Germany 2014, Blog – 1.
I thought I would take some time out and do up a quick blog post about my work trip to Cologne with the Australia Athletics team to date.
I am at the end of my second week here now and feel the last week will go very quickly. However, I think the workload will ramp up a bit more as a few of the athletes here will be upping their training loads as they go through some high volume weeks and need additional soft tissue management, and the number of athletes is due to increase.
The first two weeks had gone relatively smoothly with a slowish start with only a couple of athletes here when I arrived and gradually building by the end of the first week. I mostly treated runners during the first week ranging from specialists in the 400m up to the 1500m. I always enjoy learning on the job. The different training backgrounds and rehab protocols from previous injuries etc., that these athletes have completed made for some good conversation in the treatment room (or hotel room in this case). I will definitely be heading home with some new corrective exercise progressions to implement at the clinic with my patients.
The treatments haven’t varied too much from the typical treatment sessions back home at the clinic at SportsMyo, but I would have to say that there has been a bit more focussed work on treatment through the abdominals and obliques than usual. This is because these muscles play such a huge role for the runners while stabilising their torso when running at speed and can cop a beating at the track, so management and controlling the muscle tone through this area is critical in preventing a couple of running specific injuries.
I have also managed to get out and look around the town here in Cologne on a few different morning’s. There are some very impressive buildings around, including the main cathedral in the city ‘The Dom’, which stands out from a long way away. I am yet to have a look inside, but I will definitely try to get back and have a look inside before I leave next Sunday. I also had the opportunity to have a short river cruise down the Rhine river and look through the Ludwig museum and Olympic museum. I have also been over the track for a few training sessions, seeing what the athletes are putting themselves through.
The second week was good, with a few more athletes and their coaches arriving in town. Mostly jumpers, so good to get some different body types and issues to work with on the treatment table. The good thing about working within athletics is that you get so many different sports within the ‘athletics’ umbrella and many different personalities. Most of the athletes will train in the morning’s at the local university nearby, so the treatments will usually start around 12ish and go through till dinner.
The soccer world cup is huge over here, so I managed to head into town last night with the rest of the Aussie’s to check out the 2nd Germany game. There was people everywhere and plenty of atmosphere. With most athletes completing training sessions the following day, we headed back to the hotel to watch the second half from the lobby downstairs. It was a crazy second half, with the game ending 2 – 2. Hopefully, not too booked up tomorrow night so we can watch the Aus vs Spain match.
For my last week here, I will be primarily treating from the hotel room and, hopefully, get out a couple of mornings where I can have a bit more of a look around at the remainder of the tourist sites and try to get to a few more training sessions.
I will leave my next post for once I touch back down in Australia.
Toby