Blog

The syndesmosis refers to the “high ankle” – the unification of the tibia and fibula (two long bones of the shin. These bones are stabilised strongly by a number of important structures including:

• Interosseous membrane
• AITFL
• PITFL
• Deltoid ligament

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Don’t forget the warm up!

• Similar to other sports and activities, a brief warm up before you get into the ‘grit’ of the riding is a great way to increase blood flow and prepare the muscles for the ride ahead. Aim for 10-15 minutes of mild to moderate spinning before high intensity flats or climbs.

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The shoulder joint is a fascinating, intricate joint that relies on the coordination of a huge number of muscles around the scapula (shoulder blade) and humerus (arm bone) to function normally. Unlike most joints of the body, the shoulder relies on active (muscular) structures for stability as opposed to bony congruency. Read more

The adductor group is made up of five muscles (pectineus, gracilis, adductor longus, adductor brevis, and adductor magnus) that attach the femur (thigh bone) to the pelvis (pubic region). They have an important role when kicking, accelerating and rapidly changing direction, thus the load on this region is extremely high during many sports such as football. Read more

One of the most confusing parts of foundational Pilates is knowing when to breathe in and out. It can feel so unnatural to begin with. But there is a method to your physiotherapist’s instructions! Read more

Cyclist Syndrome involves the compression of the pudendal nerve from prolonged, incorrectly or poorly fitted bike seats.   The pudendal nerve is a nerve which exits the spinal cord near the tailbone and delivers sensation and motor control to the groin area.  Symptoms may include pain with bladder or bowel movements, erectile dysfunction in males, pain in the groin/saddle region and pins and needles/numbness from prolonged sitting.    Read more

If you use a laptop occasionally, or as part of your everyday work life, you will probably be aware of the aches and pains often experienced from hunching over to use your laptop.  This is commonly from the fact that the screen, keyboard and mouse are positioned compactly together for ease of transport, however not positioned for healthy and pain free necks and backs. Read more

Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve Injury, otherwise known as Meralgia Paresthetica is one cause of outer thigh pain, tingling and numbness in the leg. The nerve exits the abdomen under the inguinal ligament close to the front of the hip bone.

Did you know that in pregnancy, weight gain and pressure in the groin area can cause compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve creating these symptoms. It can also affect people who have put on weight and wear tight compressive clothes, or be damaged from surgery or trauma. Read more

Have you ever hopped off your bike following a ride and felt muscle soreness immediately after, or during the subsequent days?  By completing simple stretches after your ride, it may help reduce the soreness, and speed up the recovery time until your next ride! Read more

Common Cycling Injuries – Lower back pain

One common complaint cyclists will report is pain, stiffness or tightness in the lower back.  This is often a result of the forward position required, however is largely preventable through addressing both bike and musculoskeletal dysfunctions.

Did you know lower back pain may be caused by incorrect positioning, excessive lateral (side to side) movement, low cadence, poor core endurance, limited mobility and aggressive increases to training load. Read more

Common Cycling Injuries – Lateral knee pain

Lateral knee pain is a common complaint from cyclists and often a result of ITB aggravation, with tight Tensor fasciae Latae (TFL), ITB flicking over the femoral condyle, or ITB pulling the patella laterally as a result of Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO) weakness. Read more

Tendinopathy refers to an overload-related disorder that involves tendons –strong, thick bands of connective tissue that attach muscles to bone. Common tendinopathies include the Achilles, patella, lateral elbow, and supraspinatus (shoulder).

Previously, such problems were thought to relate to an inflammatory response within the tissue as the cause of pain, hence the name tendinitis. More recent evidence actually demonstrates that mechano-sensitivity and cellular breakdown of tissue actually drives the pain. This is an important piece of information that ultimately underpins successful, sustainable rehabilitation of tendon problems. Read more

Common Cycling Injuries – Anterior knee pain

Anterior knee pain is one of the most common areas of pain in a cyclist.  The symptoms are typically caused by poor biomechanics, poor technique or incorrect bike-fit.   Often compression of fat pads or patella mal-tracking is the source of symptoms and can be managed by improving bike-fit and biomechanics. Read more

Ankle injuries are a significant cause of time away from sport and regular activities – yet they are often misdiagnosed and not treated appropriately, leading to ongoing pain and instability.

The term ‘sprain’ refers to ligament damage. Ligaments are strong bands of connective tissue that attach from one bone to another and have two basic roles:

• Stability around a joint
• Proprioception (feedback to tell the brain how a joint is positioned in space)

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Patellofemoral (front of knee pain) is the most common type of knee discomfort experienced by adults and can affect people of all ages and genders.

Usually pain onset is related to a significant change in loading that leads to sensitisation around the patella (knee cap). Pain is often worse with running or taking stairs.

Examples of load changes might include:

• Increased running distance and frequency
• Climbing higher numbers of stairs
• Increased volume and intensity of gym-based leg strengthening (such as squats and lunges)

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Benefits of Pilates for Cyclists

Both upper and lower body strength and endurance are typically ignored when it comes to improving performance on the bike, with a greater emphasis on increasing cardiovascular performance is most riders’ main goal.   In fact thoracic, lumbar and hip mobility will improve both performance and comfort; while poor strength, control and mobility in these areas may lead to an increased injury risk, sub-optimal performance, and overall discomfort when riding. Read more