Keep your
edge

Desk posture, screen height and how you sleep. It often starts in the upper back, not the neck itself.

He checks your neck, shoulders and upper back together, then works on the neck and upper back.

Overhead work in racquet sports and the gym, or long hours held still at a desk.

Work on the rotator cuff, chest and upper back to free up movement before you load it again.

Long hours at a desk and shallow breathing. Usually felt as tightness between the shoulder blades.

Deep tissue work around the mid-back and ribs, plus mobility exercises to help it last.

Long hours sitting, lifting technique and stiff hips. The back is usually where you feel it, not the cause.

He checks your hips and glutes first, then works on the lower back and whatever is really causing it.

Lots of running or cycling, or the opposite: long hours sitting with your hips bent.

Work on the front of the hip and the glutes, looking at how your hip actually moves when you walk or run.

Underused from sitting, then overloaded in training. A common cause of both lower back and hamstring problems.

Focused glute and deep hip work, plus things to do between sessions.

Heavy training, hill work and not enough recovery between hard sessions.

Deep tissue work on the thigh and the front of the hip, with advice on managing your training.

Sprinting and quick changes of direction, usually on top of stiff hips.

Work on the hamstrings and glutes, with a sensible plan for getting back to full training.

Rarely the knee itself. The strain usually comes from the hip, the thigh or the ankle.

He works above and below the knee first, then checks again how it moves.

Lots of running, a change of shoes, and stiff ankles.

Deep work on the calf and Achilles, plus ankle mobility.

Long hours on your feet, footwear, and strain passed down from further up the leg.

Work on the sole of the foot and the lower leg, with practical advice on footwear and activity.