How Chiropractic Benefits Cyclists

Cyclists can be divided in two; athletes who are a full-time professional cyclist and compete in events (thus undergo regular training daily), and individuals who just own a bike and use it to run almost all their errands that cycling has become their only means of transport in their daily routine.

Who is a Chiropractor?

A chiropractor uses non-surgical and holistic form of healthcare that focuses on the disorders of the musculoskeletal systems which facilitate the mobility ability of the human body. Its primary treatment is the adjustment of the spine in which the manipulation is done manually.

What Muscles are toned during cycling?

Most people assume riding a bike as merely rotating the peddles to create movement. Basically, that is true, but there are other all sorts of forces in plays. Did you know the muscles that you use when cycling not include the leg muscles but also the upper body muscles? The following is the list of muscle that is used while cycling:

  • Quadriceps muscles (your front of thighs)
  • Gluteus Maximus (your buttocks)
  • Hamstrings (rear of thigh)
  • Calf muscles
  • Dorsi-flexors of the foot
  • Hip flexors

All these muscles work together in a series of contractions to cause the forward movement of the bike by pedaling.

The Muscles on the Upper Body

The muscles on the upper body that you use in cycling is mainly to offer you support and make sure you are stable enough not to fall off in case you hit a rock or when you change direction instantly. These include:
• Abdominal muscles (which comprises of both the internal and the external muscles) • Chest muscles • Shoulders muscles • Your arm muscles • The Muscles at your back • Injuries caused by cycling
Since so many muscles are used to cause the movement of the bike, and the constant pivoting of your joints to create movement, without following the safety guidelines you could injure yourself severely. This is a list of the common injuries that most cyclists are prone to succumb to:
Lower back pain

Lower back pain

Piriformis muscle which starts at the lower back when tight due to lack of enough practice or one continues riding without a break may upset the sciatic nerve hence cause a lot of pain.
Knee pain

Knee pain

Knee pain is often as a result of a poorly assembled bike or riding a faulty bike. The alignment of the saddle can have a significant impact on your knees.
Neck and wrist pain

Neck and wrist pain

When your upper body transmits too much pressure, it can cause pain around your neck and your wrists. Bike alignment can greatly affect how you position your body.
Saddle soars

Saddle soars

Poor choice of cycling shorts and bad quality or poorly aligned saddle may give rise to this itchy and sometimes painful feeling after riding or even during riding.

Treatment that a Chiropractor offer and how Cyclists Benefit

Cycling is proven to be one of those exercises that put whole your body into work; your mind, muscles, bones, and nerves all have a role to play in enabling you to cycle. This holistic work out requires a more comprehensive kind of care too, and there is no one better to offer this than a chiropractor.
As mentioned above, muscles used in cycling and kind of injuries, cyclists are prone to, you can tell they are correlated, and proper care from a chiropractor can treat these injuries and prevent future ones.

Chiropractic care makes sure:

Your back is re-aligned well

Joints are put in their proper positions

Muscles are relaxed

Accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles due to fatigue is removed through induction of manual blood circulation techniques

The flexibility of your muscles is improved and maintained.
Heal injuries faster
Give you advice on body movement when you are cycling.

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Get in touch

  • Bankers Hall Chiropractic
    135-315 8 Ave SW,
    Calgary, AB T2P 4K1,
    Canada

  • (403) 243-0111