Let your chiropractor be your cycling hero

Cyclists everywhere will have been inspired by this year’s Tour de France. I’ve been watching every day and have decided that I’m going to up my exercise goals for 2014 by training for my first Sprint Triathlon. I’m in my 40’s but as a regular runner and swimmer, I’m hoping that a long term training plan will see me achieve my goal.

My training plan starts with my appointment to see my chiropractor – some say, spinal specialist! – Dr Christian Farthing. This isn’t because I feel ill. And it’s not for my annual spinal adjustment either. It’s because I want to complete my first Triathlon without any injuries.

In particular, I want to enjoy the event and not feel anxious about creating cycling injuries due to poor bike setup can create stresses and strains that lead to neck pain, back ache, hip problems and  headaches. I’d like Dr Christian to check over my bike set up so that I can go into my training plan with confidence that I can develop the strength and stamina I’m going to need without unnecessary injuries along the way.

Here’s what I expect to discuss:

• Is my bike the correct size for me? I think it is but I want my chiropractor’s opinion on that. The size of frame, width of handlebars and length of handlebar stem will all have an impact on how my weight is distributed as I ride. I also want to make sure that my arms and shoulders are comfortable as I ride so that I’m not tense, stretched or cramped.

• For amateur and beginner cyclists – that’ll be me – the cycling position itself can exacerbate any spinal misalignments, back or pelvic pain.  It can also increase stress on the neck and shoulders. I will be asking my chiropractor to check my complete bike set up to ensure that I’m working with my bike not against it.

• Now I must confess, one of my legs is a tad shorter than the other. This isn’t uncommon – many of us are unwittingly adapting our stride to accomodate uneven leg length. The question is, is this significant enough to cause a pelvic misalignment? If so, would my chiropractor recommend shoe inserts? This could be helpful in a race, as equal leg lengths make pedalling more efficient.

• If you find pedalling feels smoother on one leg than the other, that’s another sign that one leg is shorter or weaker than the other. As Tour De France coverage has shown, there’s been a lot of research into cycling performance over the past few years. With the help of my chiropractor, I want to ensure I’ve got a rounded cycling stroke, resolving any difficulties due to having one leg slightly shorter and weaker than the other, so that I can really push up those hills and maximise my performance on those lovely descents!

Now, if only Dr Christian could create time for training, I would really ramp up the training. As it is, I’ll have to settle for changing my exercise programme to incorporate Triathlon training. I’ve got a good feeling the BodyWell Group can help me out with that too!