Son's care sparks career change for Mum

A Bolton mother who was inspired to change career path after seeing the care her disabled son received has graduated with a physiotherapy degree from UCLan.

Ellen Welsby's seven-year-old son Thomas suffers from cerebral palsy and requires regular care and support from medical professionals.

It was this first-hand experience which made her swap from a life as a dental nurse to a physiotherapist. The former Bolton Community College student said: "It was my son's care that first sparked my interest in physiotherapy.

"Seeing the positive effects his treatment had on his quality of life inspired me to want to do the same for others.

"I've always enjoyed working with people as I previously worked as a dental nurse in a local practice, but as soon as my son was old enough to begin full-time education I decided it was time to enrol on the college access course which would enable me to apply to do a physiotherapy degree.

"I feel over the moon to be graduating and I'm very proud of myself. Caring for Thomas means it's been somewhat difficult at times to keep up with my studies, but I couldn't have done it without the support of my family and my tutors. They've been really understanding.

"The thing I've enjoyed the most is the opportunity to learn in a practical way, spending time with real patients and staff in a variety of clinical settings has really prepared me to do my job well."

Ellen will now start a new chapter in her working life after securing a physiotherapist position at East Lancashire Health Trust.

Graduate lights up his career prospects

A UCLan PaST graduate is celebrating after bouncing back in style from the disappointment of losing his job.

Stephen Finlay, from County Wicklow, graduated top of his physiotherapy class and received the Delsys Prize for Academic Excellence, which he collected during UCLan's week of graduation ceremonies.

Ireland's economic downturn meant Stephen was made redundant shortly after he completed his electricians' apprenticeship, which convinced him to explore other career opportunities.

He said: "I looked into physiotherapy and decided it was what I wanted to do. The human body has always interested me and I felt I was good with people, which is important in this job.

"I enjoyed being an electrician. I was making good money and planning to go and work in Australia, but losing my job made me reassess my goals.

"With one career already under his belt, Stephen wanted to qualify as a physio as quickly as possible. Before joining our programme he spent three years at Sallynoggin College, Dublin, where he trained as a fitness instructor. The 28-year-old admits it's a relief to finally graduate.

"It's been a long time in the making, so I'm delighted to be graduating and I'm humbled to have won the Delsys Prize," said Stephen. "I wanted to start the course as soon as I lost my job, but looking back I think that would have been catastrophic because I learnt a lot at college.

"They taught me so much about the fundamentals of the anatomy of the body, and that meant I hit the ground running when I started University."

Stephen hopes to run his own private practice one day and is still exploring the opportunity of moving to Australia, but for now wants to gain as much experience as possible in an NHS setting.

"Now I've qualified I'm looking forward to having more of a free role so that my personality and style of physiotherapy can really come across," he said.

"I've registered as a locum and plan to spend the next year gaining experience before I decide what route within physiotherapy I want to take. The good news is I can work anywhere in the world, so I've got options."

UCLan welcomes international researchers

Our Allied Health Research unit (AHRu) has welcomed visiting researchers from Germany to Preston for the launch of a new collaborative partnership.

Professor Kerstin Bilda and Dr Juliane Mühlhaus from University of Applied Sciences Bochum were introduced to international researchers from Czech Republic, Brazil and Korea who are currently working on projects at UCLan.

The pair met with the AHRu's Professor James Selfe and Dr Hazel Roddam to discuss future research links between the two institutions.

Osteoporosis & Physiotherapy

As you age your bones naturally lose density, but osteoporosis can cause bones to become porous and brittle, which can increase risk of fracture.

This is mainly seen in people over the age of 50 and is particularly common in post-menopausal women. Osteoporosis is mainly dependent on gender, genetics and age as well as further risk factors including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and inactivity.

There are no early signs or symptoms to determine whether you have osteoporosis, and it is typically not diagnosed until there has been enough bone loss for a fracture to occur. The most common areas of fracture are the hip, vertebrae, pelvis, tibia, radius, and humerus.

If you have no history of injuries or falls, continuous mild to severe back pain may be a concern and could potentially mean you are developing osteoporosis.

Risk factors for Osteoporosis

• Eating disorders
• Cancer and cancer treatments
• Chronic renal failure
• Early onset menopause
• Rheumatic diseases
• Chronic pulmonary disease
• Thyroid problems
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Gastrointestinal Disease
• Hepatitis

If a fracture occurs physiotherapy can help with the healing process. A physiotherapist will assess the problem and develop a specific physiotherapy treatment to strengthen your muscles and restore mobility.

Exercises include:

• Weight-bearing - walking or load-bearing activities to improve bone density
• Flexibility
• Strengthening – weights or resistance bands used at targeted muscle areas
• Postural – improved posture reduces the risk for falls
• Balance

The exercises must be continued even after the fracture has healed, with the main aim being to restore stamina of the muscles.

At the UCLan Physiotherapy Clinic your Chartered Physiotherapist will treat areas requiring strengthening, teach you the necessary techniques and give you appropriate advice.

Should you need more specialist help, your physiotherapist will liaise with your doctor to ensure that you are referred for appropriate treatment.

For more details please click here or telephone 01772 894902.

Graduate bags life-changing Canadian scholarship

UCLan Sports Therapy graduate Sheena Davis has boosted her future career prospects after securing a prestigious internship opportunity in Canada.

Sheena's efforts on her course have resulted in her being awarded The Society of Sports Therapists Student Travelling Scholarship 2015.

She will spend a month with the superb Athletic Therapy team at the University of Windsor, followed by a further two weeks of unmissable trips, taking in another top sports clinic and some of Canada's leading sports teams.

This will include shadowing the sports therapy team at Windsor Spitfires Ice Hockey Club and visiting the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball organisation.

Sheena commented: "The interview was difficult but I felt well prepared as I pretty much over prepare for anything important - working hard has always been my forte.

"When I first joined UCLan I wasn't even sure whether Sports Therapy was the course for me. I feel I've grown in confidence throughout my time at the university and it has definitely helped me develop as a Sports Therapist.

"The lecturers have supported me throughout, giving me numerous opportunities to develop and learn on placements and massage events. I'd like to thank everyone who taught me as I've learned so much from each of them."

Professor Graham Smith, Chairman of The Society of Sports Therapists, added: "Sheena's interview was outstanding and the decision to select her was unanimous. She was a credit to UCLan and the Sports Therapy programme."

Students boost skills at Preston Armed Forces Day

UCLan Sports Therapy undergraduates put their skills to the test as they supported one of Preston's biggest events of the year.

Huge crowds descended on the city for the Preston Armed Forces Day celebrations, which featured a variety of activities, displays and entertainment.

The event also coincided with the Kings Royal Hussars homecoming parade, a Preston regiment celebrating their 300 year anniversary.

Supervised by Lecturer Rob Hamilton, the students spent the day working with competitors at the Preston Strongman event, ensuring they recovered quickly from the stresses and strains of the contest.

Our Division has supported numerous events this summer, including the Cross Bay charity challenge and Blackpool's Strongest Man.

Rob said the experiences gained were invaluable to the students' learning experience: "It was another fantastic day to practise and perfect techniques on these giant athletes.

"There was a strong ask for soft tissue therapy coupled with a number of sport related pulls and sprains, which allowed the students to further develop their skills."

One of the group, Obed Attah, has already built up an impressive CV during the course of his studies, including working with Preston North End Women FC and the Rugby Football Union.

He commented: "Having the opportunity to massage some of the strongest guys in the North West has improved my clinical handling and I've developed new skills for my final year. Rob supported us throughout the whole day, showing us techniques he's developed as a physio over the years."

To view a selection of images from the event please click here. For more information about the UCLan Sports Therapy course please click here.

Fight the Fat!

Childhood obesity is a growing problem, with reports from the Health and Social Care Information Centre showing that 9.5% of 4-5 year olds are overweight or obese, increasing to 19.1% by the time children leave primary school.

Obesity is measured by combining height and weight to determine a person's Body Mass Index (BMI). A healthy BMI is in the range of 18.5 to 24.9, with a BMI of 30 or over being classed as obese.

However there are exceptions to the rule, such as athletes who have a higher percentage of muscle mass and would weigh more due to muscle weighing twice as much as fat.

There are two important changes that can be made to prevent and manage obesity: optimal nutrition, and physical activity.

Nutrition

A healthy diet is essential for tackling obesity and promoting weight loss. Healthy eating for children is different to the diet suggested for adults, as children require large amounts of calories and nutrients to meet their energy needs, and should not be on a low calorie, low fat and high fibre diet.

Healthy eating is often encouraged by the use of an 'eat well plate', which demonstrates appropriate portion sizes for each of the 5 food groups:

• Bread, cereal, and potatoes
• Fruit and vegetables
• Meat and fish
• Milk and dairy foods
• Sugary and fatty foods

Physical activity

This is essential to weight control. Exercise must be combined with reduced food intake, whilst activity levels should increase gradually and be tailored individually to each person.

It is recommended that children should be active for at least 60 minutes every day, but ideally should participate in some form of physical activity for a few hours each day. It is also advised that children do intense physical activity three days a week.

Childhood obesity can lead to various musculoskeletal conditions that may limit a child's ability to take part in physical activities. It is also detrimental to motor skill performance, including coordination, balance, running speed and agility, and strength.

As a child gets older these differences become more noticeable, suggesting it is necessary to focus on motor skill development from an early age to encourage overweight and obese children to be physically active.

Forms of physical activity include sports such as Football, Netball, Swimming and Tennis. Other useful activities include Cycling, Dancing, Skipping and Gardening.

UCLan Physiotherapy Clinic provides nutritional and dietary consultancy, can create tailor-made plans for cardiovascular rehabilitation, and runs 'back to fitness' classes from £10 per person.

The Clinic is run by professionally registered physiotherapists and sports therapists and is recognised by all major private health companies.

For more details please click here or telephone 01772 894902.