Neck pain vs Cycling

We left the slopes back in the past and we give way for the mountain bike season during the warmer months in Queenstown.

But… One of the most common injuries/pain related with cycling is neck pain.

This is because it is an activity that requires you to stay for long periods of time in an unnatural position. Cycling stresses your back in a flexed position, this coupled with needing to look where we are going means we compensate leaving the neck in an hyperextended position.

This hyperextended position creates a change on the weight distribution through our muscles and spine. The deep neck extensors are tensed for a long time, blood flow to the area is decreased, becoming fatigued, getting stiffer. This leads to trigger points, muscles spams and potentially a bit of pain.

So, how can we fix neck pain caused by cycling?

1. Correct fit of your bike.

2. Professional treatment to ensure muscle and joint flexibility

3. Regular stretching to maintain a healthy muscle length.

Let’s focus on Regular Stretching…

Regular stretching on cyclist will have immediate effects:

• Accelerate recovery: Reducing muscle soreness and stiffness by increasing blood flow, delivering more nutrients to your muscles and removing lactic acid and metabolites.

• Increased Oxygen Flow: Decreasing post-ride soreness with the added bonus of promoting cell growth and organ function.

• Relaxation: can give both you and your muscles time to relax. With stress or exhaustion, the muscles will begin to tighten. Stretching can encourage a release of endorphins and leave you feeling encouraged.

It will also have cumulative effects:

• Prevent Tissue Degradation: Over time and with age, the body starts dehydrating and stiffening. On a cellular level, muscle fibres start developing cross-links with parallel fibers making them stick together. Stretching slows this process by stimulating the production of tissue lubricants and pulling the interwoven cellular cross links back into an ordered state.

• Flexibility

• Injury Prevention:  Stretching keeps the connections strong, treating and preventing injury, improving functionality and longevity.

• Better Posture & Aerodynamics: Stretching the right muscles can help correct poor posture both on and off the bike. By lengthening tight muscles that pull areas of the body away from their natural position you can maintain proper posture without the desire to round the back or slouch.

After all of this, you might wonder, what exercises/stretches are good for me?

Here we give you a couple of them that might help!

——————————————————————--Neck Rotation————————————————————————

———————Upper trapezius Stretch ——————————————-Scapula Elevator Stretch————————-

————————————————————20-25 secs each side———————————————————————-

—————————Lateral rotation ————————————-—————-Scalene Stretch———————————-

—————-———3 times per side——————————————-——20-25 secs each side———————————

Feeling a bit cycle sore and want some professional attention? Book a massage therapy today!

Ankle: opposite of Aunty

If you've ever sprained your ankle, you'll know how important ankle mobility is. After a sprain, rehab to the ankle is a must. Instability and weakness aren't only detrimental to ankle function but will also cause anterior knee pain, weakness in your glutes, and heaps more of problems to boot.

But you're in luck cos I'm going to drop some knowledge bombs in the form of 8 critical stretches & moves to help get you back on track after a sprained ankle.

1 - CALF ROLL OUT 

Soft tissue mobility rollouts can be very beneficial to the dense muscle tissue that can become overactive. Try isolating one calf at a time and use a ball or foam roller to release the calves.

Place one leg on top of the other to apply pressure into the foam roller or ball. You can turn your foot in and out to find a spot that is stiffer.

Make sure you stay on the stiffer spots for one minute. You may find that you have a few spots along the muscle!

Hold for 1 minute for 2 sets.

2 - PLANTAR FASCIA ROLL OUT

The plantar fascia is tissue on the bottom of your foot that can affect the mobility of the ankle and foot. It can also become irritated and painful if it becomes too stiff and overstrains.

Our feet rarely have a chance to move with how often we wear shoes, heels, or sandals. To release this tissue, take a ball and roll it on the bottom of your foot.

You may notice one side is more sensitive to the pressure than the other. Roll on the plantar fascia for one minute & repeat twice.

3 - STRAIGHT LEG CALF STRETCH

The calf muscle consists of two muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Both play vital roles in calf and ankle mobility.

To target the gastrocnemius, you want to stretch your calf in a straight leg position.

Hold for 1 minute & repeat twice.

4 - BENT KNEE CALF STRETCH

Sometimes the gastrocnemius isn’t the muscle that is tight. To stretch the soleus, bend your knee (back leg) and keep your heel down.

Hold for 1 minute & repeat twice.

5 - ANKLE ROCKERS

The most common ankle joint to get stiff is the talocrural joint, which is the joint that is right where the ankle meets the foot.

When you flex your foot up or down, you are moving from the talocrural joint. The motion that typically becomes most restricted is dorsiflexion (pointing your foot up).

To target this joint, place one leg back and one leg forward with your forward leg flexed. Keeping your heel down, rock forward as far as you can on the front foot.

Rock back and forth for 10-20 reps for 1 set.

6 - INSIDE/OUTSIDE ANKLE ROCKERS

Rock 10-20 times in each direction. You might notice that you are a little more restricted in one corner versus another.

Rock 10-20 times for 1 set.

7 - ANKLE CIRCLES

Ankle circles are an overlooked exercise. They allow the ankle to get motion in the entire ankle.

Working in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions will help ensure you cover enough area. Work each direction 10-20 times.

Clockwise: 10-20 reps for 1 set.
Counterclockwise: 10-20 reps for 1 set.

8 - PLANTAR FACSIA / TOE STRETCH

Many of the muscles that help flex and extend the toes pass the ankle joint to get to the end of the foot. Sometimes they can get locked up along that path.

Take your foot and pull your toes back. You may feel a stretch on the bottom of your foot. Hold for up to one minute.

Hold for 1 minute for 2 sets. 

With these eight exercises and a ball, you can mobilize your ankles anywhere. Next time you feel your ankles start to stiffen up, give this routine a try to get some mobility back!

At work? Sore neck/back? Here's some Deskercise for you.

You've probably heard how bad it is for you to be sitting at your desk, in front of a computer all day. And chances are if you have been hunched over at your desk day in, day out you are feeling those pains through your neck, upper back, shoulders, etc. 

Eight hours of sitting (5 days a week) can really take it's toll on the body, believe it or not, so I've gathered up some easy peasy DESKercises (see what I did there) that you can do right at your desk to help get those muscles loosey goosey all through your work week. You're welcome. 

Each stretch (both sides) should be held for no less than 30 seconds to 1 minute. This is a good rule of thumb for all stretches. If you're not holding even for 30 seconds you may as well not bother stretching at all. Muscles have memory, and you want them to remember this new resting length you're taking them to.

Desk Stretch 1

Gently pull each elbow to the opposite side overhead. Hold each position for 30 seconds to 1 minute. If anyone looks at you funny just keep making intense eye contact with them until they look away first. In any office setting it's better to assert your dominance than shy away. 

Desk Stretch 2

Remaining seated, extend your legs and reach toward your toes. Stare at the office floor and search for lost pens, paper clips or bits of food for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 

Desk Stretch 3

Hug one knee at a time, pulling it toward your chest. If you're not able to get your knee up to your chest, go to the position that feels comfortable to you. Hold underneath your thigh to help the stretch along. 

Desk Stretch 4

Clasp your hands in front of you and lower your head in line with your arms. Pretend you know how to dive correctly, by showing this proper technique you will no doubt thoroughly impress your office mates. 

Desk Stretch 5

Extend each arm overhead and to the opposite side as you imagine you're an overly eager aerobics instructor during each move. This won't add anything to the stretch but will help run the clock down on that 30 seconds - 1 minute countdown.

Desk Stretch 6

At this point your boss or office supervisor will no doubt approach you and ask you how long you've been stretching. Take this opportunity to answer with a stretch cleverly disguised as a shrug. Raise both shoulders at once up toward the ears. Drop them and repeat.

Desk Stretch 7

Clasp hands behind your back, push your chest outward, and raise your chin. If you have fluorescent bulbs staring back at you close your eyes and pretend you have non fluorescent bulbs. 

Desk Stretch 8

Cross your legs and twist toward the back of the chair. Hold for 30 seconds - 1 minute then switch sides. Use the rear-facing position to have a rant with your co-worker about how messy the microwave is and how it wouldn't be like that it people cleaned up after themselves or covered their containers.  

*Pro tip: exhale as you go into the turn for a greater range of motion for this stretch.

Desk Stretch 9

Gently pull your head toward each shoulder. Keep your head and neck straight, just dip your ear towards the top of your shoulder, like how a dog tilts his head while he try to figure out what the heck you're talking about. 

*Pro tip: Don't take this stretch further than comfortable. every stretch should feel good, if it feels sore or like you're ready to pull something DON'T STRETCH SO FAR. Back off, and only stretch to where it feels good.

Desk Stretch 10

Clasp hands together above the head, stretching upward. Follow up with a big clap like you're singing along to Queen's Radio Gaga, or something to that effect...