Bee RelaxeD - Sports Massage Therapy

FUN FACT FRIDAY - DID YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A “BICEP” MUSCLE IN YOUR LEG?

When you hear the word “biceps,” you probably think of the muscle at the front of your upper arm.

The biceps femoris is one of the three muscles that make up your hamstring group and sits along the outer (lateral) side of the back of your thigh.
•BICEPS FEMORIS — THE ANATOMY
🔹 Long head origin: Ischial tuberosity (sit bone)
🔹 Short head origin: Linea aspera and lateral supracondylar line of the femur
🔹 Insertion: Head of the fibula, with a small attachment to the lateral tibial condyle

WHAT DOES IT DO?
The biceps femoris helps with:
➡️ Knee flexion — bending your knee
➡️ Hip extension — particularly the long head
➡️ External rotation of the lower leg when the knee is bent
➡️ Hip and pelvic stability during movement

SITTING ALL DAY? YOUR HAMSTRINGS MAY NOT THANK YOU!
Here’s something worth thinking about if you work at a desk all day…
When you're sitting, your hip and knee are both bent, placing the hamstrings in a relatively shortened position compared with standing.
If you remain seated for long periods, your hamstrings can become stiff and less tolerant of movement, particularly when you suddenly go from sitting to standing.
And because the hamstrings attach to the ischial tuberosity (your sit bone), they have an important relationship with the position and movement of your pelvis.

MY DESK-WORK TIP:
Try to stand up and move every 1–2 hours.
You could:
✅ Walk around for a couple of minutes
✅ Perform some gentle hamstring mobility
✅ Move your hips and pelvis
✅ Stretch your calves
✅ Do a few gentle squats or heel raises
You don't need to spend 10 minutes stretching — just getting out of the chair and moving regularly can make a difference.

💡 Remember: Lower-back discomfort isn't necessarily caused by tight hamstrings alone. Your hamstrings, glutes, pelvis, hip flexors and lower-back muscles all work together, and prolonged sitting can affect how these areas move and load.

TRY THIS SIMPLE HAMSTRING STRETCH
1️⃣ Sit with one leg extended.
2️⃣Keep your back relatively long and your knee gently straight.
3️⃣Hinge forward from your hips, rather than rounding your spine.
4️⃣Hold for 20–30 seconds and repeat 2–3 times.
5️⃣You should feel a gentle stretch through the back of your thigh — not pain.

⚠️ COMMON BICEPS FEMORIS INJURIES
The biceps femoris is one of the hamstring muscles frequently involved in hamstring strains, particularly during sprinting and explosive movements.
Common problems include:
🔸 Hamstring strains and tears
🔸 Tendinopathy
🔸 Proximal hamstring injuries near the ischial tuberosity
🔸 Distal tendon injuries around the knee

So next time someone says:
“I’ve pulled my hamstring!”
Remember — your hamstrings are actually made up of three muscles, and the biceps femoris is the one on the outside.

And if you've been sitting at your desk all day…Get up. Move around. Give those hamstrings some attention!

🐝 Bee RelaxeD – Sports Therapy
Helping you understand your body, move better & stay active.

🌿 THE GREAT OUTDOORS — WHY GOING OUTSIDE MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER ⛰️

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your body and mind is simply get outside and move.

Whether it’s a gentle walk, a woodland wander or a challenging hike, spending time outdoors can have some amazing benefits:

•BOOSTS YOUR MOOD
Walking and being outdoors can help reduce stress and improve your mood. Exercise encourages your body to release endorphins — natural chemicals that can help you feel happier and more positive.

•GETS YOUR BODY MOVING
Walking increases your circulation, gets your joints moving and activates your muscles without needing an intense workout.

•FRESH AIR & NATURE
Being surrounded by nature can help you switch off from everyday stresses and give your mind a much-needed reset.

•DON’T FORGET TO HYDRATE
When you’re walking or hiking, you’re losing fluid through sweat and breathing — even if you don’t feel particularly thirsty.
Dehydration can contribute to:
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Reduced exercise performance
Take water with you and drink regularly throughout your walk, especially on warmer days, longer hikes or when you’re climbing hills.

•YOUR MUSCLES NEED IT TOO
Good hydration helps your body regulate temperature, maintain blood volume and support normal muscle function. Staying hydrated is an important part of looking after your body before, during and after exercise.

So, grab your walking boots, fill up your water bottle, turn your phone onto flight mode and get outside!

Sometimes, a walk in the great outdoors is exactly what you need.

FUN FACT FRIDAY - DID YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A “SECOND HEART”?

It’s not actually another heart… it’s your calf muscle pump!

Your calf muscles play an important role in helping blood return from your lower legs back towards your heart. And it doesn’t matter what size or shape your calves are — they still perform the same important job!

Every time you walk, run, move your ankles or contract your calf muscles, they squeeze the veins in your lower legs and help push blood upwards against gravity.
The valves inside your veins then help prevent the blood from flowing backwards.
So, your calves aren’t just important for walking, running and jumping — they also play a key role in circulation!

The two main muscles in your calves are the Gastrocnemius and Soleus.

As demonstrated by several different people, calves come in all different shapes and sizes. Their appearance may vary, but the muscles still perform their important functions.

So whether your calves are big, small, long, short, defined or not — they’re all working hard!

💡 This is one reason why regular movement is important, especially if you’ve been sitting or standing in one position for a long time. Motion is lotion!

🐝 Look after your body from the ground up!

FUN FACT FRIDAY with my trusted assistant - John Bone Jovi

🦵 WHAT IS THE LONGEST MUSCLE IN THE BODY?

The answer is the SARTORIUS!
The sartorius is a long, narrow muscle that runs diagonally across the front of your thigh — from your hip towards the inside of your knee.

📍 ORIGIN:
Anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) of the pelvis.
📍 INSERTION:
Medial surface of the proximal tibia, as part of the pes anserinus.
💪 WHAT DOES IT DO?
The sartorius works across both the hip and knee.
Its main actions are:
➡️ Hip flexion
➡️ Hip abduction
➡️ Hip external rotation
➡️ Knee flexion
➡️ Assists with medial rotation of the tibia when the knee is flexed

It helps you perform movements such as crossing your legs or bringing your foot towards your opposite thigh — hence its nickname, the “tailor’s muscle.”

🧘‍♀️ HOW CAN YOU STRETCH IT?
Because the sartorius performs several movements, you want to stretch it by moving the hip into the opposite positions:
✔️ Hip extension
✔️ Hip adduction
✔️ Hip internal rotation

⚠️ Remember: You don’t need to force a stretch to feel it working. Keep the movement controlled and comfortable.

🐝 At Bee RelaxeD – Sports Therapy, I love educating clients about how their bodies move because understanding your body is the first step towards looking after it!

✨DESK STRETCHES✨

Do you spend hours sitting at a desk?

Long periods in a seated position can leave us feeling stiff and restricted, particularly through the:
🔹 Cervical spine (neck)
🔹 Thoracic spine (upper back)
🔹 Lumbar spine (lower back)
🔹 Shoulders
🔹 Hips
🔹 Hamstrings & posterior chain

When we’re sitting, our hips and knees remain flexed and our hamstrings are held in a shortened position. Staying in one position for too long can contribute to stiffness and reduced movement.

Your body is designed to MOVE!
Try taking a few minutes every couple of hours to get up, move around and perform some simple stretches.

Here are some desk-friendly stretches to help mobilise your:
✨ Neck & shoulders
✨ Upper back
✨ Lower back
✨ Hips
✨ Hamstrings
✨ Posterior chain

You don’t need a full workout — just a few minutes of movement throughout your working day can make a difference.

👉🏼 Save this post and come back to it during your working day!

EDS — WHAT IS IT & DID YOU KNOW IT CAN AFFECT YOUR TEETH AND JAW?

👉🏼 WHAT IS EDS?
Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are a group of heritable connective tissue disorders caused by genetic changes.
Connective tissue helps provide structure & support to areas including our skin, joints, blood vessels, bones, gums etc.
Not everyone with EDS will experience the same symptoms.

👉🏼 WHO "CREATED" EDS?
Two doctors created it in the early 1900s:
🔹 Dr Edvard Lauritz Ehlers, a Danish dermatologist
🔹 Dr Henri-Alexandre Danlos, a French dermatologist

👉🏼 HOW MANY TYPES OF EDS ARE THERE?
The current 2017 classification recognises 13 types of EDS, including hypermobile EDS (hEDS), vascular EDS & periodontal EDS (pEDS).

👉🏼 WHAT IS pEDS?
Periodontal Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (pEDS)
This is something that doesn't always get talked about when discussing EDS!
Because EDS affects connective tissue, it can also affect the mouth, gums, teeth and jaw/TMJ. It is particularly associated with severe, early-onset periodontal disease, fragile or reduced attached gum tissue and premature tooth loss.
Some people with pEDS can experience:
🦷 Gum recession or fragile gums
🦷 Difficulties with dental anaesthesia
🦷 Jaw/TMJ clicking, locking or instability
🦷 Headaches associated with jaw dysfunction

👉🏼 WHAT ABOUT THE JAW & TMJ?
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint connecting your jaw to your skull.
The masseter is one of the main muscles involved in closing & moving the jaw.

Depending on the individual problem, a medical professional may consider treatments such as physiotherapy, bite management, splints or, in some circumstances, botulinum toxin (Botox) injections into muscles such as the masseter.
⚠️ Important: Botox may be used in selected patients to reduce excessive muscle activity associated with clenching or grinding.

👉🏼 SPECIALIST DENTAL SUPPORT
If you have EDS, suspected EDS, hypermobility or ongoing jaw/TMJ problems, the below dental professionals will help as they understand connective tissue disorders and how they can affect the mouth & jaw.
•Dr Siobhan Hewson — Aberdeen based at her new clinic - The Terrace
•Dr Lorraine Bruce — Peterhead/Boddam based - Buchan Braes Dental Practice

⚠️ This post is for educational awareness only and is not intended to diagnose.