Keeping as fit as a fiddle

Keeping as fit as a fiddle

Progress Health physiotherpist, Sarah Upjohn specialises in helping musicians, provides tips on why we could all benefit from improving our posture 

34% of adults and 69% of children in the UK play musical instruments.[1] The sound of an orchestra tuning up before performance brings a sense of anticipation and excitement to any audience. It is the accumulation of hundreds of hours of practice by the musicians brought together by the skill of the conductor. Unfortunately, like many professional and keen amateur athletes, this dedication can result in playing-related musculoskeletal injuries. Young musicians, professional orchestral musicians and conservatoire students can all suffer and, at worst, an injury can mean they are prevented from playing again. 

Sarah Upjohn is a specialist physiotherapist at Progress – The Cambridge Centre for Health and Performance, and Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital and her particular expertise is in treating musculoskeletal disorders through the analysis and re-education of movement and posture.  She uses an analytical approach to successfully treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal disorders.

She believes we should all follow these simple tips and look after our posture:

1.      Be mindful of your posture and position as you sit at work

2.      Aim to maintain symmetry, or return to a position of symmetry.

3.       Let go of accumulating muscle tension, particularly in shoulder girdles

4.       Move from one fixed position (ie sitting at a desk) and do gentle stretches regularly throughout the day.

Sarah’s specialism outside of her work at Progress is helping young musicians at the Purcell School for Young Musicians and for BAPAM (the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine). She has more than nine years’ of experience of treating instrumental musicians.

She explains:

“In basic terms we are all fully aware repetitive strain can lead to injury. It is important we understand the risk factors of any activity we chose to undertake and minimise injury. This is especially true in younger people who spend hours doing the same exercise or practice.  Some sports have addressed this; for example, rowers have two oars until they are 15 years old when they can row sweep (one blade) and ballerinas cannot use pointe until their feet are fully grown. There are no such measures in music and as musicians often play or practise for between two and seven hours a day, they are at risk from acquiring playing-related injuries, which, with appropriate care, are mainly preventable.”

Sarah supplies some tips to keep people playing longer. 

1.       Increase playing time gradually

2.      Introduce a new repertoire gradually

3.      Be aware that stress can produce tension in muscles, increasing the workload that the muscle is doing

4.      Remember to adjust stands and supports as the child grows

5.       Do not add additional stressors immediately after a growth spurt when children are particularly vulnerable to soft tissue injury

[1] ABSRM, 2014

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[1] ABSRM, 2014

“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

Wimbledon 2016 - Progress physiotherapist looks at common tennis elbow and other tips

It’s Wimbledon again and we naturally get inspired to get out there and start smashing winners!  If we don’t do this on a regular basis though, our over-enthusiasm could just lead to muscle and joint injuries.

The most common of these is ‘Tennis Elbow’, which as some of you might have discovered does not necessarily involve tennis! This is a pain on the outside of the elbow and is usually associated with overuse, resulting in a painful tendon. Other injuries may involve the shoulder, knee and ankle.
How do we avoid these and enjoy our court time?

The most effective way to do this to do a warm-up that involves the movements that you are going to be performing when you play; avoid deep, sustained stretching as there is now evidence suggesting that not only does this not reduce the risk of injury, but it may also reduce your chance of playing well.

The warm-up should start with light jogging followed by brisker sprints. Shoulder movements overhead, across the chest and ‘windmills’ will help prepare your shoulders. You’re now ready to hit some ground strokes and start moving around the court. Finally, practice your serve with increasing speed and power as you warm-up.

Ok, you’re ready to go. Don’t forget to stay hydrated through your match, not only will you feel fresher, you will reduce your risk of injury and your focus and concentration will last longer.
Enjoy your game!

If you are looking to get back on the court sooner, please contact us on 01223 200580 or email info@progresshealth.co.uk

Let us help you get back on course

Let us help you get back on course

Here at Progress we have noticed that the temperatures outside are rising and the sun is out making it an ideal time for a round of golf with good friends.

It’s frustrating when you want to get back on the course if you have an achy back, pulled muscle or painful condition like arthritis. You know it may need to be treated or need a medical opinion, but you just never seem to get round to it.

Golf is a game which is now more popular than ever. It is played by a wide variety of the population with varying size, shape, age, fitness and health of players. As a result, when injuries in golf occur, these can potentially aggravate a pre-existing condition such as osteoarthritis or chronic overuse injuries. The majority of golf injuries are associated with a lack of core control, limitations in flexibility or imperfections in the swing, all that twisting and bending can lead to back pain, or even injury.

Being in good physical condition is an important factor to becoming a great golfer. Being out on the green usually means standing on your feet long periods of time and having to walk far distances. A golfer in good physical shape will have the stamina to play a full golf game.

It is never too late or too early to improve your strength and flexibility!

To make an appointment with one of our Physiotherapy team or to find out more, call 01223 200580 or for more information on our other services visit our website www.progresshealth.co.uk