There are not many other cities in the world that rival Vancouver’s picturesque beauty when the skies are clear and the rain dissipates. When the days are more beautiful, many Vancouverites cannot help but to get out there to bask in the rain-free and milder temperatures. It is not uncommon to see on the seawall people walking their dogs and bikes whisking along past—they’ve waited all year for this! Unfortunately, when there is too much of a good thing such as a rain-free bike ride, accidents are bound to happen. Bicycling is highly repetitive and within only an hour one can hit as high as 5000 pedal revolutions! If one rides too hard, too long or has insufficient training for longer excursions—one is at a higher risk of an unfortunate bike injury.
Some of the most common injuries while cycling are as follows: knee pain, head injuries, neck pain, back pain, face or eye injuries, wrist or forearm pain, numbness, fractures, lacerations, strains. Some of these can be resolved by a quick trip to your nearest pharmacist for Band-Aids, pain medication, or Polysporin—but most of these require a health care professional intervention. Physiotherapists are experts with how the body functions and are a valuable source of knowledge along with input from doctors, RMTs, Kinesiologists, chiropractors, etc.
With a full physiotherapy assessment all factors involved can be identified such as your previous health history, new signs and symptoms and various other factors will be collected to consider these. A physiotherapist is highly skilled and educated to identify exercises to help strengthen a fractured area once the cast is removed, determine if you should ice or heat the injury, perform manual therapy when needed, educate on appropriate stretches, identify any potential postural issues, educate on best posture while riding, if needed strengthen the core, determine best cycling shoes or identify ones that are poor for cycling, determine if intramuscular stimulation would be a benefit and so many other things. A physiotherapist is an expert on the bio-mechanics of how a body works and after the assessment he/she will have a clear picture of how to address the issue.
Our tips and tricks to avoid a bicycling injury:
- Stretch before cycling
- Make sure to be hydrated
- Start out slowly and gradually increase the intensity
- Don’t stay fixed in one position—change positions regularly
- Make the bicycle suited for your body—adjust the seat and have a comfortable seat
- Don’t overexert yourself by taking too long of a course—gradually build up distance
- Don’t ignore your pain—if you suspect an injury seek an assessment by a physiotherapist
Don’t let an unforeseen bike injury have lasting effects on your life. Please book in for an assessment to determine the root cause and best possible way to treat your issue. At VanCity Physio, it is our passion to ensure our patients are pain-free and living life to the best of one’s ability physically.
Book a consultation today: https://vancityphysio.janeapp.com/
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