The summer is a great time of year to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. For most of us this will mean increased activity, which is only a great thing. Some of you might take up more leisurely strolls along the beach or through the park, others might decide to join a summer sports team or maybe go surfing. A growing number of you will take up cycling over the next few weeks.
As a busy London Chiropractor, it would have been almost impossible for us to miss the huge growth of cyclists over the last few years. We are very happy about this, it is a great sport and activity that is really good for you.
As its National Bike Week we thought we would share some advice on how to keep your back safe whilst cycling.
What is National Bike Week?
Before we get in to that useful advice, you might already have a quick question… What is National Bike Week?
Taken from the official website;
“Bike Week is an annual opportunity to promote cycling, and show how cycling can easily be part of everyday life by encouraging ‘everyday cycling for everyone’. Demonstrating the social, health and environmental benefits of cycling, the week aims to get people to give cycling a go all over the UK, whether this be for fun, as a means of getting around to work or school, the local shops or just to visit friends.”
The particular effort and focus this year is to encourage people to cycle to and from work. As a leading London Chiropractor we happily support this aim and the promotion of cycling as an activity and sport.
London chiropractor advises how to keep your back safe on your bike
Cycling can be excellent for your body, but we do as always urge caution. Cycling a lot can cause problems in your body and cause you a bit of pain in your neck, back, and shoulders. This is often down to your body not being able to support itself as well as it needs to and a number of other factors such as;
- Neck and upper back pain is often caused by your positioning
- Riding in drop handlebar position for too long can overextend your neck and leave you in pain
- The setup and riding position you are adopting is incorrect and causes damage
- Crashes can cause damage to your body
You shouldn’t worry too much though, you can keep on cycling and enjoy a pain free existence by;
- Strengthening your torso/core – This is so you can support the top half of your body whilst your powerful legs are pumping away. It won’t happen off the bike, you will need to do exercises to strengthen.
- Get your riding position correct – Make sure you follow the guidelines here
- Ease in to it – Don’t start cycling extremely long distances out of nowhere as your body just won’t be ready for it. Ease in, don’t overdo it at the start and build your strength up slowly.
- Ride with unlocked elbows and a relaxed stance
- Give yourself plenty of rest after a crash; allow your body time to recover
- Keep hydrated – As always hydration will keep your body in good working order and help you stay active.
If you are a keen cyclist but keep experiencing pains in the back, neck or shoulders, please pop in for a chat and consultation. We would love to help you keep on your bike.