MTB Performance

‍The following has been provided to help and inform those who may require some professional advice on injuries, treatment and supplements.

Compiled by Chris O'Callaghan, Ardpatrick, Co. Limerick, 087 2033060
Full time practitioner with diplomas in Sports Therapy, Acupuncturist and Advanced Rehabilitation. Practitioner since 2001.
As with any major fall you should get professional opinion to rule out any fractures and watch for obvious signs of numbness, nausea, headaches etc.

All Major Falls, Swellings

‍Apply ice pack for 10mins every 2 hrs for first 48 to 72 hrs, rest, immobilise, elevate. After 72 hrs start applying hot packs for 2 mins, cold packs for 2 mins alternatively, repeat 4 to 5 times x 3 daily.

All limbs should be immobilised if any suspicion of major damage, this is to prevent further leakage of damaged cells, which in return slows down recovery. When you damage tissue through falling or over stretching you cause bleeding internally which needs to be minimised, as its this substance that remains after trauma which is preventing recovery.

Ruptured Muscles

All torn, strained tissues can be treated by applying and consuming the exact supplements + remedies as mentioned above and below. I personally find that athletes mistaken bad cramp for partial torn tissue.

Cramp is down to either overuse of tissue to the extent the athlete has brought their tissue to beyond its limits and have drained it of vital minerals, mainly magnesium. I would personally suggest if you have no major medical ailment that athletes should consume some magnesium prior to racing or heavy training routines. Such supplements as PowerBar electrolytes have the perfect balance of tissue salts that you may have lost throughout exercise and floradix liquid magnesium.

‍Supplements to Aid Healing

• ‍‍Vitamin C 1000mg+25mg zinc (these are main minerals, vitamins to start healing).
• Amino acids for all soft tissue damage.
• Traumeel cream on bruised area and then wrapped with cling film to force cream into surrounding tissues. (Used in Europe by professional physical therapists)
• Power Bar supplements such as energise electrolytes to replace tissue salts.
• PowerBar gels for fuelling the body during exercise.
• Power bar recovery food to aid repair of damaged tissue from any intensive training....has to be consumed within 20mins of finishing exercise .

Homeopathy

As used in Wurope and professional sports teams

• Arnica 200c for traumas that involve bruising + shock such as a big impact.
• Rhus tox 200c for damage to soft tissue such as ligaments, tendons.
• Symphytum 30c (bone knit) for broken bones once they are reset correctly.
• Lycopodium 200c for any major pre race tension, stomach tension.
• Gelsemium 200c for pre race tension with loose stools, upset stomach.

We are sometimes slow to change and as a result homeopathy is new to some, I would feel obliged to advise you that it plays a big role in mainstream medicine in Europe with all medical practitioners. Its now been applied in Irish hospitals with nurses suggesting and advising on getting professional homeopathic advice.

Awareness to Rehabilitation

‍It is absolutely vital that all injuries are treated correctly at the beginning stage so as to recovery asap, the most common problems seen are athletes who do not immobilise injuries and start moving anatomy incorrectly (this is due to pain avoidance). What happens next is faulty engrams which are when the limb is been moved in a unfamiliar action and after 300 incorrect movements it has the ability to remain this way, which in turns causes faulty bio mechanics (thus chronic pain). It takes 3000 to 5000 correct functional movements to re educate this neuro muscular action. As you can see if we develop faulty patterns early in can restrict movement later.‍

REMEMBER: REST, COMPRESS ICE, ELEVATE, IMMOBILISE.