| As we all know cycling is a great way to improve | | | | the hamstrings must pick up the slack. As a result, the |
| your overall cardiovascular fitness. However, what you | | | | hamstrings get over worked and become tight. |
| may not know is that over time the demands of | | | | Moving up to the shoulders and mid-back, we see the |
| cycling can lead to muscular imbalances which can limit | | | | back rounded. A rounded upper back causes the |
| the body's ability to perform at peak level and | | | | shoulder blades to elevate and protract. As a result, |
| dramatically increase chance of both over-use injury | | | | the muscles in the chest and upper trapezius become |
| and chronic pain. | | | | tight leaving the shoulders hiked up and pulled forward. |
| To get a clearer idea of how these imbalances can | | | | Tight pecs major and upper traps weaken the |
| occur we'll take a look at the riding posture starting | | | | mid-back and scapula stabilizers. Weak scapula |
| from the feet and moving up to the head: | | | | stabilizers can place undue stress in the shoulder joint |
| Pedaling places a lot of stress on the calves. Tight | | | | during overhead movements while tight upper Traps |
| calves can cause the feet to flatten and place undue | | | | are a major contributor to neck tension and pain. |
| stress on the heel cord, plantar fascia and knees. The | | | | The last body part to look at is the head. Cycling |
| major muscles involved in cycling are the quadriceps. | | | | posture pulls the head forward. The cervical spine was |
| You can see that by looking at any professional cyclist. | | | | designed to efficiently support the head and evenly |
| However, miles of cycling in the bent over cycling | | | | distribute its weight among the seven cervical |
| position can create tightness in the quadriceps and the | | | | vertebrae. As the head is pulled forward the |
| psoas (hip flexors). These tight quads and hip flexors | | | | distribution of its weight shifts and more force is placed |
| pull the pelvis out of optimal position into a forward tilt. | | | | on the vertebrae at the base of the neck. This can |
| This anterior tilt of the pelvis sets in motion a cascade | | | | lead to calcium deposits and arthritic changes in the |
| of muscle imbalance. The forward tilt of the pelvis | | | | cervical vertebrae. A forward head also leads to |
| causes an increased arching of the lower back. This | | | | tightness of the neck flexors and weakening of the |
| over loads the muscles of the lumbar spine while at | | | | neck extensors. This places undue stress on the |
| the same time lengthens and weakens the abdominals. | | | | muscles in the back of the neck and commonly results |
| Another muscle group negatively affected by these | | | | in neck pain and tension head aches. |
| dominant quads and hip flexors are the gluteals. The | | | | As you can see, cycling can cause some serious |
| glutes are a major pelvic stabilizer and the main hip | | | | muscle imbalances that can lead to pain in the body. |
| extensors of the body. Tightness and over-activation | | | | The next article will look at how to correct these |
| of their opposing hip flexors cause the glutes to | | | | imbalances using an integrated training approach that |
| become weak and under-active. In this situation, | | | | encompasses muscle balance, postural efficiency, core |
| because the glutes cannot effectively extend the hip, | | | | stability and flexibility. |