Chiropractic for Cyclists

By Dr. Michael Weir


Burning in the shoulders, numbness and tingleing into the arms and hands, or even tension in the neck are common for a causal or professional cyclist to feel. Sometimes you can ignore these type of symptoms, but if they keep coming back it usually starts to interfere with your cycling. I daily see cyclists that deal with upper and lower back pain pain and discomfort. The question is can a chiropractor help a cyclist with these type of problems?

The answer is absolutely! In addition, chiropractors can help prevent injuries, enhance speed, strength, and even efficiency for healthy cyclists. Athletes of all kinds and ages can find help with rehabilitation, maintenance, prevention, and treatment in the hands of a chiropractor.

Chiropractors have a unique set of skills and knowledge to offer a cyclists, in addition to their general musculoskeletal expertise. As you know as a cyclist, everything is very interconnected; from the ankle to the shoulder. In fact, if your physician or chiropractor isn't addressing all three of these issues at once, you are likely to continue to have the symptoms, pain, or injury without any relief. As a Bellevue chiropractor I daily work with other professionals such as medical doctors, PT's, massage therapists, and trainers to help my patients heal in the best way possible.

Most issues that cyclists experience are multidimensional in nature and require and treatment plan in accordance with this. Chiropractic adjustments, massage, exercises, and stretches are a vital part of the healing process in most cases. As an example a patient with pain in the "upstroke" of their pedal may have a hip joint misalignment. Chiropractic adjustments of the SI joints (hips) would be necessary, as well as muscles balancing work to address tight and weak muscles. This muscle balancing work helps to stabilize the pelvis so that the problem does not continue to reoccur.

It is absolutely vital that patients do their part to help their recovery from cycling injuries or pain. I can do adjustment after adjustment, but if you do not complete the required stretching and strengthening exercises at home, we may not see the relief you would expect.

The last step in the process of working with any of my cyclist patients is to make sure that their bicycle is ergonomically fit for your body. Is the seat in the right place? Is it the right size? Are the handlebars properly fit? All of these play a huge part in reducing strain and preventing injury's while you cycle. I have people that I can refer you to, to help with this.




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