“When is a niggle not a niggle?”

Cris Kellet, Physiotherapy Manager at Progress, Cambridge looks at a frequently asked question,


When is a niggle not a niggle and should I just ignore it and carry on or should I get it looked at by a specialist physio?

We need to find the middle ground between being hyper-attentive to every nuance of our body or ignoring it completely and just pushing on.  As with many things in life it’s a continuum.

Here are some practical points that would indicate when you need to seek help:
1. Is the pain > 3/10? (on a scale 0-10, with 10 being the worst pain possible)

2. Has your pain occurred more than 3 times?
3. Does your pain last more than 4 hours or is it present the next day on weight/load-bearing?
4. Does your pain make the affected area feel weak?


If you answer YES to any of these questions then you should seek an assessment one of our team at Progress who will be able to identify the problem and either treat it or plan further management.  If you answer YES to more than 1 question you should do this soon.


Early prevention or intervention can save you a lot of lost training/competition time and ensure you enjoy your activities and perform at your best.


To book an assessment with one of the team please contact us on 01223 200580

At the heart of CUCBC’s road to the 2017 Boat Race

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Cambridge University Boat Club gathered at Progress for hi-tech Cardio Screening

Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC) undergo heart screening with an ECG and Echocardiogram at Progress, The Cambridge Centre for Health and Performance.

Dr Leonard Shapiro, Consultant Cardiologist at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital, who examined the CUBC team for cardiovascular conditions, said: “We are proud to be part of Cambridge University Boat Club’s journey to the Boat Race 2017 and look forward to beating Oxford on the Thames”

He continues “ECG and Echocardiograms are not just for elite athletes as they can be very useful to everybody offering diagnostic information to help  show any damage to the heart muscle”

Helping to ensure the athletes representing Cambridge are fit to handle the rigors of rowing for such a prestigious team, these advanced tests can assist in identifying undetected cardiovascular conditions, which are sometimes found in the healthiest of sportspeople. 

Leading the health programme is CUBC Team Medical Officer and member of the British Rowing Medical Panel, Dr Simon Owens. “The BNY Mellon Boat Race is a high profile event that pushes athletes to the limit of their endurance and cardiovascular screening is an important issue. We have worked together to develop this wonderful programme and we are very grateful to Dr Shapiro for his great expertise and to Progress for their excellent facilities in helping us to look after out athletes”

Following the team screening, Dr Shapiro reported that the strong hearted men were all fit for the challenges ahead. And for those keeping count… Cambridge currently lead Oxford with 82 to 79 wins.

For more information on our Cardiology services that are available at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital click here.