Dreaming of a World Cup winning performance in Brazil this summer, but realistically not expecting Gerrard and company to do more than make the semi-final stage, preparations for our England footballers have never been better.
Located in the heart of England, near Burton-Upon-Trent, St. George’s Park is the home of the new National Football Centre.
Set in the National Forest, in 330 acres of landscaped parkland, the centre is the training hub for the 24 England teams. With hi-tech conferencing, sport and medical facilities, the park is fast establishing itself as a world-class event and sporting venue, featuring two Hilton hotels as well as the highly acclaimed Perform sports medicine, rehabilitation and performance centre.
Since it opened in November 2012, St. George’s Park has reached 34 clubs with 266 young players screened for heart defects. Almost 814 physio sessions have been delivered and 110 weeks of rehabilitation performed with 36 clubs sending players to the complex.
The state-of-the-art hydrotherapy suite at the Perform centre offers facilities and services proven to help those who are recovering from injury or surgery, suffer from back and neck pain, or aid neurological rehabilitation such as stroke or multiple sclerosis.
Included among the cutting edge facilities at St George’s Park is the hydrotherapy suite featuring a Varipool with adjustable floor and a contrast temperature pool. The suite also houses an innovative underwater treadmill with video analysis, which allows early acute rehabilitation and is a core part of the suite.
A spokesperson for Perform explains: “We have a variety of users at the centre, and can see up to 100 clients per day using the facilities. We work with six to nine professional footballers a week providing residential rehabilitation as part of a deal with the Professional Footballers’ Association and each afternoon they have a session in recovery, on the underwater treadmill and working out in the VarioPool wearing flotation suits.
“We also use the hydrotherapy suite for physiotherapy and general rehabilitation for the general public. The facilities are a great aid for those who have lower limb injuries, have had a hip replacement or are recovering from a stroke. The technology of the Hydroworx is such that you can view the user on a TV screen from front and back to analyse their movements while walking and running.”
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