Diving stars ‘hands-on’ at Plym Physio clinic launch

The stars were out in Plymouth on Saturday, as members of Team GB’s diving team officially opened a new physiotherapy clinic by way of a ‘thank you’ to the specialist who’s helped to keep them in tip top shape.

Plymouth physio Nic Rutherford – herself a former Team GB diver – asked city stars Tonia Couch and Sarah Barrow and coach Andy Banks to help launch her Plym Physio clinic, and they were more than happy to dive in!

Andy was Nic’s coach when she was in the national diving team and a member of Team GB’s International Juniors competing on the 3m board in the 1990s. And, when Tonia needed some ‘prehab’ treatment just before this summer’s Olympics, it was Nic she turned to for help. Nic is also the physio for British Diving’s junior national team and travels with them to tournaments around the world.

On Saturday, Andy, Tonia and Sarah did the honours as the ribbon was cut to open the purpose-built clinic in Seymour Road, Plympton. It means that the general public will be able to access the same rehabilitation and preventative treatment enjoyed by elite athletes: “Nic really knows her stuff and we’ve been very lucky to have her helping us since we were teenagers,” said Sarah.

For Tonia, being at the opening was a way of repaying a favour: “Nic had a look at my back before the Olympics so it’s nice to be able to support her. And she’s just a brilliant physio.”

Andy, who gave a speech before the ribbon was cut by Tonia, said it was great to see his former diving student doing so well: “I’ve known Nic since she was 14,” he said. “She’s got a great set up here. For British Diving, she is perfect because she was a diver herself. But it’s not just the recovery side of things that’s important; the exercises that she does are aimed at preventing issues in the first place. Nic can identify weaknesses and put programmes in place to prevent that. We also get specific feedback which helps us massively.”

Dozens of people turned up to the open day to meet Andy, Tonia and Sarah. They also took up the offer of free taster sessions in physio, sports massage, Plym Pilates, Physi-go Run and Physi-go Mum, an exercise programme designed for mums-to-be or new mums. The sessions were taken by Nic and her team of trained specialists, Leah Mears, Vicky Llewellyn and Charlotte Levy.

The facilities include two treatment rooms for 1-2-1s and a gym space for group classes: “Apart from Nuffield and the NHS centres, this is the only physio clinic in Plymouth that also has a gym space,” said Nic, who qualified as a chartered physiotherapist in 1999.

“Our approach is different to most clinics,” she added. “Yes, we provide traditional physio treatment to aid recovery, but our approach is proactive rather than reactive. And we are holistic. We ask why you have a problem in the first place.  Is it lifestyle? Is it posture? We need to know these things so that changes can be made to prevent it recurring.

“We do a ‘movement screen’ that tells us a lot straight away about the cause of your problem. Just by using our eyes in screening your movement, we can see where potential issues are. We can then develop a programme which optimises efficient movement. Once you’ve learnt how to move efficiently, it’s then a case of implementing it over the long term.

“We do these ‘movement screens’ not just in the 1-2-1 treatments, but for everyone who comes to our classes.”

Physi-go Run is a running class with a difference. It starts in the gym to make sure people are moving efficiently before they hit the road. And this includes marathon runners: “The class is for everyone of all abilities including absolute beginners but even experienced runners can usually make little tweaks to prevent injury and improve their running.

“We use latest research and biomechanics for each runner, the same as we use for elite athletes – but it applies to everyone.”

So, are there any tips which we could all use to improve our movement efficiency and avoid pain? “Movement, a little and often, is brilliant. And change positions frequently if you are sitting down a lot.

“The other top tip is ‘ballooning’. Standing up, imagine you have a helium balloon on top of your head. Now pull it up above your head. This draws in your tummy, works your thigh muscles and engages your bottom muscles. This is something that everyone can do.”

For more information, visit the Plym Physio website: http://www.plymphysio.co.uk/