Physical Therapy for Injuries Caused by Riding Bikes in Westchester County NY - Executive Park PT

Riding your bike is a great workout but repetitive motions can cause stress injuries which can complicate your ability to ride.

Yonkers, NY (prHWY.com) August 23, 2012 - As with most sports, the key to avoiding the more common repetitive stress injuries is by taking heed to the forces that will influence the body. The biomechanics for each individual will vary based on several factors. These components are forces that are brought upon by abnormal body movement and external forces that place the body in a disadvantageous state. A runner with flat feet, for example, would benefit from straight lass sneakers with pronation control features for relatively long distances although for a short sprint it wouldn't matter as much as the running tends to occur on the balls of the feet. That longer distance runner with flat feet who, for the sake of making a point, has a restricted ankle will likely precipitate a knee problem if given orthotics to correct the arch.

Being mindful of one's body and the external forces placed onto it will allow the athlete to optimize his/her performance and prevent injury. A cyclist with tight hip flexors, to further illustrate, will have a difficult time maintaining a neutral pelvis causing rounding of the back, thereby allowing for only sub-optimal oxygen consumption. Therefore, fine tuning the manner in which one moves is critical to a successful cyclist.

As for the external factors influencing cycling, the features that require attention, that if not dealt with properly could be injurious are:

-Saddle height

-Crank length

-Seat tube angle

-Saddle position

-Shoe-pedal interface

Depending on the type of rider you are whether short distance or long distance will determine the optimal seat height. For short distances, using 109% of leg length allows one to generate maximal force driven mainly by the hips whereas using 105-107% of leg length would be optimal for moderate to longer distances. At the latter heights oxygen consumption is improved and the joint thigh muscles, hamstrings and quadriceps, are more utilized.

Crank length, too, varies according to the length of the event a cyclist is doing. The longer the crank length the more torque is generated, which would be ideal for negotiating hills, whereas shorter cranks would be ideal for shorter distances. Longer cranks causes the hip and knees to flex more, which has been correlated with hip and knee problems, like ITB Syndrome and Trochanteric Bursitis - a consideration to bear in mind.

Seat tube angle (STA) generally should positioned at about 74-76 degrees.

Studies have shown that optimal oxygen uptake occurs with angle less than 76, although popular in the triathlon world is 76-78 degrees. A slight forward shift of the body is thought to ideal for power production and is the sought after position for triathletes and time trialists.

Saddle position tends to vary as well although generally what is recommended is having a straight line from the back of the seat to the crank axis. A seat too far forward will engage the quadriceps too much and put the knee at risk.

The shoe should have the ball of the foot on the pedal. Any more forward movement, whether the mid foot or hind foot would tend to activate more hip extensors. With clip-in pedals, particularly on high performance road bikes, making sure that you have the proper setup is crucial for avoiding injuries to the knees, hips and lower back.

Having one's cleat out of position by just a fraction of an inch makes an avid cyclist much more susceptible to injuries. This is due to the fact that clip-in pedals allow the rider to generate much more torque, since they can both push down with the quadriceps and calf muscles on one side, while pull up with the hamstrings on the other side during a single pedal stroke. After hours of mashing the pedals at 80% effort, the wear and tear can be considerable if the tendons are misaligned and sliding across the bone.

It is also important to keep in mind that the biomechanics of the left side of your body may vary greatly from that of the right side. This means that each foot may require a completely different cleat setup to ensure that the rider does not get injured due to a faulty fit.

Tuning your bike to fit your particular bio mechanical and competition needs are vital. Tuning your body is just as essential, which is why cyclist should see a sports physiotherapist both for maintenance and treatment. As mentioned earlier, ideally when we ride a neutral pelvis should be maintained to prevent compressive stress to discs caused by an exaggerated curving of the low back, while tensile stress to ligaments in the low back occur with too much flattening of the lumbar spine, not to mention that oxygen consumption is compromised. As I often say to my patients, "the body is a kinematic chain consisting of an alternating pattern of stiffness and mobility." If stiffness or stability is compromised or floppiness or mobility is sub-standard the entire body is thrown off. A cyclist with a rigid mid spine will likely not stabilize their lumbar spine, predisposing then to back injury.

For all these reasons, my suggestion is to see a bike specialist in order to deal with the external forces that impact the body. A local bike shop that I have used several times is Hastings Velo in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. There you will receive great service managed by Stan Avedo and have your bike tuned up by Robert to fit your individual needs. As for the internally driven forces, come see me at Executive Park PT. I will be able to screen your entire body to determine if there are any weak links and deal with an existing problem both regionally and also with the consideration of global body influences. Two of the systems we often use are Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and Functional Movement Screen (FMS).

To find out what solutions Dr. Ivan Hernandez and his amazing team have to treat your injuries caused by riding bikes in Westchester NY, call today to make your appointment.

Yonkers: 914.509.4640 | Elmsford: 914.909.5130

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Tag Words: bike injuries, riding injuries, physical therapy bronx, physical therapy, westchester

Categories: Health

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