ABOUT YOUR THERAPISTS
Lauren Huxtable
Graduate Sports Therapist
Graduating with a first class BSc in Sports Therapy, Lauren is able to provide treatment for sporting and non-sporting injuries, rehabilitation exercises and sports massage. She has also completed her post graduate training in acupuncture and myofascial cupping.
Sport has also been a passion of hers and participating in a range of sports over the years has allowed her to understand the importance of physical activity on mental and physical health.
Lauren currently works pitch side for Mumbles RFC and has previously worked within the Cardiff Blues rugby medical team.
In her free time, she likes to play and umpire in local netball leagues as well as making the most of our beautiful coastlines dog walking and partaking in water sports!
What is Sports Massage & injury rehabilitation?
Sports Massage is the management, manipulation and rehabilitation of soft tissues of the body including muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is applicable not just to sports people but to anybody wishing to guard against or recover from a soft tissue injury.
The benefits can also help relieve the many day to day problems, repetitive strain injury, sprains, tension, fatigue, that everyone experiences.
The aim of a rehabilitation program is to regain pre-injury levels in all aspects of physical fitness. A full rehabilitation and strengthening program is essential to ensure full recovery and in order to prevent re-injuries.
Rehabilitation programs should aim to restore muscle strength, endurance and power, improve flexibility, proprioception and balance as well as more sports specific or functional exercises.
What are the benefits?
Improve circulation and lymphatic flow
Assist in the removal of metabolic waste
Sedate or stimulate nerve endings
Increase or decrease muscle tone
Increase or decrease muscle length
Remodel scar tissue when required
Assist in mental preparation for sporting participation
What is Sports Therapy?
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. Although focussed on sports people, therapists can treat joint pain, back and neck pain and other related conditions in every day people.
Sports Therapists are experts in musculoskeletal disorders. They treat pain and injury through hands-on treatment and rehabilitation. They undergo an intensive three-year degree course which focusses primarily on the musculoskeletal system and on restoring, maintaining and maximising movement to relieve pain and increase quality of life. It utilises the principles of sport and exercise science incorporating physiological and pathological processes to prepare the participant for training, competition and where applicable, work.
A Sports Therapist, who is a Member of The Society of Sports Therapists, is an allied health professional who has the knowledge, skills and ability to:
Utilise sports and exercise principles to optimise performance, preparation and injury prevention programmes
Provide the immediate care of injuries and basic life support in a recreational, training, occupational & competitive environment
Assess, treat, rehabilitate and, where and if appropriate, refer on for specialist advice and intervention.
Provide appropriate soft tissue interventions in a sport & exercise context
Plan and implement appropriate rehabilitation and return to training/work programme