AEROBIC EXERCISES AND SPORTS INJURIES by HectorPT Physical Therapy Albany NY, Clifton Park NY

November 9th, 2011

Overview

 

 

Aerobic exercise is a strenuous physical activity in which injuries to the feet, ankles and lower legs are very common. Taking proper precautions such as warming up, stretching and cooling down will help you to prevent injuries from aerobic exercise.  You should also wear sports-specific shoes that provide sufficient cushioning, shock absorption and stability for side-to-side, twisting and turning motions. If you experience pain in your low-back or lower extremities for more than 24 hours after exercise, see your health care provider. 

 

Medical professionals agree that most injuries occur from using improper footwear, inappropriate surfaces, poorly chosen movements, too fast tempos, lack of stretching/warm up exercises and simple overuse injuries. If you are attending a high impact class and the impact is too much bring it down a bit for some low impact segments. If the instructor does any movements that cause you pain, first check your form and if that doesn't help modify or choose another movement. Unfortunately, tempos are being conducted way too fast in most aerobics classes.

There are good aerobic programs and there are bad ones. Look for things like choice of shoe, the surface you train on, the moves the instructor chooses, speed of movement, and above all how you feel while exercising. You need to be responsible for listening to your body and exercising good common injury sense.

Common aerobics injuries include the following:



*Plantar fasciatiis (arch pain). Arch pain is caused by stressing the bottom part of the foot. The plantar fascia is a fibrous band running from the front to the back of the bottom of the foot. If you have rearfoot or forefoot instability, with severe pronation, the fascia can become inflamed causing great pain. Make sure your shoes have proper arches or see a podiatrist for special inserts.



*Shin Splints. Shin splints are probably the most common lower extremity injury. Pain is usually felt along the shin muscles (front, middle or back) and is a result of high impact forces or training on improper surfaces. Strengthening the muscles of the shin before your workout is helpful and icing them afterward will reduce inflammation.



*Heel spurs. Heel spurs occur when calcium deposits build up on the bottom of the heel bone. These take a long time to grow. Stretching the bottom of the foot before class is helpful.



*Achilles tendinitis. During aerobics we spend a lot of time on our toes. This creates pain and tightness in the back of the calf. Stretching the calf before and after class is helpful. Also, remember to bring your heels down. You should not always be up on the balls of your feet.



*Stress Fractures. Stress fractures, like shin splints, are caused by improper footwear, hard surfaces and overuse syndromes. Women usually get fractures in the lesser metatarsal bones. See a podiatrist right away to avoid a truly debilitating injury.


*Other injuries: Hip and back pain due to poor mechanics of the hip-sacrum-pelvis.

Overuse injury: How to prevent training injuries

Recovering from overuse injury

If you suspect that you have an overuse injury, consult your doctor. Your doctor might ask you to stop doing the activity that caused the injury and recommend you see a Sport Physical Therapist for proper treatment and education on avoid injuries. More important, make sure you discuss with your doctor your physical activity program — including any recent changes in technique, intensity, duration, frequency or types of activity. Identifying the root cause of your overuse injury and ensuring that you're using the proper technique will help you correct the problem and avoid repeating it. When you think the overuse injury has healed, ask your doctor to check that you've completely regained strength, motion, flexibility and balance before beginning the activity again. 

Playing it safe

Don't allow overuse injuries to prevent you from being physically active. By working with your doctor or Physical Therapist, listening to your body and pacing yourself, you can avoid this common setback and safely increase your activity level.

Stay Safe!

Take advantage of our complimentary assessments by contacting our office therapy@hectorpt.com or (518)577-5214 HECTORPT PHYSICAL THERAPY OF CLIFTON PARK AND COLONIE NY.

HECTORPT SPORTS THERAPY ALBANY NY 12205. HECTORPT PHYSICAL THERAPY CLIFTON PARK NY 12205

 

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Cycling injuries and Physical Therapist tips for proper bike fit.

November 8th, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

Physical Therapist advice for proper Bike Fit and Injury prevention

 

 

 

 

Cycling is an increasingly popular recreational and competitive activity, and cycling-related injuries are becoming more common. Many common cycling injuries of the lower extremity are preventable. These include knee pain, patellar quadriceps tendinitis, iliotibial band syndrome, hip pain, medial tibial stress syndrome, stress fracture, compartment syndrome, numbness of the foot, and metatarsalgia. Injury is caused by a combination of inadequate preparation, inappropriate equipment, poor technique, and overuse. Injury prevention should be the focus, with particular attention to bicycle fit and alignment, appropriate equipment, proper rider position and pedaling mechanics, and appropriate training.

 

 

Most common bike fit errors include saddle heights that are either too high or too low, handlebar reach that is either too long or too short, and misalignments of the pedal and shoe. Here are some tips for proper bike fit:

Saddle. Be sure that the saddle is level. If you are sliding too far forward from a forward-tilting saddle, too much weight is being placed on your hands, arms, and lower back. If the seat is tilted backwards, you may place undue strain on your lower back and possibly experience saddle-related pain. A physical therapist can measure proper saddle height by measuring knee angle at the most extended position of the knee in common pedaling.

Handlebars. Handlebar position will affect hand, shoulder, neck, and back comfort. The higher the handlebars, the more weight will be placed on the saddle. Generally, taller riders should have lowerhandlebars in relation to the height of the saddle. Proper handlebar position allows for shoulders to roughly make a 90 degree angle between the humerus and trunk. Trunk angle for the road bike cyclist is 25-35 degrees and for comfort/recreational riding is 35-90 degrees. Riders should re-examine their bicycle fit after bad falls or crashes, due to possible re-orientation of handlebars, brakehoods, cleats, or the saddle.

Knee to Pedal. A physical therapist also can measure the angle of the knee to the pedal. The closer the angle is to 35 degrees, the better function the cyclist will have and with less stress on the knee. For the road cyclist, the angle should be 30-35 degrees. The recreational cyclist should have a 35-45 degree angle.

Foot to Pedal. The ball of the foot should be positioned over the pedal spindle for the best leverage, comfort, and efficiency. A stiff-soled shoe is best for comfort and performance.

Pedaling is a skilled activity that requires aerobic conditioning . You should make it your goal to work toward pedaling at 80-90 revolutions per minute (advanced at 90-105 rpm). Pedaling at this rate will lessen your chance of injury.

Physical Condition. Good flexibility of the hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteal muscles is crucial because these muscles generate the majority of the pedaling force and must ideally move through the pedal-stroke in 80-90 revolutions per minute. Proper stretching, balance, and flexibility exercises help with coordination of cycling-related skills such as breaking and cornering.

Changes in riders' strength and flexibility affect the ability to attain certain positions on the bicycle and also may require them to re-examine their bike fit.

Bicycle accessories on the market — such as softer handlebar tape, shock absorbers for the seat post and front fork, cut-out saddles, and wider tires — help bring comfort to the sport.  Proper bicycle fit will minimize discomfort and possible overuse injury, maximize economy, and ensure safe bicycle operation. Proper bicycle fit will make your ride a lot more pleasurable.

Tips for Avoiding Bike-Fit Related Injuries

Postural Tips

  • Change hand position on the handlebars frequently for upper body comfort.
  • Keep a controlled but relaxed grip of the handlebars.
  • When pedaling, your knee should be slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Avoid rocking your hips while pedaling.

Common Bicycling Pains

  • Anterior (Front) Knee Pain. Possible causes are having a saddle that is too low, pedaling at a low cadence (speed), using your quadriceps muscles too much in pedaling, misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals, and muscle imbalance in your legs (strong quadriceps and weak hamstrings).
  • Neck Pain. Possible causes include poor handlebar or saddle position. A poorly placed handlebar might be too low, at too great a reach, or at too short a reach. A saddle with excessive downward tilt can be a source of neck pain.
  • Hamstring Tendinitis. Possible causes are inflexible hamstrings, high saddle, misaligned bicyclecleat, and poor hamstring strength.
  • Hand Numbness or Pain. Possible causes are short-reach handlebars, poorly placed brake levers, and a downward tilt of the saddle.
  • Foot Numbness or Pain. Possible causes are using quadriceps muscles too much in pedaling, low cadence, faulty foot mechanics, and misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals.
  • Ilio-Tibial Band Tendinitis. Possible causes are too-high saddle, leg length difference, and misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals.
  • Lower Back Pain. Possible causes include inflexible hamstrings, low cadence, using your quadriceps muscles too much in pedaling, poor back strength, and too-long or too-low handlebars. 
  • BACK PAIN IN CYCLISTS is often aggravated when pushing a big gear or with lots of climbing. Usually these athletes have tight and weak gluteals, hamstrings, and hip flexors (psoas) and poor core stability. The other main factor for low back pain is poor mobility of the pelvis. Ideally, lumbar spine is supported by the deep abdominal muscles and deep back muscles in a fairly static or still position as the legs move steadily around, providing power to the pedals. The power muscles for time trials and long hill climbs are the quadriceps to extend the knee and the gluteals and hamstrings to extend the hip. If the power muscles are tight and weak and the lumbar or core stabilizers insufficient, extra movement either flexion-extension, side bending or shearing can occur in the lumbar spine. This extra friction, pressure, or tension on the lumbar structures can cause pain, inflammation, and eventually cumulative trauma.Cycling is a great sport. Prevent injuries by implementing a proper stretching routine, use proper equipment and maintain proper mechanics.

In cycling,Injury prevention should be the focus, with particular attention to bicycle fit and alignment, appropriate equipment, proper rider position and pedaling mechanics, and appropriate training.

A message from HECTORPT SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY OF CLIFTON PARK AND ALBANY NY www.hectorpt.com (518)577-5214

PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES ALBANY NY 12205 – PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES CLIFTON PARK NY 12065

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