Training for an Ironman is never an easy feat, and even less so when injured, so when two Manvers Triathlon Club members contacted the clinic for help preparing for IM Austria, we were happy to help!

Unfortunately, injuries are often part and parcel of most athletes’ lives at one stage or another, and, even more unfortunately, it can mean a long period out of training and competition while it heals and receives treatment.

So when two triathletes from the same club, namely Manvers Tri Club, both picked up injuries in the lead up to their biggest ever competition to date – Ironman Austria – it is fair to say the option of having to withdraw would have laid heavy on their minds, meaning months of heavy training would be wasted and the dream would be over.

Luckily, Manvers’ Jon Wilkinson and Brett Daughtrey came to see our team at Blizard Physiotherapy for treatment, and, as a result, the Maitland Concept of physiotherapy they received meant they were both able to compete in the Austrian Ironman this June, completing the marathon section pain free!

Let’s meet these two affable chaps, and find out why they were injured, what their injuries were, and how they felt about the treatment from our team.

Jon is a 53-year-old insurance broker, packing in a busy training schedule around his working life before going home to his wife and two dogs.

He had been training for 15 hours a week leading up to the Ironman, but normally peaks at ‘just’ seven hours, and manages to also squeeze scuba diving tuition in when he can!

Jon explained what led him to seek help from our physiotherapists in March:
 
“Following a couple of bike crashes over the winter on icy roads, I found that I couldn’t run without pain in my buttock and leg, which felt a bit like sciatica. The Blizard physiotherapist diagnosed the issue as trapped nerves in my back, which initially felt pretty much locked up.
 
“The treatment involved a full explanation of what the issue was, followed by physiotherapy on my back over the course of two months, together with exercises for me to do at home.

”During that time, I was able to start running again, building up to 16 miles a few weeks before the event, and, as a result, I completed the ironman in 12.26 with a PB in the marathon leg of 4:51, compared to 6:01 in my only other Ironman distance race!”
 
Brett also sought treatment from Blizard Physiotherapy, in his case for knee pains, but it wasn’t until both triathletes were treated one after another that our team realised they not only knew each other, but were from the same club and were training for the same race!

Brett, a 39-year-old manufacturing engineer, gave us an insight into how he arrived at the clinic, and how the treatment benefitted him.

“I only took up triathlons two years ago – and only joined Manvers Triathlon club in 18 months ago - to increase my fitness for motorbike racing, so before the summer of 2013 I couldn’t swim front crawl, had never owned a road bike and rarely ran!

“After competing in sprint triathlons initially, I got swept up in a club coach’s enthusiasm for the iconic Ironman Austria race the following summer, despite barely being able to swim in open water, and once the race was booked I took every opportunity to train nearly every day.

“I gave up motorbike racing last year to avoid crashes interrupting my training, but after enjoying a number of triathlons and running races, I started to develop a pain in my right knee, and as it worsened, I took three weeks rest, but afterwards the pain was the same, which led me to get help from Blizard Physiotherapy.

“They told me that it was safe to carry on running as the knee was mechanically ok, which was a big relief to me. The team diagnosed lower back stiffness, and explained that my upper body rotation was limited on one side.

“The team worked on reducing the stiffness in my lower back every week, and, over time, I found that, with more rotation during running, I could land more evenly on my feet, whereas before I landed on the outside first, causing the knee pain. I also had regular sports massage sessions with Owen James.

“Come race day, the swim went well, the 112 mile bike ride was the most enjoyable biking experience I've ever had, and I managed to keep running until around the last five miles where I had to take some walking breaks.

“However, I'd set myself a target of 11 hours for the race, and I crossed the line in a proud achievement of 10 hours 55 minutes without having any problems with my knee!”

What fantastic stories from both Jon and Brett, we are so pleased your races went so well, and you were able to compete pain free so soon after injury looked like it might prevent you competing at all!

So what did our physiotherapy team have to say about these gutsy Manver triathletes?

“Treating an injured athlete when training for an Ironman is always a challenge, let alone treating two doing the same race, from the same club, who would be rooming together, and both preparing for their first Ironman!?
“Both triathletes were struggling to run due to their injuries. Treatment was difficult, as the training for an ironman is in a progressively increasing block of training, as opposed to say a 10k, whereby training remains relatively consistent.  The injury therefore has to not only recover, but also tolerate increasing loads.

“The beauty of the Maitland Concept of physiotherapy means that, because of the attention to detail in the assessment and reassessment, as well as the clinical reasoning process, injuries can be monitored very closely, and adjustments made quickly and effectively, as well as being able to integrate treatment into a person’s lifestyle and activity participation.

“In effect, we can ‘add the treatment in’, rather than taking things out, as it allow active recovery to take place, hence adding in treatment rather than taking out training.

“This is very important for a triathlete training for an Ironman. The ability to keep those important and precious hours of training alongside work and family commitments are paramount to completing the distance. 
 ?“Therefore, it was very pleasing to hear that both Brett and Jon completed the running section injury free.”

Jon is looking to return to Austria in 2017 to break the 12 hour barrier, while Brett is now focussing on his impending marriage next summer to his long term fiancé – good luck for the future both of you, and keep in touch!