There have been lots of cycling events through the Summer. Whether you are a professional cyclist or an amateur, the benefits are still the same as long as you take care and be preventative !
Health benefits of regular cycling:
Improved Heart health
Builds up muscle strength
Improves mental health and positivity
Loosens up muscles and improves flexibility
Fresh air improves lung health
Boosts energy levels
Strengthens bonds between families
Promotes mindfullness
Cycling injuries:
It's always important to be preventative with any sport, you will be stronger and injured less in the future.
Here's some tips to think about that will help to prevent injuries from occuring:
Make sure your posture is correct on the bike - Keeping your back straight when standing or sitting will ease back pain. Back and core strengthening exercises will help this.
Prevent numbness in your toes by making sure your shoes are the correct fit and are suitable for cycling. Check if anything needs adjusting, such as clips, pedals, straps if they are causing you any discomfort
Keep your elbows slightly bent to prevent shoulder pain from occurring and try not to put too much pressure on your hands
If you cycle regularly, book yourself in for a sports maintenance massage to loosen up any tight muscles and reset your body
Make sure you are not gripping the handlebars too tightly, it should be firm but not stressed. Keep moving the position of your hands to stop pressure building in the wrist, keep it straight not bent. If your hands become tingly when you ride, it may be worth investing in some padded gloves to help reduce the vibrations that cause this
Cycling can cause injuries in the knees, this is mainly due to going too fast or slow and overuse. Start training gradually, so that you can build up muscles correctly to support the motion. Do some leg strengthening exercises and be sure to warm up and cool down properly
Keep in as lower gear as possible, higher gears for a long stretch can create extra pressure and cause knee pain
Get your saddle set at the correct height by a professional, your knees will suffer if it is too high or low.
We have plenty of videos available on our YouTube channel to support the tips above, check it out here.
Our expert team of Therapists at SV Sports Therapy assess, diagnose and treat muscle, bone, joint and nerve injuries for sporty and non-sporty people.
We would love to serve you, call 0203 494 4343, email reception@svsportstherapy.com or you can also book online too!
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