Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Get ready to bike!
Warmer weather is coming and athletic seasons are changing. As you get excited about spending more time on a bike, your body is going to be asked to adapt to spending more time in the saddle again. You may have been active during the Winter nordic skiing, alpine skiing, snowshoeing etc and spending a couple of hours/week on a trainer - all of which are great ways to stay in shape but still not the same as riding for hours. The patterns of muscle recruitment (how much you use your glutes vs hamstrings to extend your hip, and using them in a short position such as when you are upright or in a long position such as when you are on a bike) being used in these Winter activities, are slightly different than the muscle recruitment patterns you will use biking. This increases the risk of overuse injuries, aches and pains at the beginning of the season while your body is re-adapting to your biking position. Muscular imbalances from off season activities/training also increase the risk of injury. An example of this would be if your V2 skating technique favors pushing off on one side more than the other. If you prefer to push off with your L leg and glide with your R leg you would increase hip abductor strength on your L, push off side, and hip adductor strength on your R, glide side. Once on a bike your L hip abductors and R hip adductors will work together to elevate the R side of your pelvis up and lower the L side of your pelvis forcing your back and knee to compensate. This example could easily lead to tightness in your low back (especially on the R side), ITBand pain or anterior knee pain.
Prior to increasing the amount of time that you are spending on a bike take some time to make sure that:
Your bike fit still works for your strength and flexibility at this time of the season
Talk to your coach about how much to increase your time in the saddle each week. As a rule of thumb try not to increase training volume by more than 10-15% to give your body a chance to adapt.
Check that you can move symmetrically. Try some of the exercises in the pictures below (read the instructions!) and see if each side feels symmetrical/equally easy - if there is a slight difference work on the weaker side. If there is a marked difference consider having your mechanics evaluated.
i) Sidelying knee to knee – Lay on your side with your knees and hips flexed to 90 degrees and your back relaxed and rounded. Push both feet firmly into the wall to stabilize your pelvis. Move your top knee forward (if moving your R knee forward your pelvis will rotate to the L and vice versa). Now keeping your pelvis steady for the remainder of the exercise lift up your top knee so you feel your glute max engage. Then, without moving your pelvis or engaging your back or neck lift your bottom knee to your top knee so you feel your inner thigh and outer hip (glute med) working. Hold and breathe for 4 deeps breaths. (See picture #1 below)
ii) Standing reach test – Stand with your feet hip width apart and knees straight. Reach forward and try to touch your toes and hold for 4 deep breaths. We are not looking for side to side imbalances here but rather if you have adequate low back and hamstring length and if you can expand the back of your chest when you breathe (you have to be able to breathe in a flexed position on a bike) (See picture # 2 below)
iii) Foot to foot – Lay on your side with your shoulders, hips and ankles lined up. Reach toward the wall with your top leg to lengthen your top side and shorten your lower side. Use your abs to further shorten your lower side. Keeping your lower side abdominals engaged lift your lower leg using your inner thigh muscles. Hold for 4 deep breaths. (See picture # 3 below)
iv) Sidelying flexed adduction with extended abduction – Lay on your side with your shoulders, hips and ankles lined up. Reach toward the wall with your top leg to lengthen your top side and shorten your lower side. Use your abs to further shorten your lower side. Now lift your lower knee which is bent without moving your pelvis. Keeping your lower side abdominals and inner thigh engaged lift your upper foot off the block without tightening your back or neck and without moving your pelvis. (See picture # 4 below)
v) Retro steps – With your back slightly rounded and relaxed place one foot straight ahead on a step. Line up your foot and thigh and move your weight onto your upper heel. Hold for 2 breaths and then move to the next step and repeat. Which hip feels tighter? Which hip works harder to lift you? (See picture # 5 below)
For more information contact: oliver@inspirephysicaltherapy.com
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Tuesday, April 26, 2011
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