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| The last column discussed what sports injuries are and how to assess their severity. This column will tell you what to do when you have an acute sports injury. The three main goals... read more |
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| Acute Sports Injuries are traumatic in nature. Some are very dramatic such as when Mike Foligno broke his leg at centre ice the season before last. Although his was a bone injury m... read more |
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Gregory
Soon-Shiong |
Dr. Gregory Soon-Shiong is the clinical director of the Spine Care Program at Pinnacle Health Sciences Centre. He is a fellowship-trained spine surgeon and has been principal spine... read more |
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Cycling | Tuesday, April 11, 2006 |
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 As the snow melts, the first thing people often think of is to get out their bicycle and experience spring. Their is nothing like cycling to get out those winter cobwebs. The wind in your face as you cruise along. Their are a few things you can do to prevent injury on your bicycle and that is the purpose of this article.
Initially their was basically one type of bicycle. Now their are differnt varieties of bicycles and it is important to buy the right one to fit your needs. The three basic types are 1/ Racing/ Touring
2/ Mountain
3/ Hybrid
The racing/ touring models are the 10 or 12 speed traditional bicycles with the handlebars curved maround like longhorns. These bicycles are meant for driving on roads on long tours and for cycle racing and triathlons. They are fast but their narrow tires are far from ideal for city streets.
The mountain bikes are generally made for off road cycling. The wide knobby tires while good for traction and stability are far from efficient on the roads. These sturdy bikes can also be used in the city and are a favorite with bike couriers.
The hybrid bikes look more like a touring bicycle but have a little bit wider tire and a little more stable and more efficient on streets than the mountain bike.
The first thing to do in the spring is to get a tune up of your bicycle. A good bike shop will go through your bike and make sure all parts are working efficiently. They will replace any worn parts such as brake pads which could cause serious problems. This all in all make your riding safer and more enjoyable. If you are purchasing a new bike make sure you are buying the proper bike for your needs. The next most important thing is the fit of your bicycle. A knowledgable salesperson is invaluable to sell you not only the correct size bike frame for your body, but be able to set the bike up properly for you. The majority of overuse injuries I see in riders are from improper bike fit. The most important things are seat height, pedal arm length, and height and distance of the handlebars from the seat.
The next important thing is to wear the proper accessories. As mentioned in a previous article the most important thing is the helmet. No matter where or how far you are going it is important to always wear your helmet. Depending on how far you are cycling, cycling shorts are needed for comfort and to help prevent saddle soars.
Cycling gloves can make the ride more comfortrable and prevent hand and wrist injuries while cycling. If you happen to fall the gloves will also protect your hands from the road surface. It is important to maintain your hydration and cycling with an easy place to store your water bottle is perhaps the easiest sport to do this.
Like any sport it is important to start off easy early in the season and increase as your body adapts. In cycling this means not going out for too long a distance. Early in the season you should ""spin"", meaning pedalling at low gears at a high cadence or leg speed(90-100 RPM). As your body adapts you can increase the intensity and distance you ride in a controlled manner. Be also aware that your technical riding skills will also be rusty so you will have to be more careful both on and off the road.
It is important to follow the rules of the road ont hte road and the rules of the trail if you are off-roading. Their have been serious injuries from violations of these rules.
Also be careful on the bike paths where you are sharing space with not only other cycists but with joggers, walkers, and now the ever increasing rollar bladers.
A future article will talk about cycling injuries, but the main thing is to follow the above principles and go out and enjoy yourself and keep active.
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