The Cyclist's Stretch (... and Officer workers too!)

Geoffrey Hogan, Osteopath

Hello all,

The days are brighter, longer and warmer now thankfully. A long cycle seems like a great way to spend a day or a nice way to commute to work. Stretching your legs properly afterwards is essential, especially the hidden and often overlooked psoas major muscle (pronounced "So-As").

Psoas major is possibly the most important muscle of the low back. It is also a huge muscle. It bends the hip (hip flexor). But here’s the important bit – it attaches to all the bones and discs of the lower back and eventually attaches itself to the thigh bone (femur).

A number of cyclists have presented to me in the sports clinic complaining of low back pain. Often it is directly related to tightness in the psoas muscle. We say this could have been avoided with proper psoas stretching.

Cycling exercises the psoas muscle making it tight. Additionally, the sitting position keeps the hip in flexion causing a relative shortening of the muscle.  (Interestingly, office workers often also have shortened psoas major muscles due to prolonged sitting).  When it is tight or shortened, psoas major pulls on the lumber spine affecting the movement here and this can lead to back pain.

To stretch this muscle, place a cushion on the floor. Kneel onto one knee using the cushion to protect the knee – this is the side being stretched. The opposite leg is in front with the knee bent to 90 degrees. Shift your weight forwards onto the front leg so that the front knee comes up towards your chest. The back knee, fixed to the cushion, is pulled back behind the hip and a stretch can be felt at the front of the hip. Be sure to lean forwards (not backwards) at the waist. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Release for 2 seconds. Stretch again for 30 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times on each side.  

The stretch should not be painful, only a stretching feeling should be felt. If it is painful of if you feel pain do not continue. Always seek professional help if in doubt. Pain that does not go away always needs to be checked. Our Clinic offers FREE telephone advice 020 8946 2331.

So keep your psoas loose, enjoy the weather and stay injury free!

Geoffrey Hogan M.Ost

REGISTERED OSTEOPATH

Wimbledon Osteopathy & Cranial

Hi Everyone,

Long Distance Training

With last month’s London Marathon behind us, we have had a number of questions about training and long-distance runs. If done correctly it can help you expand your fitness and avoid injury.  In any case the improving weather should certainly encourage more out-door training. So enjoy it and here are my tips.

The Taper

Tapering involves reducing your mileage gradually as you lead up to the race. You can still run as often as you like though. It is a vital part of any long distance or marathon training, that allows your muscles to repair, allows your body to store vital carbohydrates that will prevent you from hitting ‘the wall’ as fast; and it reduces the risk of you sustaining an injury before race day!

Generally speaking a taper should be performed over 3 weeks but you can taper also over 2 weeks if you haven’t been training for as long as you may have liked.

The Final Run

Three weeks before the run, do your final long run. On the first week of the taper your mileage should be cut to 75% of the normal. At two weeks cut to 50% and the week before cut down to 25% of your normal mileage. Try to allow one day between each run to rest. You may want to run for 20 minutes or so the day before the race to calm the nerves but resting the day before is totally fine too.

On The Day

Make a list of all the things you need to take with you on race day so that you can tick them off the night before and you’ll know that you haven’t forgotten anything.

On race day you will need to take about 3-4 gels with you and take them at 45-60 minute intervals. This will keep your carbohydrate levels up throughout the race. Stay hydrated. It is a combined depletion of glycogen stores and dehydration that makes you hit the dreaded wall. Don’t try new gels or anything that you haven’t tried before at this stage. It’s too late to risk not getting on with them.

Be kind to your body afterwards and take a very well deserved rest for at least a whole week. You will have more than earned it.

Best of luck on your big day, hope you all smash your PBs.

Geoffrey Hogan M.Ost

REGISTERED OSTEOPATH

Wimbledon Osteopathy & Cranial