Personal M.O.T??

[Sam77]

Hi everyone,

I'm just after some general advice regarding my overall physical condition rather than a specific solution to one injury.

I'm a 32 year old male who's played 11-a-side football (Sat and Sun) since the age of 9... for the past 6 years I’ve trained with weights 3 times a week (Mon, Wed and Fri for approx 45mins)... I play 5-a-side football for an hour on a Thurs and in the last year I’ve started road running on a Tues night (5-6 miles).

My job involves sat at a desk for 12 hour shifts and I also work 12 hour night shifts where I usually end up slumped in my chair in the early hours!

Touch wood I’ve never suffered a serious injury through football or any other physical activity I’ve been involved in but since turning the big 3-0 I just feel like I’m turning into a physical wreck. Both my knees ache when I run, my groins have started to click and are so tight, and both my upper and lower back constantly ache probably due to poor posture caused by my desk job! I would rate my flexibility as extremely poor (2 out of 10) but never seem to do anything about it.

I need to start a flexibility program as I think this would eliminate 80% of my aches and pains but don’t know where to start. I've recently bought a book on stretching to do at home but would I be better taking up something like Pilates or yoga? Also would seeing a physiotherapist help loosen me up? I'd feel a bit daft when he asked my where I ached and I just said everywhere! A work colleague has recently seen a chiropractor who said he needed re-aligning due to him sat at a desk for 12 hour shifts? Could this be an option?

Like I said my problem is more advice on where to start... I know I can help myself by starting a stretching regime but what I suppose I’m after knowing if there's anywhere that'll give me my own personal M.O.T just so I know there's no underlying problems?

I love keeping fit and taking part in all sort of physical activities but I’m worried if I don't start addressing some of the little aches and pains that are starting to creep up on me I may have to stop!

Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Sam

[Heidi]

Hi
I think its a great idea to try to address these minor problems before they turn into anything more major.
I would say you need a fitness and postural assessment. I would go to someone like a sports therapist/rehabilitator or even a good personal trainer. They will be able to assess your posture, your muscle flexibility and muscle strength.
They could then point you in the right direction of what to do based on what they find. A stretching programme is probably the right place to start if you know that you are inflexible as you are right, this is probably causing a lot of your problems.
In order to improve your flexibility, you should be stretching several times a day, at least 3.
Some sports massage would help to work on particularly tight areas.
Realignment from a chiropractor is only really necessary if there is a problem there. A postural assessment may pick this up.
Any personal trainer or sports therapist will offer an initial consultation where they will assess you and offer advice and a programme.