CRAMP

Cramp is caused by a lack of circulation to the muscles. Muscles need oxygen and nutrients to convert into energy to allow us to play sport or perform exercises. As a result waste products are formed in the muscles. The circulation increases to meet these demands and get rid of these waste products. In people with poor circulation the blood flow isn't sufficient to get rid of all the waste products produced by the muscles during exercise. When this happens the waste products irritate the muscles causing an involuntary contraction which we call cramp. Professional sportsmen take great care to maintain the circulation immediately after exercise so that waste products are quickly removed from the muscles and therefore reduce the danger of cramp occurring. Most often, for non-sports people, cramp is associated with stretching feet into the cold part of the bed in the small hours. In this case the cumulation of being cold and immobile in bed is enough to cause the muscles to go into cramp. Cramp is usually relieved either by massaging and stretching the muscle or getting out of bed and walking about. This improves the circulation in the short term and allows the removal of the waste products causing the cramp.

TREATMENT

Treatment with Connective Tissue Manipulation reduces the tension around the blood vessel walls and allows them to open up and allow better blood flow into the area. This improves the circulation in the longer term and reduces the frequency and the severity of episodes of cramp.

Jacqueline is one of a few UK Physiotherapists combining Connective Tissue Manipulation, Manual Lymph Drainage, the MacKenzie Exercise Regime and Cranio-sacral Therapy in private practice. During the past four years she has successfully treated over 1,000 patients with spinal problems and a further 1,300 patients with other muscular skeletal problems in her Gillingham Physio Centre in Dorset. In order to offer her specialist techniques to a greater number of patients she started the London Physio Centre at 148 Harley Street.

A Chartered and State Registered Physiotherapist, Jacqueline qualified at St Thomas's Hospital, London with additional emphasis in the treatment of backs and necks. She spent five years at the Leicester Royal Infirmary gaining experience in all branches of physiotherapy and became Senior Physiotherapist on the Medical Unit. In 1977 she created a private practice at the Leicester Clinic, eventually covering all orthopaedic, spinal and post-op physiotherapy.