Peter O' Grady Orthopaedic and Soft Tissue Therapist

18/01/2026

Diagnosed with osteoporosis – what now?

An osteoporosis diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but it does not mean stopping exercise. In fact, appropriate strength training is one of the most important tools for protecting bone health and maintaining independence.

Bones respond to load. When muscles work against resistance, they create stress on the bones, which helps slow bone loss and stimulate bone maintenance. Strength training also improves muscle mass, balance, posture, and coordination, all of which reduce the risk of falls and fractures.

The benefits go beyond bone density. Regular resistance training can:

Improve joint stability and functional strength

Support posture and spinal health

Reduce fall risk by improving balance and confidence

Help manage pain and improve quality of life

Training must be individualised and progressive. Exercises should focus on safe, controlled movements, good technique, and gradual increases in load. High-impact, rapid twisting, or poorly supervised movements may not be appropriate, especially in advanced cases.

Rest and recovery are equally important, and any programme should work alongside medical advice. With the right approach, strength training is not dangerous for osteoporosis — it is protective.

Movement builds resilience. Strength supports bones.

12/01/2026

Teenagers lifting weights during the off-season: is it safe, or should it be avoided?

With winter marking the off-season for many sports, it is increasingly common for teenagers to spend more time in the gym. This often raises understandable concerns for parents about growth, injury risk, and long-term health. The evidence is clear: resistance training can be safe and beneficial for adolescents — when it is approached correctly.

What the research tells us

Well-supervised, age-appropriate resistance training does not stunt growth and does not damage growth plates when properly programmed. In fact, structured strength training has been shown to:

Improve muscular strength and endurance

Enhance bone density during a critical growth period

Reduce the risk of sports-related injuries

Improve coordination, posture, and movement control

Support mental health and confidence

The risk lies not in weight training itself, but in how it is performed.

Where problems arise

Injuries in teenagers most often occur due to:

Poor technique or lack of supervision

Excessive loading relative to strength and maturity

Copying adult training programs or social media trends

Insufficient recovery, sleep, or nutrition

Training through pain or fatigue

Adolescents are still developing neuromuscular control, joint stability, and connective tissue resilience. Programs that emphasize maximal lifting, poor form, or competition over control significantly increase injury risk.

The correct approach

For teenagers, resistance training should focus on:

Technique first, load second

Controlled movements through full, pain-free range of motion

Emphasis on bodyweight and light-to-moderate external resistance

Balanced training addressing the whole body

Adequate rest days and seasonal variation

Training should ideally be guided by a qualified professional who understands adolescent development, not simply adult strength principles scaled down.

Should parents stop their kids from lifting?

In most cases, no. Preventing all resistance training is not necessary and may even limit physical development and injury resilience. The goal should not be restriction, but education, supervision, and appropriate progression.

However, parents should intervene if:

A teenager is lifting unsupervised with poor technique

Pain is present during or after training

The program prioritizes maximal loads over movement quality

Recovery, nutrition, or school performance is suffering

The bottom line

Strength training during the winter off-season can be a valuable tool for adolescent health and athletic development, provided it is structured, supervised, and developmentally appropriate. It should support long-term movement health — not short-term performance goals.

When done correctly, resistance training helps teenagers enter their next sporting season stronger, more resilient, and better prepared, rather than placing them at risk.

11/01/2026

A pinching sensation in the neck during movement does not always indicate injury at the site of pain.

Many individuals report a sharp or pinching sensation in the neck when turning their head and assume that the pain reflects damage, inflammation, or “something being trapped” at that exact location. In reality, the site of pain is not always the source of the problem.

In many cases, this sensation occurs when the cervical spine is being asked to move beyond its available range of motion. The nervous system responds to this restriction by producing a protective pain signal — often perceived as a pinch — to prevent further movement. This response is not necessarily a sign of tissue damage, but rather a sign of movement limitation and neuromuscular guarding.

Common contributors include:

Joint hypomobility within the cervical or upper thoracic spine

Soft tissue restriction in surrounding musculature and fascia

Postural loading from prolonged desk or device use

Reduced segmental control and coordination

When one or more segments fail to move adequately, adjacent structures are forced to compensate. This creates localized compression and strain, which is often where the “pinch” is felt, even though the primary restriction may lie elsewhere.

From an orthopaedic and rehabilitation perspective, restoring controlled, pain-free range of motion is a key component of management. When joint mechanics and soft tissue extensibility are improved, the nervous system no longer needs to guard movement, and symptoms often reduce accordingly.

Orthopaedic-based manual therapy aims to address joint restrictions and improve segmental mobility, while soft tissue therapy targets myofascial tension, tone imbalance, and protective muscle activity. When combined with appropriate movement retraining, these approaches help normalize cervical motion and reduce compressive stress during rotation and side bending.

Importantly, treatment is not about forcing movement through pain. It is about gradually expanding safe movement capacity, allowing the body to move within improved limits rather than repeatedly pushing against restriction.

In many cases, when range of motion is restored and movement quality improves, the pinching sensation resolves without the need for invasive intervention.

11/01/2026

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10/01/2026

Nerve pain in the leg does not always originate from the lower back. The hip is a frequently overlooked source.

Leg pain that feels sharp, burning, tingling, electric, or numb is often labelled as “sciatica” and automatically attributed to the lumbar spine. While lumbar disc pathology and nerve root irritation are common causes, they are not the only ones. In many cases, hip-related pathology can produce symptoms that closely mimic lumbar radiculopathy.

The hip is a complex joint surrounded by a dense network of neural structures, including branches of the sciatic, femoral, obturator, and lateral femoral cutaneous nerves. Dysfunction within the hip joint, surrounding musculature, or deep fascial structures can irritate or compress these nerves, resulting in referred or radiating pain into the thigh, knee, or even below the knee.

Common hip-related contributors to leg nerve pain include:

Reduced hip joint mobility or capsular restriction

Gluteal and deep rotator muscle dysfunction (including piriformis-related neural irritation)

Hip labral pathology

Tendinopathies around the greater trochanter

Altered pelvic mechanics affecting neural tension

Unlike true lumbar nerve root compression, hip-generated nerve symptoms may worsen with:

Prolonged sitting or weight-bearing on one side

Hip rotation, flexion, or extension movements

Single-leg loading or gait-related activities

Patients may have normal spinal imaging yet continue to experience significant symptoms because the source lies outside the lumbar spine. This often leads to delayed diagnosis, unnecessary investigations, and frustration for both patients and clinicians.

A thorough assessment must include both the lumbar spine and the hip, along with evaluation of movement patterns, neural mobility, and load tolerance. Differentiating between spinal and hip-originating nerve pain is essential, as management strategies differ significantly.

Addressing hip-driven nerve pain may involve:

Restoring hip joint mechanics

Reducing neural sensitization

Improving gluteal and pelvic stability

Modifying load and movement patterns

Integrating appropriate manual therapy and rehabilitation strategies

Accurate diagnosis is key. When leg nerve pain persists despite normal spinal findings or does not respond to lumbar-focused treatment, the hip should be carefully evaluated as a potential driver of symptoms.

09/01/2026

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) deserves far more awareness than it currently receives.

Recently, I worked with a client who openly described years of physical and mental suffering — symptoms that were very real, debilitating, and progressively affecting his quality of life. Despite seeing multiple professionals, he was never given a clear diagnosis. Tests came back “normal,” explanations were vague, and his symptoms were often left unexplained. It wasn’t until he walked into my office that the pattern became clear: he was living with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).

FND is a condition in which the nervous system is structurally intact, but the brain and body are no longer communicating correctly. Symptoms can include weakness, tremors, pain, fatigue, sensory changes, gait disturbances, and cognitive or emotional difficulties. Importantly, these symptoms are not imagined or voluntary — they are genuine neurological symptoms caused by dysfunction in neural signaling rather than disease or damage.

One of the most challenging aspects of FND is that it often goes undiagnosed. When imaging and standard neurological tests fail to reveal a cause, patients are left without answers. This uncertainty alone can worsen symptoms, reinforcing distress and frustration. Early recognition is critical, yet many individuals live for years without validation or direction.

What we are seeing more frequently is that FND can be closely linked to the demands of modern life. Chronic stress, high workloads, financial pressure, emotional strain, lack of recovery time, and persistent nervous system overload all play a role. A busy, high-stress lifestyle does not cause FND in isolation, but over time it can push the nervous system beyond its capacity to regulate and adapt. Eventually, the system compensates — and those compensations can present as physical symptoms.

FND is not a weakness, and it is not “all in the head.” It reflects a nervous system that has been under strain for too long. With the right approach — education, nervous system regulation, appropriate physical rehabilitation, psychological support, and a multidisciplinary framework — outcomes can improve significantly.

We need to talk about FND more. We need to recognise it sooner. And most importantly, we need to listen to patients when their symptoms don’t fit neatly into conventional diagnostic boxes. Awareness, validation, and early intervention can change lives.

05/01/2026

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05/01/2026

As teenagers balance school, sport, homework, and social life, sleep is often the first thing to be compromised.

During adolescence, the body and brain undergo significant physical and neurological development. At the same time, biological changes shift the natural sleep–wake rhythm later, making it harder for teens to fall asleep early — even though early school mornings still require them to wake up early.

This mismatch means many teenagers are chronically under-slept, which can affect learning, mood, coordination, and injury risk.

Current research suggests that most teenagers require 8–10 hours of sleep per night to support healthy development and physical recovery. Regularly getting less than this can reduce the body’s ability to adapt to training and increase fatigue-related injuries.

Helpful sleep strategies for teenagers include:

• Keeping a consistent sleep and wake time, even on weekends
• Creating a wind-down routine 30–60 minutes before bed
• Limiting screens and bright light in the evening
• Avoiding caffeine later in the day
• Ensuring the bedroom is dark, cool, and quiet

For athletes, sleep is particularly important. Growth, muscle repair, coordination, and nervous system recovery all occur during deep sleep. Without adequate rest, performance may plateau and minor aches can persist.

Parents can support healthy sleep by encouraging realistic schedules, protecting bedtime routines, and recognising that sleep is a performance tool — not a luxury.

Teenagers don’t need perfection. They need consistency.

If a teenager is struggling with ongoing fatigue, difficulty falling asleep, or declining performance despite adequate training, professional advice can help identify contributing factors and guide appropriate changes.

Prioritising sleep now supports learning, health, and long-term athletic development.

05/01/2026

We’re back to normal hours after the New Year 🎉

The festive break is over, and it’s time to get back to feeling your best. Our Orthopaedic & Soft Tissue Therapy clinic is now fully open, with regular appointments available.

Whether you’re:

Returning to training 💪

Managing a long-standing ache or injury

Recovering from surgery

Or simply feeling tight and sore after the holidays

We’re here to help you move better, recover faster, and get back to what you enjoy—pain free.

📅 Appointments now available
📍 New and existing clients welcome

Start the year strong. Book in and let’s get you back to normal.

Orthopaedic and soft tissue therapies are vital components of physical rehabilitation. By combining the strengths of both, healthcare providers can offer more effective and comprehensive care to patients suffering from a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions.

04/01/2026

As children return to school routines alongside sport and activities, their bodies and brains are adjusting to multiple demands at once.

School schedules, homework, early mornings, and training sessions all place stress on a child’s nervous system. While this stress isn’t harmful, problems can arise when recovery doesn’t keep pace with demand.

Children adapt best when daily routines are predictable and balanced. Sleep, in particular, plays a critical role in learning, growth, coordination, and injury prevention. Irregular sleep patterns can reduce concentration, slow recovery from training, and increase the risk of aches or fatigue.

Helpful strategies to support adaptation include:

• Establishing a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends
• Allowing adequate sleep based on age and activity level
• Scheduling sport sessions with rest days in mind
• Ensuring meals and snacks support energy needs
• Encouraging downtime without screens before bed

It’s also important to watch for early signs that a child may be struggling to adapt, such as:
• Persistent tiredness
• Irritability or difficulty concentrating
• Ongoing muscle soreness
• Reduced enjoyment of sport

These signs are not a failure to cope — they are signals that the body needs support.

Parents can help by encouraging open communication, allowing flexibility when needed, and remembering that growth and development are ongoing processes. For children, learning how to balance school, sport, and rest is just as important as learning skills on the field or in the studio.

Adaptation doesn’t happen through doing more.
It happens when the body is given time to recover, sleep well, and reset.

Supporting these foundations now helps children stay healthy, confident, and ready to enjoy both school and sport.

If concerns about fatigue, pain, or sleep persist, seeking professional guidance can help identify simple adjustments that make a meaningful difference.

03/01/2026

The New Year often brings a surge in motivation—and a sudden spike in injuries.

Many people set ambitious goals in January, increasing training intensity, frequency, or volume all at once. While motivation is valuable, the body adapts on a much slower timeline than enthusiasm.

When training loads rise too quickly, tissues such as tendons, joints, and supporting muscles may struggle to tolerate the change. Tendons, in particular, respond poorly to sudden overload. Instead of becoming stronger, they can become irritated and painful.

This is why new year goals are often followed by:
• Achilles or patellar tendon pain
• Hip or groin discomfort
• Shoulder or elbow irritation
• Lingering stiffness that doesn’t improve with rest

Pain in these cases isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a signal that the load exceeded tissue capacity.

Effective injury prevention is not about doing less. It’s about progressing intelligently.

Useful strategies include:
• Gradually increasing training load over weeks, not days
• Allowing recovery time between hard sessions
• Supporting training with strength work
• Avoiding “all-or-nothing” approaches
• Listening to early warning signs rather than pushing through

One of the most common mistakes is assuming pain will resolve if ignored. In reality, continuing to train through early symptoms often leads to compensation, altered movement patterns, and longer recovery times.

Sustainable progress comes from respecting the body’s need to adapt.

New goals don’t require rushing.
They require consistency, patience, and appropriate loading.

If discomfort persists or performance declines, early professional assessment can prevent minor issues from becoming long-term setbacks.

Strong starts matter—but healthy finishes matter more.

02/01/2026

As young athletes set new goals at the start of the year, training often increases — but recovery doesn’t always follow.

Performance isn’t determined by training alone. It’s shaped by how well the body and nervous system recover between sessions. For young athletes juggling school, exams, travel, and sport, recovery capacity is often already stretched.

When recovery is insufficient, the nervous system remains in a heightened state. Muscles stay tense, coordination becomes less efficient, and movement quality declines. Over time, this can increase the risk of pain and injury, even when training volume hasn’t dramatically changed.

This is why young athletes may notice:
• Increased stiffness despite regular warm-ups
• Reduced coordination or “heavy” legs
• Slower recovery between sessions
• Recurring aches without a clear injury

These signs are often misinterpreted as a need to train harder. In reality, they are signals that the system needs more support.

Key considerations for young athletes include:
• Prioritising sleep, particularly during growth phases
• Spacing intense sessions appropriately
• Fueling adequately for training demands
• Incorporating lighter or recovery-focused sessions
• Recognising early signs of fatigue or overload

Recovery is not time lost — it is where adaptation occurs.

For young athletes, sustainable progress depends on balancing ambition with physiological capacity. Supporting the nervous system and recovery processes now helps reduce injury risk and improves long-term performance.

Strong athletes aren’t just the ones who train the most — they’re the ones who recover well.

If fatigue, pain, or performance decline persist, early guidance can help adjust training before problems escalate.