Help Prevent Injuries With These Stretches & Exercises

As a physiotherapist working in a population full of outdoor sport and type B fun enthusiasts, I am fortunate to see a wide range of chronic and traumatic injuries. Chronic injuries are those that manifest gradually over time and typically arise from an error in technique, training, or equipment. While we can’t always anticipate and prevent traumatic injuries, we can certainly take simple measures to prevent chronic ones.

Being that I have a biased participation in all forms of two-wheeled fun, I am going to highlight the most common preventable injuries that I observe in cyclists and mountain bike athletes, accompanied by your new essential off-bike prehabilitation toolbox.


Inadequate ‘cross-training’ or off-bike conditioning is the most common contributor to preventable injuries. Given that the physical requirements of pedalling are relatively homogenous in comparison to the diverse muscular demands of other sports, we develop common patterns of muscular imbalances. These imbalances alter the harmonious relationship between mobility; how well our joints move, and stability; how well our muscles’ control those movements and absorb impact. Cross-training, or off-bike conditioning aims to restore this balance while ensuring that we are recruiting the best-suited muscles for the job.

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Problem #1:

Consider that our position on a bike looks a lot like our position at a desk. Compiled with the fact that we collectively spend far too much time sitting, we develop tight hip flexors and dominant quadriceps along with weak, underactive gluts. This imbalance commonly contributes to patellafemoral pain syndrome (knee pain).


In a nutshell, tight hip flexors and dominant quadriceps create increased loading and compression at our patellafemoral joint while riding, but also with off-bike activities (running, stairs, hiking etc.). Thankfully we are well informed that a favorable work-station set-up can improve posture and thus, alleviate pain. Similarly, an optimal bike fit and position, although not widely prioritized in the mountain bike world, can play a huge role in alleviating knee pain, among other sources of pain. If you’re doing any pedalling at all, ask your Physio or local bike shop to consider your riding position.

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Problem # 2:

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Problem #3:

Another common complaint stemming from the positional demands of riding is upper back and neck pain. Both on the road and on the trails, this is typically associated with a lack of thoracic spine (mid-upper back) mobility and insufficient scapular and core stability, resulting in excessive weight distribution through your upper body. Thinking back to the importance of your bike position, your pain may also be associated with inappropriate bar width, seat height and/or reach.


Over time, if not addressed with appropriate off-bike interventions, these muscular imbalances, and their resultant pain will become reinforced.

To help reinforce this concept, think of the repercussions we might observe if we asked our accountant to build our house, or a construction worker to file your taxes…… Both would perhaps step up to the challenge but would lack the endurance and skill set to excel at the untrained task.

So, while cross-training can't prevent you from casing a jump and breaking a wing, it can prevent the nagging injuries that don't accompany a cool story. Cross-training can also reduce the severity of your crash-related injuries. For example, strength training increases bone strength, therefore decreasing the likelihood of a fracture. Stability training improves your muscles’ ability to protect your joints and ligaments during a crash, reducing your likelihood of sustaining a ligamentous injury (ie. AC joint). Regardless of your injury severity, off-bike conditioning can shorten your healing timeline and get you back on your bike quicker.

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Stretches
Ideally these are performed post vs. pre-ride.



Core and Shoulder Stability
Neutral spine what now ???? Not all core exercises aim to maintain a neutral spine, of course, however, your ABILITY to do so is critical not only in the prevention of chronic pain/injuries, but also to improve dynamic control descending, improve general bike handling skills, and to increase power output and decrease energy expenditure while pedalling.
I recommend incorporating a core routine into your life, 2-4 days/week.


Toe taps: This exercise is a great place to start a core routine, as it aims to wake up and retrain your deep core muscles to stabilize your spine and pelvis. Their competence can, in turn, inhibit overworking back extensors, hip flexors, and muscles of your neck that may be helping absorb impact and stabilize unnecessarily. I recommend doing 2-3 sets of the maximum number of reps you can do correctly.


Bird dog: Another great option to challenge your ability to maintain a neutral spine while also challenging shoulder stability in a weight bearing (mountain bike-specific) position. Attaching a medium resistance band to your moving hand and foot (opposites), as shown, can be a nice addition to fire up the under-active muscles of your moving shoulder, and gluts of your moving leg. I recommend 2-3 sets of 10-12/side.


Knee hover: Start on all 4's, similar to your bird dog above. Find your neutral spine, engage your deep core muscles, then slowly hover BOTH knees 1 cm off the ground. Hold 5-10 breaths - Repeat 5-10 times.


Y-Reach for shoulder (scapular) stability: I liked to combine this exercise with split squats (see below), to spend less time in the gym, while ticking off all the boxes I recommend 2-3 sets of 10-12.


Plank/Downward dog: Another great exercise to target core and shoulder stability, as well as providing a dynamic hamstring stretch. Note, this exercise requires adequate thoracic/upper back and shoulder mobility. If you have any current shoulder pain, a history of shoulder impingement or rotator cuff injury/surgery, consult with your Physiotherapist before giving this one a try! Aim for the same reps/sets as my other core suggestions.


Functional Lower Body Strength and Stability
Split Squats: Split squats are basically your single leg squat. Here is a list of reasons why these are my personal favorite cross-training and rehabilitation tool for cyclists:
1. They provide a dynamic hip flexor/quadricep stretch for the hind leg
2. They challenge your core and pelvic stability in a way that translates to better power output and glut recruitment on the bike.
3. They can be an effective tool to correct dynamic hip, knee and ankle alignment, or tracking errors that can contribute to chronic pain on and off the bike including, patellafemoral pain, lliotibial band syndrome and achilles tendinopathy. See progressions below for band integrations.



Modifications and Stability Progressions


Strength Progressions: Once you've mastered the standard split squat, add weight, increase your sets and decrease your reps. For example 4-6 sets of 6-8.

Speed and Agility Progressions: The possibilities are endless here. A few ideas include simple increasing the speed of your standard split squat, jump to switch legs, try doing them with your front foot on an uneven surface like a bosu or foam pad. Aim for similar reps/sets as your standard split squats.


That pretty much sums up your Prehabilitation Toolbox, all of which can be done from home with minimal equipment and minimal time, allowing you to spend more time on the trails! Please contact me or your local Physio if you're looking for additional guidance on personalizing your cross-training plan or, if you are experiencing pain or limitations with any of the above suggestions.

View my Instagram account for more tips and tricks, but mostly just bike-related posts!

Happy Riding!

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