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How A Physical Therapist Can Help Cyclists Avoid Injuries

How A Physical Therapist Can Help Cyclists Avoid Injuries 

Are you tired of pain and injuries interfering with your enjoyment of riding your bike? Have you ever wondered what you can do to prevent problems from arising? At PerformaX Elite, our highly trained physical therapists are experts at treating all types of injuries common to cyclists. We will identify the steps you need to take to resolve your injuries and prevent them in the future!

Perhaps the most common injury people endure from bike riding is an overall feeling of soreness caused by overusing the muscles. This typically occurs from riding too hard (too long or too fast for your level of conditioning) or completing a long ride when your body is not used to it. 

For most people, the soreness usually goes away on its own, but for others, the soreness is the first warning sign of an injury brewing. The severity of the damage determines how long the body will need to recover. At PerformaX Elite, our licensed physical therapists can guide you through the right exercises for your individual needs to help you recover from and prevent future injuries. Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our experts!

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Our Patients Get Great Results

Hi Dr. Newton and Dr. Barsamian,

Sending gratitude and kudos for the excellent rehab care your team is providing to me (and other patients this year).

Carina and Sarmen and rehab techs Alex and Marina have helped me navigate a challenging right shoulder surgery rehabilitation process starting this winter and I am thrilled with the results we are achieving. I am grateful for the work they are doing– supporting me through what felt like early setbacks and various obstacles through the extended rehab (everything from feeling like “I’m never going to be able to XYZ again” to random curveballs that seem to pop up).

Carina and Sarmen are both very encouraging… from pushing me in the moment to helping me stay focused on the big picture and making consistent progress… Motivating me on days where I can push or stretch a little more and adjusting when the shoulder is needing a moment to recover. My shoulder surgery came with some specific guidelines from operating surgeon, Dr. John Itamura. Both Dr. Itamura and I are happy with the progress from the PerformaX team and I have recommended your business to Dr. Itamura for future patients looking for a quality care option.

In addition to my shoulder recovery process, I started experiencing some severe localized pain in my left knee. Your team recommended I get it checked out (my initial instinct was to ignore it and just focus on my shoulder). But seeing how well your team worked with other patients- in addition to the care they were giving me- motivated me to get the knee checked out.

As a result, I’m now prescribed for additional PT on my knee and am excited to work with your team on a non-surgical rehab program to get the joint back in shape in the time ahead.

In brief, I will have two separate PT processes going… I’m optimistic about both… And I definitely wanted to share my appreciation for the effort, patience, care and hustle I’m receiving – in addition to all the other patients around me. I feel like I’m the only patient in the room when I’m in their care. Looking forward to continuing the recovery road for my shoulder and getting my knee sorted out soon!

Respectfully,
Kelsey Myers

Jeanna-Barsamian-physical-therapist-hover-performax-burbank-ca

Staff Spotlight: Dr. Jeanna M. Barsamian

Jeanna’s love for sports and science as a teenager motivated her to volunteer and take after school classes at her local hospital while in high school. At 18, she sustained an ACL injury and underwent physical therapy, then went on to play competitive college volleyball, basketball and crew. 

Read More About Jeanna Here

What Is InBody Testing?

No Estimations. Exact Results.​

  1. Only impedance is used to determine your body composition results; no statistical data or empirical equations are used or required to predict your body composition.​
  2. Measure your fat, muscle, and water levels in less than a minute. No dunking. No pinching. No discomfort. Simply stand on the device and hold the hand electrodes to test.
  3. Non-invasive and pain-free testing

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis​

Safe, low-level currents are sent through the body through the hand and foot electrodes. The impedance the currents encounter are measured, and from there, your body composition is derived. With InBody’s patented technology, BIA has never been more highly correlated with gold standard methods until now.
Each InBody Test will print out a full-page results sheet detailing the muscle, fat, and water values of the user. The InBody scan provides you with lean mass and fat values in each segment of the body to give you a proper assessment of body composition.

Segmental Fat And Lean Mass Analysis

Identify how many pounds of lean mass and fat are in each body segment. This can be utilized to determine how specific diets and exercises are affecting the body composition.

Injury Identification

You can identify and track inflammation, swelling, and even injuries with ECW/TBW Analysis while monitoring how this ratio changes over time under the Body Composition History chart. Call us today to schedule your assessment!

Injury prevention strategies for cyclists

Most injuries (or pain) are due to improper fit on the bike or over exerting your body. Fortunately, our team of physical therapists at PerformaX Elite are trained at assessing and fitting you properly on your bike. We are also skilled at identifying and treating musculoskeletal injuries related to cycling.  

There are some research-backed injury prevention strategies you can perform on your own, including:

  • Proper bike fitting: Before you go on your first ride, it is essential to make sure you have a proper bike fitting. Our physical therapists will identify the biomechanical factors contributing to pain and/or injury and eliminate them. We understand how important cadence, power output, crank length, saddle position, saddle height, and foot positions are to prevent pain and overuse injuries. 
  • Adequate rest: Sleep is the most effective strategy with the most significant effect on injury prevention and sports enhancement… 8-10 hours per night. 
  • Strength training: One of the most effective injury prevention strategies to help stay injury-free is keeping the muscles strong. Our physical therapists will identify areas of weakness and compensatory strategies and help you address them to avoid pain/injuries. 
  • Stay within your abilities: It is vital to train and practice any physical activity by starting small and building up from there. 
  • Dynamic warm-ups: Foam rolling or a light ride at the start of your training are an effective way to warm up tissue without negatively affecting performance and may lead to fewer injuries. 
  • Eating a healthy diet: Nutrition is the foundation for good health and injury prevention. Specifically, a scientifically-backed approach that does not include any fad diets. Recovery meals are as crucial as pre-game meals.
  • Getting enough water: Hydration is essential for recovery and injury prevention.

At PerformaX, our therapists play a leading role in preventing, reversing, and managing old and new injuries. Our programs address your individual needs so you can enjoy your time on your bike! 

What to expect at your PerformaX Elite appointments

Your physical therapist will conduct a physical evaluation to determine the severity of your pain and/or injury. Through a comprehensive assessment, your therapist can pinpoint precisely what is causing your pain and give you the tools to recover and prevent future episodes. 

Our team will perform a customized bike fitting to minimize the risk of pain/injury and combine it with a hands-on assessment to identify any weakness or restrictions that could contribute to potential (or existing) pain and injury. We will use this information to develop a comprehensive program that includes targeted manual techniques, mobility work, strengthening, and any appropriate pain relief technique for the individual cyclist. 

Your physical therapist will then incorporate cycling-specific treatments to ensure proper positioning of the rider, including alignment of your joints and your pedaling mechanics to assist you in a safe return to training. We will provide constant feedback and allow refinement of your program to ensure it provides optimal results.

Request Appointment

Request an appointment today!

Most injuries to cyclists are associated with overuse or improper fit of the bicycle. The prolonged postures combined with the repetitive movement from spending hours cycling is the main reason for pain/injuries.  Request an appointment at PerformaX Elite for a customized bike fitting and comprehensive assessment for your individual needs!

Request Appointment

Refer A Friend & Get A $25 Gift Card!

Do you know someone who could benefit from physical therapy? Tell them about PerformaX and if they become a patient, we’ll send you a $25 Visa Gift Card! It pays to refer friends and family to PerformaX!

What is the TPI Golf Assessment?

Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) has created a golf assessment to screen for physical mobility or stability deficiencies that may negatively impact your game. Identifying key areas of weakness or inflexibility “timely” enough, will give us time to provide you with a program to correct the defaults, improve your game and prevent the injuries that result from these imbalances and compensations.

What Happens During a PMX® TPI Assessment?

The Assessment will take up to an hour. Following a brief health screening, we’ll begin the physical test. Come dressed comfortably and ready to participate. You will be led through a series of fitness movements that are key components of the golf swing. We’ll go over your results with you to assure that you have an understanding of how your findings might be impacting your golf performance.

Is it Right for Me?

A PMX TPI Assessment is not just for those who have been previously injured or know that they have a physical limitation. To schedule an appointment in the PMX Golf studio with one of our pros, call us today.

Request Appointment

Summer Garden Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz (226 g) linguine pasta or preferred noodle pasta, uncooked
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup (110 g) finely chopped onion sweet, yellow, or white onion
  • 6 large cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 24 oz (680 g) cherry tomatoes about 6 cups
  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon table salt plus additional for cooking pasta and to taste/as needed
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ heaping teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 oz (28 g) fresh basil leaves shredded or cut into ribbons (about ⅓ cup)
  • ⅓ cup freshly grated or shredded parmesan cheese plus more for topping

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta in well-salted water according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering.
  3. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, then add garlic and cook about 30-60 seconds longer, until fragrant.
  4. Add tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, thyme, and red pepper and cook, stirring frequently until tomatoes soften and burst. Once tomatoes are soft enough you can use a wooden spoon or spatula to squish them as you stir.
  5. Add basil and stir.
  6. Add warm cooked, drained linguine and stir well. Add splashes of pasta water as needed to make a thin sauce, you basically want to ensure the pasta is not dry and the noodles are coated with a thin layer of the sauce. I typically need to add about ¼ cup of the pasta water.
  7. Remove from heat, add parmesan and stir well. Taste-test and add additional salt or pepper as needed, then serve warm topped with additional parmesan as desired with a side salad or side of crusty bread.

Do you drink enough water each day?

Proper hydration is always important, but in preparation for the upcoming hot summer months, we should all take a few extra precautions to ensure we are drinking enough water. Drinking enough water each day is crucial for a variety of reasons. Drinking water helps regulate body temperature, lubricates joints, prevents infections, delivers nutrients to cells, and keeps organs functioning properly. Hydration also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood. Experts recommend that women should drink roughly 11 cups of water per day and men should aim for 16. If these numbers are higher than you’re used to, check out these 3 tips on ways to make hydration a habit.

1. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. 

  • Before eating breakfast or having your morning coffee, try to drink at least one glass of water. Just a few sips of water in the morning can help to re-energize you and leave you feeling refreshed.
  • To make things easier on yourself, try placing a glass of water on your nightstand the night before, so you can start drinking immediately in the morning!

2. Add fruits or vegetables to your water.

  • If you’re the type to complain that water tastes too plain, know that there are many natural additives that can change this! Adding a zest of lemon or a handful of sliced cucumbers to your water can make this drink more fun.

3. Set reminders on your phone to hydrate

  • Are you exceptionally busy during the day? Between work, taking care of children, running errands, and getting outside, summer can be a busy season.
  • If you always have your phone handy, why not put it to a productive use? Try setting reminders every couple of hours to hydrate, so you don’t forget amongst all the summer fun.
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