Train like a Lioness- Part 2 Q&A

Clinic Manager Laura interviewed SV Director and Lead Therapist Sophie on some common questions from Women's Footballers.

"I would like to start training and playing with a Women's Football team, I want to check all is ok with my body. How can you support me?"

"We would invite you into our clinic, assess muscle strength for example your hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, calfs. Then we would assess your flexibility and mobility of your hips, knees and ankles.

If you aren't currently performing any prehab strengthening exercises in your pre- season or if you have come to see us during the season, we would educate you into some particular bespoke strengthening exercises.

We would look into any past medical history and injuries that could impact your performance and discuss what is your realistic goal.

From a Sports Therapist perspective, our goal would be to ensure that clients become and stay injury free for the whole season. Then we device a plan to ensure that you do that."

"How would you support a knee ligament injury?"

"So, there's 4 main ligaments in the knee, we would assess each one and find out which ligament or ligaments have been damaged and if so the severity of that ligament damage. This would be grade 1, grade 2 or grade 3 sprain. Once we have accurately assessed and diagnosed this, we start a treatment plan. Gold standard with ligament injuries would be strengthening, and finding out the mobility of the hips , the knees and the ankles and also trying to understand why this has happened and preventing it in the future. If it is a grade 3 ligament sprain or rupture, we would refer this client on for imaging."

"How can you help with hamstring and groin injuries?"

"We would assess the hamstring, 3 hamstring muscles and 3 groin muscles and find out which muscle or muscles have been injured and what level of strain - Grade 1, grade 2 or grade 3.

Gold standard would be strengthening exercises. There may be some underlying tightness from the lower back, the glute muscles in the buttocks, the hip flexors at the front and also hamstring and groin themselves. It's rarely just one area that's casing this problem, especially in Football, because there's so much acceleration, deceleration and changing direction involved."

Did you see the first part to this article 'Train like a Lioness - 6 tips to bring out the Lioness in you!'

Ladies, book in now for some Footbal pre and/ or rehab and get match fit for every season! Call 0203 494 4343 or email reception@svsportstherapy.com, you can also book online here.

We would love to serve you!