The beauty of cycling, is that it is a very low impact form of exercise that results in fewer injuries than higher impact activities such as running. However, the number of repetitions that cyclists perform (roughly 6000 revolutions per hour) is much greater than any other sport. Chronic injuries can occur from riding too long, too fast or too often. I always advise my patients to have a professional evaluate how their bike fits their body. An improper fit of the handlebars, saddle, frame or pedals can cause a predisposition to musculoskeletal problems aka pain and injuries.
Common Injuries Encountered By Cyclists
Neck & Mid Back Injuries
Causes – This problem is typically due to over exertion of the muscles that extend the neck and raise the shoulders. The cause of this is usually the rams-horn style of handlebars that cause the rider to hold the head and neck in a hyperextended position for prolonged periods of time. Some individuals have problems with this due to the loss of the normal forward curve (lordosis) in their neck. This type of structural problem is best addressed with chiropractic care.
Symptoms – Spasm, tenderness and soreness of the muscles of the neck and upper back. Pain is usually felt with extension and rotation of the neck.
Treatment – Initially stretching and strengthening the muscles of the neck and upper back is advisable. If the problem persists, it maybe due to structural problems in your neck. If the neck and upper back pain persists for more than a week you need to be evaluated.
Lower Back & Injuries
Causes – Lower back strain and pain can occur when an unconditioned rider rides too long with the back flexed forward. Other causes are obesity, weak trunk muscles or biomechanical dysfunction in the form of lumbar and sacroiliac subluxations .
Symptoms – Decreased mobility of the trunk and spasms of the lower back. Pain is usually felt with flexion and rotation of the trunk muscles. In many instances, lower back pain will be felt more on one side due to asymmetrical loading of the sacroiliac joints. If not corrected the individual may begin experiencing Sciatica.
Treatment – Strengthening and stretching of the torso, lower back and hip musculature will help remedy many of the lower back symptoms many riders experience due to muscular weakness. If the injury has caused pain due to misalignments in the lower back or sacroiliac area strength training will only irritate the condition. If this is the case, chiropractic evaluation is indicated.
Trochanteric Bursitis
Causes – Trochanteric bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa on the side of the hip, typically caused by the gluteus medius or iliotibial band rubbing over the bursa and causing irritation. The injury is most common in cyclists with a saddle adjusted too high, unequal leg lengths (possible sacroiliac subluxation) or weak hip muscles.
Symtoms – There is a gradual onset of pain. Typically, the pain is on the side of the hip and will gradually migrate down the side of the leg. If not properly treated, sleeping on the affected side and climbing stairs will begin to cause pain.
Treatment – Resting and icing the area is always beneficial. Trochanteric busitis is usuallly a symptom of riding with a saddle that is too high. Consider lowering the saddle to limit hip extension with each stroke. Once the pain begins to subside begin stretching the gluteus medius and the IT band.
As I mentioned in the beginning of this post it is very important to have a professional help you to set up your bike. Ergonomics are not just for the office. A properly set up bike will not only increase your bike riding enjoyment but it will also minimize your chances of overuse injuries. Below is a video of a professional setting up a riders bicycle.
I hope this post has been helpful. If you live in the Cincinnati area and are still experiencing pain while riding, even though your bike has been professionally fitted to your body give me a call and schedule an exam.
A person with torticolles typically enters my office with his head tilted to one side and is able to turn his head in one direction but not the other. The pain initially is mild but becomes intense as time passes. This can actually happen at any age. Some people are born with it. Torticollis usually has an insidious onset. Sleeping funny or having your head turned to one side for a prolonged period of time. In fact, initially most people think they just have a crick in their neck.
The problem in the majority of cases begins at the spinal joints or facets. When the spine is put into rotation for a prolonged period of time, this causes the affected spinal joints to separate. This separation causes the capsule to stretch. As the spinal joint surfaces get pulled apart, the surrounding capsule can be pulled into the joint due to a negative pressure. Once this occurs, the joints are now able to “pinch” the capsule. This pinching in turn causes the muscled that cross that joint to go into spasm which causes more pinching. This in turn causes more spasm. This is why the pain tends to spread over time and is always on one side. Warning: Get this treated ASAP.
Our neck or cervical spine has quite a job to do. It holds our head up and gives us incredible mobility allowing us to look all around. However, with all this mobility comes vulnerability. There are a variety of reasons that the neck becomes painful and stiff. Below are just a few.
Torticollis (Wry Neck) – A person with torticolles typically enters my office with his head tilted to one side and is able to turn his head in one direction but not the other. The pain initially is mild but becomes intense as time passes. This can actually happen at any age. Some people are born with it. Torticollis usually has an insidious onset. Sleeping funny or having your head turned to one side for a prolonged period of time. In fact, initially most people think they just have a crick in their neck.
The problem in the majority of cases begins at the spinal joints or facets. When the spine is put into rotation for a prolonged period of time, this causes the affected spinal joints to separate. This separation causes the capsule to stretch. As the spinal joint surfaces get pulled apart, the surrounding capsule can be pulled into the joint due to a negative pressure. Once this occurs, the joints are now able to “pinch” the capsule. This pinching in turn causes the muscled that cross that joint to go into spasm which causes more pinching. This in turn causes more spasm. This is why the pain tends to spread over time and is always on one side. Warning: Get this treated ASAP.
Whiplash Injuries – It’s surreal… One moment you are stopped at a red light. The next moment you hear screeching tires, you look up into your rearview mirror and immediately feel the impact. You have just been involved in an accident. Within moments a policeman taps on your window to ask if you are okay… You move around a bit and much to your surprise, you feel fine, other than feeling a bit anxious. Two days later however, you cannot lift your head off your pillow and your body feels like it has been beat up. How can this be? You feel okay immediately after the accident but with 48 to 72 hours you feel miserable. I’m always asked this question… Doc, I felt fine right after the accident, why do I hurt so badly now? A quick anatomy lesson will help here. It is all about blood supply. Tissues that have a good blood supply swell quickly after an injury. Tissues that have a poor blood supply swell slowly after an injury. There are several things that are significant about this. Not only does a poor blood supple delay the onset of pain, it also significantly increases healing time and in some cases healing outcomes. Properly treating this type of injury is critical. Left alone, improper healing can occur leaving the individual with chronic pain for the rest of their life. We all know people like this. I have been treating whiplash injuries since 1988. If you live in the greater Cincinnati area and have been in an auto accident, call me and set up an appointment to be examined. The sooner treatment begins the better the outcome.
Poor Workstation Ergonomics – For years I would do Ergonomic walk through and lectures at companies throughout the greater Cincinnati area. I was amazed that companies would spend thousands of dollars on adjustable furniture, yet 99% of the people had the furniture adjusted improperly. A thousand dollar chair is useless unless you know how to properly set it up. So what exactly is the point of ergonomics in the work place? Simply put… a properly set up workstation fits the individual’s body allowing it to stay in a relaxed, low energy consuming neutral position. Unfortunately, what I found was the opposite at most companies I visited. If you feel like your workstation is not set up correctly have it checked or give me a call.
Sleeping Posture – Any posture that is held for a prolonged period of time can cause the spinal segments to misalign or become subluxated… sleeping 4 to 6 hours definitely falls into this category. If you wake up with a stiff painful neck on a regular basis you need to evaluate your sleeping posture(s) and you should also have your spine checked for subluxations.
Slips & Falls – Cause a rapid motion in the neck. This can cause muscular, ligamentous and disc injuries. Just like a whiplash. If you have recently slipped or fallen you should have your spine checked immediately.
Loss of Spinal Curve – All of the above can cause a loss of the curve in your neck or cervical spine. Below are some of the consequences of a loss of curve in your neck:
• Spinal Cord Tension – As the neck straightens out the spinal cord gets pulled taunt. This cord tension can cause symptoms throughout the body.
• Headaches o Migraine Headaches – Vascular in nature.
o Tension Headaches – Muscular in nature.
• Cervical Brachial Syndrome – Neck pain that refers into the shoulder and arm.
• Degenerative Disc Disease – Also known as Osteoarthritis.
A funny thing happens as we grow older; time seems to go by faster and faster. Our lives tend to become cluttered with to-do lists. Not only do we make demands on ourselves, but other people seem to enjoy putting demands on us also.
Many of us have gone to seminars to learn time management, but somehow, there are still not enough hours in the day. Because of this, we spend most of our day in reaction. We feel like we are constantly putting out fires which leaves us feeling out of control and stressed.
Stress is interesting! Events that cause you stress, might not cause someone else any stress at all. In fact, the other person may totally enjoy the event that stresses you. This means that stress is an individual thing. Stress is simply how we interpret events. William Shakespeare once said, ” Nothing has any meaning, accept that which we give it.” Think about that, we give things and events meaning.
The Consequences of Living a Stressful Life.
When stressed, your heart beats faster, your blood pressure becomes elevated and you take shallower breaths. Our body was actually designed to do this, so we could respond to danger and live to tell about it. However, the intent was to use this only on occasion. Unfortunately, for a lot of people, this is an occurrence that happens several times a day. This leads to a breakdown of the body.
One of the most significant effects stress has on the human body is on the immune system. The immune system is a wonderful thing. As you are reading this article, there are cells in your body killing off invading organisms. You don’t even have to think about it. When you are stressed, however, these little attack cells are reproduced at a much slower rate. This of course allows the invading organisms to over-power-us and make us sick. Getting sick is a sign that our immunity has been compromised. By the way, becoming ill is Feedback! It’s our body’s way of telling us we need to make changes.
Tips on Dealing with Stress
Develop Empowering Beliefs. Reflect back on the problems you have had in the past. Problems that at the time, you thought could not be dealt with but you dealt with them and eventually they were handled. Current problems are no different, regardless of their size. Always remember, “all” problems have a beginning and an end.
Exercise. Exercise does marvelous things to counteract the effects of stress. Exercise strengthens the immune system, strengthens the heart, makes blood vessels more pliable and helps you to think more clearly. At the end of the day you will ba able to unwind faster and get a better night’s sleep.
Diet. Most people are digging their grave with their teeth. Begin to eliminate processed foods out of your diet. Try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables organically grown if you can find them. Reduce stimulating substances like sugar, chocolate and coffee. Drink more water!
Why is it that so many people struggle with the same challenges year after year? Most of us have experienced this phenomenon in ourselves or witnessed it in others. A great example of this type of challenge would be our bodies. Did you know that a large percentage of people that go to the gym on a regular basis are frustrated by the fact that they see very little change in their physique?
Why does this happen?
There are a variety of reasons why people fail. Some are physical, most however, are psychological. Most people actually fail before they begin. What do I mean by that? It’s quite simple; they have very little understanding of the p-r-o-c-e-s-s of changing their body. Consequently, they quickly become frustrated and give up. I have written this post specifically for those of you who consistently “hit-the-wall” when it comes to changing the dimensions of your body.
The human Body is an amazing machine. If properly cared for it will function at a high level creating a strong, healthy and lean physique. If improperly cared for it will become weak, sickly and obese.
So let’s begin the story of how you are going to get your body back. The first thing I would like you to know is that your body works with the laws of nature. Like gravity, these laws work 24 hours a day 365 days a year and are predictable.
Changing the shape of your body does not require fancy equipment, a trainer or a $200 DVD program bought on a late night infomercial. However, it does require 3 things:
A Solid Plan
Realistic expectations
A willingness to do certain things over and over again until you get the desired result.
A Picture is worth a 1000 words.
Have you ever looked at pictures that were taken of you through the years and wondered what happened? Those pictures are a historical representation, a visual diary of sorts, of how you have cared for your body up to this point. Are you pleased with how you look or displeased? Most people are displeased.
Understand this… Your body has adapted to your daily thoughts and habits. To change your body you have to change your daily thoughts and habits. The majority of people work on changing one but not both, that is why they fail.
What You Resist… Will Persist!
True change always begins by making a decision and then committing to that decision. Commitment is critical to any worthwhile endeavor. When was the last time you made a commitment to yourself that you kept? Has it been a while? Now is your chance. You are worth it!
“True Commitment is doing that in which you said you were going to do, even though the mood in which you said it has left you.”
Okay so you are now committed to begin the process of changing your body. You know that inspiration and motivation tend to diminish in short period of time. Because of this, in the past you gave up. So why is this time going to be different? Because I’m going to teach you what to expect when using this plan.
A great analogy for making changes in your body is rehabbing an old house. First of all, if you purchased the house you obviously saw potential. You had a vision of what the house will ultimately look like. The same goes for your body. The first thing I want you to do is get a vision of what you will look like when you have reached your goal. I want you to create a very Precise Vision. At night before you fall asleep with your eyes closed, imagine you are sitting in a theater by yourself watching the “you” that “you” are becoming on the screen. It’s important that you create and notice details about the new you that you are becoming. How you eat. How you move. How people look at you differently. Your energy level. Again, the more detail the better. Clarity is power. Have fun with it! By doing this nightly you are creating a mental target or blueprint for your mind and body to follow. This step is critical.
Let time be your friend
Like any process in nature, time is required for change to occur. Choosing a time frame correctly will help keep your expectations in check. You probably know the saying, “A watched pot never boils.” I always tell my clients to allow themselves a minimum time frame of 18 months. Trust me… 18 months goes by quickly if you stay focused on the process of becoming a better version of you. In a span of 18 months, many transforming things occur both physically and psychologically. These gradual changes will not only change the way you feel but also dramatically change your habits.
Take out the garbage
Okay back to the analogy of rehabbing the house. Typically, the first step of rehabbing a house is tearing out all of the old out-dated materials so that new more functional materials can be put in their place. Your old habits and behaviors are to be looked at in the same way. They function but they are no longer useful in helping you to attaining your goal. In fact, they are counterproductive. So from now on, I want you to look at any thought, habit or behavior that is not drawing you closer to your goal as Garbage. Begin the process of eliminating them. Know that in the beginning your mind and body will argue with you. This is great news. Welcome it! This lets you know you are the right track.
Thoughts are things!
I cannot possibly emphasize how important your internal dialogue is when it comes to achieving your goal. The thoughts that you accept are very powerful because they drive your daily behavior. It’s your daily behavior that either moves you towards or away from your goal. When confronted with a decision always ask this question… Is this moving me towards or away from my goal? Then choose accordingly.
Fats & Sugars
Did you know that your body has the amazing ability to burn two types of fuel? Fats and sugars. If you are overweight and have a lot of body fat, you burn mainly sugar. Did you know your body can be coaxed to burn fat by simply changing the way you eat?
It’s a proven fact that the over abundance of carbohydrates in one’s diet causes a variety of problems. For our discussion however, the main problem it causes is weight gain and obesity. To make serious changes in your body you need to begin eliminating carbohydrates from your diet. As you remove carbohydrates begin adding more high quality proteins and vegetables. As your intake of sugar/carbohydrates drop off your body will begin “choosing” fat as a source of fuel. This can take a while but the results will make you very happy.
Are you retaining water?
Did you know your body holds on to water if you are not properly hydrated? Drinking more water is a must. The rule of thumb is half your body weight in fluid ounces per day. Example: If you weigh 100 pounds you should drink 50 fluid ounces of water per day.
Time to get moving
Many people despise exercise. In fact, they equate it with pain. In reality, it is a wonderful tool if properly used and understood. I want you to look at exercise as a tool. Exercise is a very efficient way of putting a specific demand on your body. There are two forms of exercise both will help you to sculpt out a new body. Exercise five days a week.
(Remember: This is an 18 month process start out slow)
Aerobic Exercise
I’d like to teach you the secret of burning fat. To burn fat you have to get your heart rate into a range that is specific for YOU! Ones size does not fit all. Everybody is different!
So how do you figure this out? There are several ways, this I have found to be the easiest. 220 – (your age) X 70%= Your Target Heart Rate. Let’s say you are 30 years old. Here is how the calculation would go 220 – 30 X 70%= 133. So if you were 30 years old, your target rate would be 133 beats per minute. This is basically 70% of your maximum heart rate for your age. When your heart is beating in this zone your body’s chooses fat as a fuel. When your heart rate exceeds this your body chooses sugar as a fuel. We do not want this!
Ideally, you would slowly bring (over a period of 5 to 10 minutes) your heart rate up to your target rate. Once you achieve your target rate, the longer you stay there the better. Start out slow maybe 12 minutes. Over time work up to 15 minutes. Soon you will be doing 45 minutes to an hour.
I always advise my Wellness Clients to buy a Heart Rate Monitor. This is not necessary but it makes monitoring your heart rate much easier. In my opinion Polar Heart Monitors are the best. The heart monitor becomes an invaluable tool. I call it my coach. It will let you know when you are above or below your target rate. It also helps you to create a target zone. Bottom line, it makes doing this EASY!
Anaerobic Exercise
Strength training or weight training typically involves lifting weights or using weight machines. Doing push-ups, pull-ups and squats also can be used to do strength training. The procedure is straight forward try to incorporate several exercises that hit all the main areas of your body. As mentioned above you could do push-ups for your chest. Pull-ups for your arms and back and squats for your lower body. Work your way up to where you can do 3 sets of 12 reps. Over time you will get stronger.
Exercise 5 days a week.
Do aerobic exercises one day and anaerobic exercises the next day. Start out slowly until you develop a good base and then expand on that base.
Discipline is not an end in itself, only a means to an end.
Remember that the past does not equal the future. You failed in the past because you simply did not understanding the process. You now understand that your body works with the laws of nature and by following the above plan, you will be partnering with these laws. I wish you success. If you have questions please leave a comment.
The beauty of cycling, is that it is a very low impact form of exercise that results in fewer injuries than higher impact activities such as running. However, the number of repetitions that cyclists perform (roughly 6000 revolutions per hour) is much greater than any other sport. Chronic injuries can occur from riding too long, too fast or too often. I always advise my patients to have a professional evaluate how their bike fits their body. An improper fit of the handlebars, saddle, frame or pedals can cause a predisposition to musculoskeletal problems aka pain and injuries.
A funny thing happens as we grow older; time seems to go by faster and faster. Our lives tend to become cluttered with to-do lists. Not only do we make demands on ourselves, but other people seem to enjoy putting demands on us also.
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