Second Opinion

Lying Down With Stars

Last updated: October 11, 2010

We sent two treatment tables away last week to a film set in Cabinteely House where they are to have a ‘major’ role in a new movie.  We don’t want to ruin it for you by saying too much at this stage but they are apparently pretty central to a scene.

It won’t be our first brush with celebrity of course – we have had many stars of the stage and screen in the Clinic down the years.  Unlike the somewhat notorious Priory Clinic in the UK (which incidentally called itself after us) we tend not to be mentioned as often when the celebs get in trouble.

The exterior of our Priory Clinic in Stillorgan has featured a number of times on Fair City and we have also had scenes from RTE’s Bull Island shot in our treatment rooms.  Over the years other treatment tables have also left us to host some of the Welsh International Rugby team, the Italian International Rugby Team as well as an extended sojourn in Croke Park for the care of the Australian International Rules Team. 

So, next time you rest your world-weary back here it might feel better to know you are in good company.  Oh – and the tables are already returned, thanks for asking.  We might be imagining it but they looked a bit bronzed...

By John O’Sullivan.   Leave a comment   Categories:

ChiRunning - learning how to run for health & speed

Last updated: October 6, 2010

Nowadays, there seems to be no end of runners chasing personal bests, whether this means taking seconds off two laps around the park or a sub 3:30 marathon. Most people will admit to buying some gadget or other in the hope its what's needed to make the difference. For most of us, the benefit of knocking a couple of grams off the weight of a running shoe or using a sophisticated heart rate monitor, does not justify the cost. According to Catherina McKiernan (pictured here), a former Olympic, World and European athlete, improvements in speed and distance can be made, by focusing on the most important element of your performance...you! 

McKiernan is an advocate and master of ChiRunning. This is a style of running which uses posture of the body in a way which allows gravity to aid forward momentum. In contrast, a typical runner, reaches forward with each stride and hits the ground heel first. This effectively causes a breaking mechanism,forcing leg muscles to work very hard to propel the body forward. It can also be blamed for some of those frustrating recurring injuries to the lower limbs and back.
 ChiRunning workshops, organised by Catherina McKiernan, across Ireland, aim to help runners of all abilities to enhance running performance. Relaxation is a key element to fluid movement and as Catherina maintains, "if you don't use it, you can't abuse it."

ChiRunning students are taught  to lean forward as they run, allowing gravity to initiate movement. By contracting core muscles to stabilise the pelvis, the muscles of the legs can be used more efficiently. Learning how to avoid tension in the ankles, shoulders and gluteals, is of huge benefit to long distance runners, as the body uses less energy and can maintain power output for longer.
 Catherina has been teaching this technique in Ireland for five years. She is the first to admit that it is not a quick fix and to run in this way as second nature, takes practice. Having said that, most runners are by nature willing to work hard and improve slowly but surely.



For further information and to reserve a place, Catherina can be contacted at her website - www.catherinamckiernan.com.

By Stephanie Quaile.   Leave a comment   Categories: Sports, Sports Rehab

Preventing forearm injury

Last updated: September 22, 2010

I started working for the Priory Clinic in July 2010 as a Physical Therapist. Over the summer I noticed an increase in forearm injuries mainly from racquet sports and golf. To prevent injury to your forearms try these two simple stretches before and after each game:

Extensor Stretch
	Standing or sitting straight, raise your affected arm out in front of you to shouler level. Your affected forearm should be facing the ceiling with your hand pointed down towards the floor. Using your other hand apply mild over pressure to the back of the hand that is pointing down towards the floor. You should feel a stretch along the top part of your forearm that is facing the ceiling. If pain is felt, discontinue the stretch.
Flexor Stretch
	Standing or sitting straight, raise your affected arm out in front of you to shouler level. Turn your arm so that your affected forearm is turned towards the floor with your inner arm facing the ceiling, your hand should be pointed down towards the floor. Using your other hand apply mild over pressure to the palm of the hand that is pointing down towards the floor. You should feel a stretch along the top part of your arm that is facing up towards the ceiling. If pain is felt, discontinue the stretch.

Although the pictures above demonstrate stretches for the right forearm, the same instructions can be applied to the left forearm.

Each stretch should be held for 30 seconds and repeated 3 times.  Leave a 15 seconds gap between each stretch.

Over the coming weeks I will be blogging about self care during marathon running and how to prepare for that all important ski holiday so dont' forget to check back soon!

By Yvonne O’Gorman.   Leave a comment   Categories: Stretch Exercises

2nd Opinion

Last updated: August 18, 2010

So this is the blog.  Not that we are really into blogging or anything – in fact none of us have before. 

We’ve decided to call it 2nd Opinion because we thought Priory was a good place to come if you wanted a second opinion.  And because there will be more than one contributor, you should prepare for more than one point of view.

For the moment though we are re-launching our website.  It’s been around a long time and we thought we should brighten it up.  We are building a Wiki-style library on the site if people want to read up on how we see their problems.  We are also posting stretches that we will be suggesting for your rehabilitation. 

We are expecting some glitches too so you might have to bare (!) with us.

We are going to spruce up the Clinic itself and treatment rooms – gradually – in the next few weeks.  We don’t want to disturb things too much because they are pretty busy.  A few new therapists are joining us which is very exciting.  We are upgrading the software in the practise.  And PCK – Priory Clinic, Kimmage - is getting really busy.  Our family is bigger than ever.

We will be hoping to write here mostly about Clinic-y things.  But we want to try things out for you too and share experiences.  So the opinions will be personal but maybe not necessarily shared by the Clinic.  We would like to hear from you too, so send us some feedback.

One thing we have wanted to say for a while is about health history.  What we would like to see is that – with your agreement, your health details would always be available to your chosen health adviser.  Electronically, or digitally.  So, your GP could see your consultant’s notes and we could add ours to it.  That way everyone has had access to the most up-to-date information and tests when they meet you. It’d save your trying to recall dates and procedures you might be trying to forget, or the names of medicines you find hard to remember.  Of course you would only allow access to those you trust.  Nothing too original; just an idea – that might make a difference.

By John O’Sullivan.   Leave a comment   Categories:

Welcome to the Priory Clinic blog

Last updated: May 18, 2010

The Priory Clinic blog features articles and insights from our staff relating to Physical Therapy, Osteopathy, Sports Rehab, Massage Therapies and the conditions we treat at the clinic. Whilst this blog provides information and opinion these should not be taken as advice or a plan of therapy. Information and opinions expressed here are not necessarily the opinion of the Priory Clinic, but are the opinion of the individual blog contributor. For diagnosis and treatment plans please call us on 1800 254 642.

By John O’Sullivan.   Comments: 1   Leave a comment   Categories: