula forward on the rib cage), creates upward rotation of the scapula and stabilizes the scapula and prevents the inner edge from winging.
When the serratus anterior is inhibited, lengthened, or weakened, scapular protraction and scapular upward rotation are impaired. This limits overhead range of motion and reduces overall scapular/shoulder stability, increasing the risk of injury to the rotator cuff and shoulder girdle.