This article is in 2 parts.
We do hope it helps all you Newbie Cyclists and maybe some of the more advanced riders.
We are all pleased about Bradley Wiggins and according to the independent “Way back in 1993, when Bradley Wiggins travelled to Paris to see Spaniard Miguel Indurain stand triumphantly on the Champs-Élysées for his third of five Tour de France wins, the Londoner could surely never have thought that 19 years later the spark of inspiration that Indurain’s win created that day inside him would one day lead, Wiggins to follow his boyhood idol’s footsteps on to the Paris podium and in the process become the first Briton to seal overall victory in cycling’s biggest race.”
It was great news, he had been cycling and preparing for this event and his goal from being a child, what he and other cyclist have done for the sport is fantastic. More people are getting on their bikes and that is no bad thing, they even have a name for these gents on bikes MAMIL‘s, so be it whatever the name it is doing some good. Not everyone is Bradley Wiggins and not everyone is so committed or prepared.
We however need to point out some things to get you started keep you on track and help if or when you don’t stick to the plan.
1) Have a plan and a goal, talk to other cyclist or have a look on their websites to get an idea of how to start one such site is Toby Field the Fat Cycle Rider don’t be offended by the title its Toby’s site and he named it, but what he achieved is great and he did it in stages ,
2) Make sure you do get the right kit, Cycling is a great, low-impact way to stay fit, but it isn’t without risk of pain and injury. Most cycling pain occurs due to poor bike fit or improper riding technique. It’s important to have your bike adjusted to your body because “protection is essential “One of the most serious of all bike injuries is a head injury. Wearing a Bike Helmet as recommended to reduce the risk of a serious head injury while cycling
3) Do some exercises to warm up loosen up and get your body prepared, we are not talking major runs, and we are talking some swimming and some aerobic exercise some light weight training related exercise.
There is logic in this, the weights and the swimming are cardiovascular exercise and will help with breathing and you need to manage that, but please do the weights before the swimming and start to learn about your muscle groups you are going to use, unlike running Cycling is none weight bearing it is however a major drain on energy reserves.
It is also important to recognize and treat the early warning signs of injury. If you do develop an ache, pain or injury while cycling; it is likely to be among the following: although we can’t help with head injuries that is best dealt with at hospital and Road rash, the rest we can help with.
Abrasions and Road Rash
Ouch! We all know what road rash is like it is the result from a fall on a hard surface that causes outer layers of skin to rub off.
While a bike crash has the potential to cause a painful and severe abrasion, most abrasions are shallow scrapes that do not extend into the dermis and don’t cause a great deal of bleeding. While there is often little or no blood loss from an abrasion, there can be a great deal of pain because of the many nerve endings that are exposed.
Treatment for Abrasions and Road Rash
Conventional treatment of abrasions and road rash included treating the area by cleaning the wound with mild soap and water or a mild antiseptic wash like hydrogen peroxide, and then covering the area with an antibiotic ointment and a dry dressing.
However, it has been found that the use of antiseptics such as hydrogen peroxide may actually cause harm to the tissue and interfere with the healing process.
While a severe abrasion should be seen and cleaned by a physician, you can do some things to promote healing. First, because abrasions can easily become infected, you should clean the area thoroughly and remove any dirt and debris.
Ideally, you want to irrigate the area with a nontoxic surfactant such as 0.9 sodium chloride or Shur-Clens with a bit of pressure (use a syringe if possible). The area must be completely clean. If necessary, use clean gauze to gently scrub the area. Do not scrub vigorously, as this can cause more tissue damage. So we hope no one has this problem.
Clavicle Fractured (Broken Shoulder)
A shoulder fracture typically refers to a total or partial break to either the clavicle Bone (Collar bone) or the neck of the Humerus Bone (Arm bone). And folks neither are funny.
It generally is from an impact injury, so try to land on a soft surface and roll, a fall or blow to the shoulder can give you lasting damage, so you need to get it sorted out at hospital first once you’re out of plaster and getting back to fitness you will have muscle weakness and that needs to be treated.
That is when with the aid of the Bioneuro System Sigma Q (∑Q®) and Neuromuscular Injury Techniques, can get that muscle tone back to how it should be, quicker than with conventional exercise treatment .
Muscle Cramps.
A cramp is a sudden, tight and intense pain caused by a muscle locked in spasm. You can also recognize a muscle cramp as an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax. Causes of Cramp the main factors that contribute to muscle cramp are: Poor flexibility and tight muscles Muscle fatigue and overuse.
You need to Stop gently stretch the effected muscle or muscle group, you have to keep the affected areas moving with light activity and gentle massage and continue to apply ice and massage to help promote blood flow.
This is why we say the swimming will help. By improving your cardiovascular fitness it will improve the delivery of blood to your muscles, which will then ensure that they have adequate amounts of oxygen and nutrients to function properly.
Stretching will also keep your muscles loose and flexible and will help to stop them from tightening up and cramping. Massage manipulation will also help it will keep the oxygen and blood flow to the muscles. Your Injury Therapist will also be able to alleviate those trigger points that will be bound to cause the problems.
Dehydration, Electrolyte and mineral depletion
You should be consuming at least 8 to 10 glasses of filtered water a day and more if you are involved in strenuous physical activity If you are prone to muscle cramp you should also look at increasing your intake of minerals and electrolytes. The minerals that are most important are Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. These are your friends
Simply adding a small amount of mineral salt to your cooking, (such as sea salt or Celtic salt) will help to increase your intake of these important minerals. Also folks a good tip to help with Dehydration is drink skimmed milk after exercise (it’s all to do with molecule chains) but it works, also drink when you are thirsty don’t over drink that can have a very bad affect and Bananas learn to love them. if not Tomato Juice high in Vitamin C B12 and Magnesium and Potassium (keep it as a Virgin Mary I wont encourage the adding of the Vodka)
If you suffer from bad cramp at frequently intervals, especially at night, you should see your doctor as you may have circulatory problems.
Hand Numbness or Ulnar Neuropathy
This is experienced as pain and numbness of the small and ring finger, arm or wrist and is associated with pressure on the handlebars for long periods of time.
This is more than likely to be an over use injury, hey folks back to protection here again, get the gloves on and check the adjustments on the bike, the seat, and the pedals to your fit is the key to preventing most overuse injuries.
Adjust the bike so you sit in a more upright position, taking the weight and pressure off your hands and wrists.
Take a rest during long rides and change your hand position on the handlebars often.
Shift your weight from the centre of your palms to the outside edge of your palms as often as possible.
Wear padded gloves and add handlebar padding to your bike to help protect your hands from injury, the padding absorbs the shocks and jolts from the road, limiting the stress transmitted to your hands.
Your hands will also be able to handle the stress from the roads much better if you complete a short session of hand and wrist stretches before hitting the road.
We also have to consider Carpal tunnel Syndrome, but check out the obvious problems first. Compression of the ulnar nerve is a common problem it is the result of direct pressure on the ulnar nerve from the grip on the handlebars.
Often, the nerve may be stretched or hyper extended (extension beyond its normal limit) when a drop-down handlebar is held in the lower position. Symptoms can take from several days to months to resolve.
Again with the aid of the Bioneuro System Sigma Q (∑Q®) and Neuromuscular Techniques, we can get that back, to how it should be, quicker than convectional also reducing the likelihood of surgery on the wrist.
Sprains And Strains
These are acute injuries ,but they do vary in severity, but lets face it they will all be very painful, there will usually be, swelling, bruising, and loss or difficulty in your ability to move and use the joint.
Quick tip “Don’t try to force it, this injury is telling you it is in pain for a reason you may have done more damage than you think so stabilising the area is the best approach please.”
The first thing is R.I.C.E.
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevate
“This is a must to reduce the swelling first.”
Rehabilitation for Sprains and Strains.
Rehabilitation to restore back to normal function, when the pain and swelling are reduced you can generally begin gentle exercise.
A custom program is often created by a therapist that prevents stiffness, improves range of motion, improves flexibility and builds strength.
Depending on the type of injury you have, you may go to physical therapy for up to several weeks, or do the exercises at home.
If you have an ankle sprain may start with range of motion exercises, such as writing the alphabet in the air with the big toe.
An athlete with an injured knee or foot will work on weight-bearing and balancing exercises.
The length of this stage depends on the extent of the injury, but it is often several weeks.
Again this is an area that the Bioneuro System Sigma Q (∑Q®) and Neuromuscular Techniques , will get you back, to how you should be, a lot quicker than convectional exercise.
