Cyclists: Identify your weaknesses in the off-season. By cycling specialist physio
Why wait until you are injured?
Winter is a good chance to work on any underlying issues you may have, be it with your strength, flexibility, stability, proprioception, biomechanics or technique. This is particularly true if you participate or compete in events, as for most of us in the cycling/running/triathlon world, it is now off-season. Not only is the weather less than ideal for getting long miles done outside, but it also a time when we do not need to be fast, and it doesn’t matter if we are not performing at our best. Many people are reluctant to continue with a strength and conditioning program in particular during competition due to the subsequent muscle soreness from heavy sessions, or they find it hard to fit in all their sessions during peak season.
How would a cycling specialist Physiotherapist help you?
Physiotherapists can identify your individual areas that could do with some attention, by thorough questioning and carrying out screening tests specific to your sport. They can then develop a pre-hab program to work on these areas, at a level that is suitable to you. Not only can this increase your resilience and capacity and decrease chances of injury, but it can also improve your performance.
What would your session involve?
For cyclists, I am most interested in how people perform:
- Squat
- Straight leg (or Romanian) dead lift
- Small knee bend (single leg stability)
I often find poor patterning in these three movements of the injured clients I see, resulting from poor core, poor gluts activation, and/or poor proprioception/movement control.
Useful cycling info and physio expert tips
More information on loads of cycling related stuff including common injuries and free exercise videos can be found on this website including a basic bike set up.
Get in touch
If you would like to book in for a bike or injury assessment assessment, or have any further questions, please contact me at nicole@pelotonphysiotherapy.co.uk or call 02075838288. To find out more about me go to www.pelotonphysiotherapy.co.uk.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Chartered Physiotherapist
BAppSc MCSP HPC
BAppSc MCSP HPC
Nicole graduated from the University of Sydney in 1998 with a BAppSc in Physiotherapy. She spent the first few years of her career combining work and travel, before settling in the UK in 2005.
Nicole worked for 2 years in NHS outpatient departments and orthopaedic wards, before moving on to London Bridge Hospital. She spent 5 years working in the physiotherapy department of this renowned private hospital, treating primarily a City-based clientele and closely working with some of the top consultants and specialists. She then set up Peloton Physiotherapy at the beginning of 2012 and joined Octopus Clinic in 2014.
Nicole has completed post-graduate training in Acupuncture and Clinical Pilates, as well as attending many Sports Medicine Conferences, including the Ironman conference in Kona, Hawaii, where she also worked in the Medical tent. She has a special interest in cycling, triathlon and running, but also loves a good injury and problem solving!
In her spare time, Nicole can usually be found on (one of) her bikes; she still enjoys travelling, but these days tends to be accompanied by a swimsuit, bike and trainers. She caught the triathlon bug in 2006, and realised that she was more suited to “long and slow” events. Highlights have been qualifying and competing in the 70.3 World Championships in 2009, and completing her first Ironman in 2011.
She now concentrates on road racing, competing in national-level events for Les Filles RT, the women’s racing team that she co-founded. She continues to run on a regular basis, and swims on occasions for the novelty of it.