Testimonial for Scottie by Rosalie Nelson

Testimonial for Scottie by Rosalie Nelson

I am an addict. Last year it was to stress, carbohydrates and a silky Cabernet; this year it is to my weekly session with Scottie and sheer cathartic joy of kicking and boxing out my frustrations. Scottie is awesome; absolutely authentic, strong, so positive and encouraging but also fierce in her determination to see me achieve my best. She keeps me honest  – a slip of ‘sorry’ or half hearted effort earns (more) push ups – but she is also aware of the point when the spirit, however willing, is defeated by the weakening flesh. It means I am always inspired to do my best. What is particularly important to me is that she also puts so much focus into the correct technique; that really matters to me.  It means I rarely even think about how hard I am working as I am so absorbed in the challenge of trying to get that kick or the power of that punch just right. It is only as I finish the session, elated, that I realise my knees are wobbling and heart pounding.  I started this oh so tentatively, thinking of a fortnightly session. Now I am committed, six kilos lighter and determined to not to sink into frumpy middle age. Instead I plan to follow Scottie’s inspiration and power-punch my way into feeling and looking my best, not matter what. Amen – and thank you Scottie!!

(Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you …)

 

Rosalie Nelson.

Hitting Hard on the Heels May Hit Hard on the Bones

Written by John Sloane

Stress fractures are amongst the most frequently diagnosed injuries in athletes. Some reports suggest that the rate of tibial stress fracture could be as high as 33 – 55% of all diagnosed stress fractures.

Stress fractures occur when sub maximum strain is applied to the bone at a frequency that normal repair processes of osteoclasts and osteoblasts can’t handle.

Running stresses are applied to the bone in two different ways;

1) External ground reaction forces (GRF) which result from the impact of the foot with the ground and;

2) Internal muscle reaction forces which are applied to the bone in response to the impact loading.

Vertical ground reaction force has two peaks when running with significant heel strike. The first peak is a rapidly applied transient shock created as the foot collides with the ground, while the more slowly applied second peak is the maximum absorption vertical force (see the graph below).

It has been suggested in the past that stress fractures occur as a result of high magnitudes of impact loading on bone, during physical activity. However it is now thought that it is not the magnitude of the loading on the bone but the rate at which the force is applied. This theory would suggest that it is the first rapidly applied transient impact load that is implicated in bony injuries in the athletic population.

So how can we reduce the amount of loading of ground reaction forces?

It seems that excessive over striding will increase the impact loading on the foot and the tibia which will increase bending stress on the tibia. By reducing the landing distance from the centre of mass and the angle of the tibia, the first GRF peak and loading rate is greatly reduced. This will reduce the external stress on the bone and also reduce the internal reaction forces of the muscles in the lower limb.

As part of a post stress fracture rehabilitation program it is important to look at key factors that could indicate the presence of high rates of impact loading while engaged in physical activity. It is important to formulate a plan that can help to reduce the shock applied to the tibia.

PT Scottie Personal Training - Why I do what I do.

Being in a position to have a positive influence in peoples lives was one of the main catalysts for me becoming a Personal Trainer.

Many people truly believe they can’t or shouldn’t achieve something – something they may have wanted to try for many years – and often the biggest reason is based solely on age. It gives me great satisfaction and delight seeing a client’s face light up after achieving the goal previously thought out of their reach, or out of their domain.

Having played football (soccer) at an international level, and muay thai kickboxing to a competitive level after that, it gave me the foundational knowledge and experience to enable others on their wellness lifestyle journeys and help my clients take on their own mountains, climb them and conquer them - and achieve things they had thought would always be impossible for them. That’s called living.

Being passionate about health, wellbeing and fitness as an integral part of one’s lifestyle gives me the amazing privilege to partner my clients in the success of their ventures. This so often permanently changes their outlook on life and its possibilities and gives them the tools to continue living a life of increasing potential. This is why I love what I do.