Summer is coming, which means warmer weather and longer days, which often means that a lot of us become more active!

This might mean that you get around to finally getting the garden tidied up, getting ready for that summer holiday you've been looking forward to, or even starting that exercise you promised yourself you would do in your New Year resolutions!

Whatever you're doing, it's important to make sure that you protect your body, both by taking preventative measures and ensuring that any new or existing injuries are correctly managed.

To help prevent issues such as back and neck pain, we're here to offer a few key tips for the summer season, as well as offering you £5 off any treatment at one of our private clinics!*

So whether it's a massage to soothe those aching muscles, an appointment with one of our MSK specialists to assess an injury, a reflexology session or even some acupuncture, you can get £5 off to get your summer going. Just use the code 'SUMMER14' when booking your appointment to receive your discount.

* Terms and Conditions Apply. £5 discount does not apply to SEM Consultation or Personalised Coaching Sessions. Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers. Appointments must be booked by Friday 8th August, for no later than Friday 29th August.

So-called 'staycations' are becoming more and more popular, and with so much amazing countryside and beautiful national parks in the UK, why not!

If you're planning on camping, there's a few things you can do to make your stay more comfortable. Try to take a familiar pillow and have your airbed fully inflated - a hard ground or an uncomfortable pillow can lead to an aching back or neck.

If you're going to be hiking, remember to take appropriate footwear, and pack your walking poles to take the stress off your joints, ligaments and muscles. If you've something more active planned, like climbing, kayaking or mountain-biking, be sure to warm up properly!

Planning a garden tidy-up? Or need to get those beds weeded and ready for replanting? Well follow our tips to help ensure you can enjoy the rest of the summer in your beautiful garden!

• Lift carefully. Be sure to use your hips and knees - not your back. Proper posture when bending and lifting is essential to preventing injuries to the back
• Warm up! It might seem strange, but gardening can be a strenuous activity, so ensure your muscles are ready before you begin
• Stay hydrated. If you're working hard in the hot summer sun, ensure you take regular breaks to have a drink and a stretch
• Keep moving. That's our motto here at Connect, and it applies perfectly here. Don't stay in one position too long, remember to move and stretch regularly to prevent sitffness and soreness

If you're jetting off for some sun, sea and sand, remember these key tips.

Only pack what you need! Carrying excess luggage around could strain your back, so try not to pack too much, and if you can, use a suitcase with wheels that you can pull rather than lift

If you're travelling long-haul, or you have a long journey to your destination from the airport, perhaps think about an inflatable pillow, or use a rolled up blanket for some extra neck or back support. Also remember to keep moving - stand up and stretch at least once an hour.

Wear the right footwear! Whilst your flip flops can be great for the beach or beside the pool, they aren't designed for long walks or cycling, so if you're planning an actvity like that, take some more appropriate shoes!

This month we're shining a spotlight on one of our staff members, so you can get an idea of what a day in the life of one of our physiotherapists looks like!

Vicky is one of our Senior Physiotherapists, working both at our Durham clinic and also at some specialised sporting clinics that we hold across the North East. We asked her what a typical day for her would look like, and here's what she said.

"I'll normally spend the morning at the Durham clinic, treating a variety of patients, including occupational physiotherapy clients, private patients and athletes from the Team Durham squads. I love that it's a real mix of people that I get to see, so in a single day I can be assessing and treating a variety of different conditions.

In the afternoon I will go to work at the English Institute of Sport clinic in Gateshead, treating elite athletes including paralympic swimmers, womens footballers and rugby players, and a Gold medal winning World Champion trampolinist! At the clinic I work alongside our Sports and Exercise Medicine Consultant, Dr Graeme Wilkes, who uses his experience and knowlege to expertly advise athletes at this elite level.

Evenings will normally consist of more clinic work at Durham, including providing physio cover for the Team Durham cricket team, as well as seeing more private and occupational physio patients.

When I get some spare time, I love to play and coach netball on both a local and national level, and I'm an avid shopper (especially shoes and handbags!), as well as a keen watcher of sport, so I am looking forward to this summer, with the World Cup, Wimbledon, international cricket, Commonwealth Games and the Women's Rugby World Cup all to watch! 

This June, our Vicky was selected to travel as the physiotherapist for the GB Swimming squad that travelled to Japan for the Tokyo Open. Five swimmers travelled as a performance group - young athletes who have been selected as potential stars of the future!

After 4 airports in 36 hours, they arrived in Tokyo and had some time to familiarise themselves with the surroundings and discuss the itinerary for the meet.

Vicky's first job was to perform a post-travel musculoskeletal check on the athletes.

"Each swimmer will have areas that they will be focusing on during the meet, so it's my job to give them stretches and also some ideas on self-management for the 4-day duration of the meet, as well as monitoring any problems that arise."

The swimmers competed each morning in the heats, and then used the afternoons for extra training.

"We had one female swimmer make the final of the 100m freestyle event on day 3, eventually finishing second, which was an amazing result. There was a lot of hard work that was going into race plans and processes leading up to races, such as warm up/cool down activity and activation work."

On the final day of the competition, all of the swimmers competed in the morning heats, and again one of the female swimmers reached a final, this time of the 200m breaststroke, equalling the English Record in the process!

"The last day saw a full recovery session in preparation for the long return journey home. The meet was fantastic experience for the athletes, they have gained an invaluable insight into international swimming meets and I've no doubt will go on to achieve great things!

It was also an amazing experience for me, and I'm proud to have been asked to be involved. It was an incredibly enjoyable meet!"

If you would like to book an appointment to see Vicky or any of our expert physiotherapists, please click here, alternatively please call 0191 491 1808.

The Jawbone UP band keeps you moving forward. This discreet, yet ingenious device helps you understand how you sleep, move and eat. If you’re interested in how your body works and want to make more informed choices, or if you’re actively trying to lose weight or manage your recovery, the UP band is fast becoming the must-have health accessory!

For your chance to WIN a Jawbone UP band join our Keep Moving Challenge which aims to get people moving more by trying to beat 10,000 steps a day.

To take part simply use a pedometer to count how many steps you take throughout the day. If you're active and manage to make over 10,000 steps in one day, take a picture of your pedometer and send it to us for your chance to WIN a Jawbone UP band!

You can email your picture directly to us at annadrury@connectphysiotherapy.co.uk or you can use social media: tweet us @Connect_Physio or upload your pic to our Facebook page. Remember to include your name and contact details so that we can get in touch if you win.

This competition closes on 31st July, so get your photos in quickly if you want to be in with a chance of winning!

Terms and Conditions apply; full Ts and Cs can be found at www.connectphysiotherapy.co.uk/keepmovingchallenge

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