I have a confession to make…I’m a secret cyclist

Well I was until my clients caught me in my lycra walking through the clinic! Several years ago, I got really into cycling and spent many a weekend tackling the steepest slopes I could find in my home county of Surrey. I realised recently life had overtaken me and that I’d not found my feet in the pedals for some time. So about a month ago I restarted – cautiously – to cycle, worried that maybe I’d lost it or that it would be too difficult. Was I wrong! I love it and it only took a week for me to feel confident and comfortable back in the saddle.

Now you know my secret, I have a favour to ask. I’ve set myself a goal of competing in a cycling and running race in the Spring of 2014. If you see me cycling or jogging around Benfleet or Shoeburyness (I’ll be in my Spinal and Natural T-shirt), give me a wave or a thumbs up to boost my motivation. I’d really love it if you could do that.

Regular readers will know that I always advise a sensible approach to new exercise routines and I’ve been following my own advice by getting help from my rehab/gym trainer Samir at my gym S.O. Crossfit in Southend. I’m also fortunate that one of my old neighbours is a cycling junkie and a journalist for a top cycling magazine (Cycling Weekly) for more than 30 years so I’ve had some fabulous support in the past to learn from.  And this is my point really, if you fancy having a go at a new sport or activity but don’t know quite where to start then consider who you could approach for some help. Most people who are passionate about an activity are delighted to offer words of wisdom to new comers and their knowledge will probably save you a packet on equipment purchases too, I certainly did when I got my bike! So don’t hold yourself back, talk to your friends and neighbours, pop in to your local leisure and sports clubs or browse online community sites and you’ll soon find that you have a great support team behind you.

I’ve still got so much to learn about cycling but here’s the view point from someone that trained as a Chiropractor (and has acquisitioned the odd injury over the year on cycling and some links to good sources of advice on cycling for fun and competitively.

The sensible approach to cycling

•        Although not a weight- bearing exercise, cycling is a repetitive motion demanding a lot from your  knees. It really is worth getting your bike properly set up for your body – your local bike shop or a    professional coach will be able to help you with this (I used www.triandrun.com in Hainault).        Problems will particularly arise from a seat that is too low, too high or too far forward, pedalling         in too high a gear when not appropriate and a slow or uneven rhythm of pedaling.

•        If your feet pronate (turn inwards) this will stress your knees and it is worth considering specialist       cycling orthotics (shoe inserts). A specialist cycling shop will also be able to set up your pedalling    system to reduce the stress on your knees and improve the energy efficiency of your pedalling.

•        Many people’s legs slightly differ in length which, when riding, can cause problems with your            ankles, knees and hips. Again, adjustments to the pedalling system or wearing professionally fitted orthotics can compensate for this.

•        Researchers from Israel have found that adjusting the angle of a bicycle seat can reduce the    rider’s incidence of back pain. The report, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine,    examined 40 cyclists, (aged 17 to 72), all of whom had complained of back pain. Each of the   cyclists’ bicycle seats were adjusted forward by 10 to 15 degrees. After 6 months, three quarters         of the cyclists noted improvement.

•        Getting your hydration levels correct is vital. Weigh yourself before and after cycling to ascertain       your loss of weight in water. If cycling for less than an hour you can replace this with water. If    cycling for greater than an hour, I would suggest still using water unless you start to flag, at this        point try a brown spotted banana. Try to keep the amount of weight lost equivalent to the amount          of fluid drunk within half an hour after the exercise.

•        Pain is a warning sign – don’t ignore it. Follow RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and if             you have an injury that is not healing or moving properly after several days, consult your local            chiropractically trained practitioner

Useful links www.bikeforall.net www.cyclingengland.co.uk www.tourdefrancelondon.com www.bikeability.org.uk (for children)

 

Kind regards

Stuart Lawrence BSc(Hons) MSc(Chiro) DC

Osteomyologist

www.spinalcarecentre.co.uk

 

All information given is intended for general informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice, medical opinion, diagnosis or treatment.

If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your GP.

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