I am a graduate Sports Therapist from the University of Central Lancashire, UK. I have been practicing in Cape Town as a Sports Therapists since 2012. Sports Therapy is an aspect of healthcare that is specifically concerned 
with the prevention of injury and the rehabilitation of the patient back to optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports specific fitness, regardless of age and ability.
I help people who have any type of sports injuries, or people who have muscle related issues. I use a combination of exercise therapies, manual therapy techniques, joint mobilizations, taping techniques & sports massage to guide your muscles back into their normal healthy state.
I would use my expertise as a Sports Therapist to provide guidance on cycling posture and the set-up of your bike to ensure you enjoy those benefits in a pain-free way. But as with any sport, there are common injuries that cyclists incur that may require the help of a Sports Therapist. These injuries fall into two main categories: overuse and traumatic. Overuse injuries most commonly includes knee pain, back pain, and Achilles tendon problems.
The position you sit in on a bike can be incredibly important, especially when viewed in the context of cycling being so highly repetitive. Inappropriate bicycle set up can often involve factors such as the seat being too high or too low, the position of the foot on the pedal causing too much load into the foot or ankle, and incorrect distance from the seat to the handlebars can put the body into a position that leads to excessive strain on joints of the shoulders, neck and lower back.
When I see a patient they would have a Biomechanical assessment which would involve checking the hips, are they level, do they rotate, are there muscle imbalances, where one muscle compensates for the other muscle. Are the muscles lengthening or shortening, strong or weak? Check the feet, do they pronate or supinate which could cause knee pain, hip pain and back pain.
I feel it is also essential to assess the glutes and core activating. Weakness of the core and glutes especially in cyclists is the cause of so many problems including back pain, hamstring pain, hip and knee pain. This is where the strengthening of the glutes and core is so important and it will also improve strength and performance.
Any injury patient I see would have an assessment and my first choice of treatment is usually massage to loosen the tight muscles, then I look at stretches which are appropriate for that particular patient and then strength exercises to strengthen those muscles to support the pelvis or any other joint involved, which includes the glutes and core stability which also prevents further injury.
Services offered:
Musculoskeletal/ injury assessments & treatments
Rehabilitation of orthopaedic problems & Post Surgery rehabilitation
Injury prevention & management
Sports massage
Muscle imbalances
Personal training & group training
Taping & strapping for athletes
Exercise prescription: stretches, strengthening, core stability, balance and proprioception.
I treat a variety of conditions including:
Tight muscles – muscle imbalances – orthopaedic injuries – neck pain – back pain – posture & biomechanical problems – post surgery rehabilitation – muscle tears – ligament injuries- overuse injuries – Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome/ runner’s knee – Patella Tendinitis – Rotator cuff injuries – meniscus tears – achilles tendon injuries – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – tennis/golfer’s elbow.
