At TurnAround we believe in keeping things as natural as possible, which is why we use Songbird Massage Wax’s during our treatments. Our go to product is their Sports Massage Wax which is a tired & tested favourite for both us and our clients. It is a Bee Balm base with natural oils including Manuka, Lemon, Arnica, Calendula flower and Hypericum.

The amazing thing with this product is it’s Bee’s Balm base, which has high healing properties.  It also has a gentle calming effect on the nervous system, making it great to settle clients that may be anxious or have high pain levels before treatment.

Lemon essential oil gives the balm a fresh fragrance that most people comment on when entering the clinic, is also acts as an anti-inflammatory great for injuries & swelling.

Manuka oil is know also for its healing properties, specifically for the skin. Helping to heal scar, wounds and improve the appearance or stretch marks.

Arnica oil helps with muscular aches as well as bruises and strains, making it a perfect partner for a Sports treatment.

Both Calendula and Hypericum have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This is good for anyone with sensitive skin, as it heal irritation and soothes skin.

We recommend this balm for self-treatment at home, as all the ingredients listed above help to speed recovery after injury.

Top Tips for a Speedy Recovery After Injury

A great new feature with Songbird is their EcoTubs which are biodegradable, recyclable and compostable refill pots. This means our treatments at TurnAround are as Eco friendly as they can be.

Natural Pregnancy Balm

Essential oil’s are not recommend for pregnant or breast feeding clients, instead we use Cowshed Pregnancy Balm in our Pregnancy and Post Natal treatments. This balm contains coconut oil, shea butter and vitamin E.

These ingredients helps to avoid stretch marks as coconut oil and shea butter are highly moisturising, this improves elasticity in the skin which is he key to minimising stretch marks. It also contain sea buckthorn oil which has healing properties, great for dry or itching skin and skin colouration changes. Cowshed are also free from parabens and sulphates so you know your body is only absorbing the right things!

Both the balms are not recommend nut allergies. We do have a number of alternative lotions to use in the clinic for anyone with allergies or specific needs. This is why we ask on our health form if you have any allergies, to find the best lotion to suit you.

To find out more about about Songbird Wax visit

https://www.songbirdnaturals.co.uk/

There is so much information out there about what you should & shouldn’t be doing when training for an event. At TurnAround Therapy we advice all our clients to PREVENT injury. This means putting effort into your body when your not running to prevent common injures from occurring.

Stretching

There is huge power in stretching & if done correctly will prevent delayed muscles soreness & prevent Injury. I advice clients to focus on the big muscles of the leg that are working to drive you forward. If these are not properly cooled down then the muscles can become hypertonic & painful.

Releasing

As part of your routine you also want to be releasing the muscles at least twice a week using massage balls & foam rollers. Again focusing on the big muscles of the leg that are working the hardest during your training, releasing them with an appropriate tool for the muscle size.

After Your Event

After an event you want to speed recovery as much as possible to get you back to being you! The major thing to consider when recovering is increasing blood flow as blood contains all the nutrients needed to heal the body. The more blood you can get to your muscles the quicker your going to get back to normal.

To get blood to the muscles in the leg I advice clients to get a Sports Massage. Or Alternatively you can use a foam roller at home following the video below. With the roller you want to use a much lighter approach than you would when you were training. You what the focus of the roller to be going upwards, sending the blood flow to the heart.

If your already suffering from a specific Injury due to your training have a read of some of our blogs below which will give you more specific advice. If you still have questions you can email lily on lily@turnaroundtherapy.com

4 Plantar Fasciitis Stretches To Ease Foot Pain

Everything you need to know about Shin Splints

When Autumn creeps in, it’s easy to loose your stride with training as it becomes darker earlier & the temperatures plummet.  Here a few strategies to keep motivated whilst avoiding injury this winter.

Don’t become a Weekend Warrior

When the nights become darker it may become harder to motivate yourself to exercise either side of work, this is really common. However, the down side to this, by only exercising at the weekends your put your body at a greater risk for injury.

A weekend Warrior is classified as someone who exercises for 150 mins or more in 1 or 2 days rather then spreading it out over the week. By doing this the muscles are put under extra strain, performing actions at a high impact without any maintenance in the week to support them. Recipe for Disaster!

Although of course, the weekends are the best time for us to get out & active. If your unable to get out during the week, try creating a conditioning, stretching &  strengthening routine at home, to keep your muscles strong & supple to support you during your weekend workouts!

Set Goals

Finding the strength to go out & train when it’s dark & cold is so much easier when you have a goal your trying to reach!

It is also a great motivation to have a friend with the same goal. You can train together, give each other reminders & check each other progress. Training with a friend is a great support when motivation begins to slip.

Check your Treads

As winter kicks in, so does Jack frost!

Just as you would your car, you need to maintain the treads on your shoes or bike tyres. If they are worn, this means there is less friction, putting you in a vulnerable place for injury in winter when the ground becomes slippery.

Layers

It is important to ensure the body is warm during exercise to avoid injury. As the temperature’s plummet, wrap on more layers to ensure your muscles are protected from injury. Layering allows you to accommodate your body’s constantly changing temperature.

Joint Pain

If you experience some form of joint pain in life you may find that cold weather exacerbates it making you feel stiffer in colder climates. The best way to combat this is to spend more time doing dynamic mobility work to your joints before you run/exercise. In simple terms, a good warm up that focuses on joint mobility & movement with help to ease that stiffness.

When its cold we preserve body heat to where it’s most needed, the organs such as heart & lungs, so blood flow is mainly directed here, as a result the extremities are restricted, meaning our stiff knees have less blood flow directed to them then we would like! So by focusing your warm up on the specific areas you feel stiffness, if helps to focus the blood to that area, keeping our old injuries warm as the body temperature increases.

Stability

It is during the winter months that a strong core & overall stronger stability is really important.  Winter means leaves are on the floor, there is a more rain or snow making the ground slippery so we need to prevent injury on these testing terrains.

Including a strengthening exercise for the ankle’s & maintaining good core control into you routine is Vital.