Get On Your Bike For Bike Week

back care advice from our chiropractor in southend June 9th sees the start of Bike Week and annual event organised by Cycling UK to promote cycling. The aim is to demonstrate how cycling can be incorporated into our daily lives in addition to the many benefits of cycling.

Cycling is great way to get active. It has many benefits ranging from health, social and environmental ones.

As chiropractors we encourage people to get get active and take exercise. It is so important for a healthy spine. Unfortunately many people don’t realise how important it can also be to their recovery from back pain. It’s not uncommon for our chiropractors to treat patients who believed that resting would have helped ease their back pain.

Cycle offers many benefits which include:

  • helping improve the health of your heart and immune system
  •  helping you manage your weight
  •  reducing stress, anxiety and improving mental health
  •  helping you sleep better
  •  improving your fitness

If cycling is for you then we couldn’t live in a better place than Southend. Cycle Southend are set up to help Southend residents in all things bike! Their website is jam packed full of information from learn to ride tips, bike maps and suggested routes, groups to join on rides and even bike friendly cafes for those welcome pit stops – you can find it all on this website.

Our chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic Southend have put together some tips to help you keep our back safe if you do get on your bike.

  • Make sure you adjust the bike to suit your body before setting off. You should be able to reach the handlebars without overreaching or putting strain on your back, neck, shoulders or wrists.
  • Ideally the seat should be sloping forward or flat. Adjust the height so that your able to sit on the seat with your legs almost straight. When the pedal is in the most downward position your leg should be slightly bent at the  knee.
  • Start slowly and build up your intensity. Don’t overdo it on your first ride out – you’ll either injury yourself or put yourself off going again! Remember not all exercise is the same – even if you do some other form of exercise regularly, cycling may use different muscles groups.
  • Allow time to warm up before setting of and cooling down at the end of the ride.
  • Wear appropriate clothing that will be comfortable and not restrict your movement. You may want to consider some suitable padded clothing for cycling!
  • Change your position from time to time when cycling.

Why not get out there and have a go you may be surprised at how much you enjoy it.

If you haven’t take any exercise for a while or you are suffering pain or discomfort then you should seek advice from your chiropractor or health care professional before getting started.

Our experienced team of chiropractors at Cliffs Chiropractic are here to help and advise you.

 

 

 

 

A Great Invention For Parents Suffering From Back Pain!

If you’re a parent who suffers from back pain, you will be all too aware of the gruelling task that is teaching your little one to ride a bike. Walking in a 90 degree angle (it’s not that much of an exaggeration!) while you fervently try to help your child steer, balance and pedal can feel like a back-breaking task. Literally.

Fortunately, there is equipment available to help protect your spine while teaching your child to ride a bicycle.

“Bicycle parent handles”, as they are known, are handles that can be attached to the back of a child’s back to enable parents to help steer, control and balance the bike from a comfortable height.

If you are thinking of teaching your child how to ride, our Southend chiropractor recommends that you invest in a tool such as this – whether you  currently suffer from back pain or not.

Get Peddling!

Here at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend, we encourage everyone to take part in any event that benefits health and fitness – and this month it’s all about cycling!

Dig out your body-hugging shorts (classic cycling attire!), dust down your helmets and get those wheels in motion by joining in with this year’s Bike Week.

Taking place between the 11th and 19th June, Bike Week is set to attract hundreds of thousands of people to join cycling events, rethink their commutes and journeys and switch to cycling as their first choice of transport.

Bike Week 2016 has a particular focus on encouraging people to cycle to work and many participants will take part in fun workplace challenges such as finding the easiest route to their workplace or “buddying  up” with riding partners.

Southend on Sea Borough Council has a dedicated website about cycling – CycleSouthend.  We are sure you’ll find some fitness-boosting and scenic cycling routes which certainly beats sitting in spine stiffening traffic jams!

Are you going to join the hundreds of thousands of people taking part in Bike Week? You never know; it could be the start of a whole new you!

You can find out more by clicking here: http://bikeweek.org.uk/us

Planning to get on your bike – Keep your body in good condition with advice from Cliffs Chiropractor Southend

 

The summer may be nearing an end and for many of that will mean no more casual cycling. However since the exploits of the British cycling teams from the 2008 Olympics through to the 2013 Tour De France and ever since, cycling has been a growing sport in the UK. Numbers have grown a staggering amount and this means more and more of us are mountain biking, commuting to work on a bike, leisure riding and even road racing.

As a leading Chiropractic Clinic near Southend a great many of my patients are cyclists and I often advise them on how to keep their back safe and their body in good condition.

All about posture and precautions

Warm up and cool down – Like with any exercise activity this is important. Stretching, warming up and cooling down are one of the most important things you can do to avoid injuries. Without stretching your body will be stiff and more likely you’ll pull a muscle or hurt yourself.

Get your posture on right -Don’t over extend reaching for the handlebars. Take advice from cycling experts on the perfect riding posture. Essentially make sure you are not putting any unnecessary strain on your body. Make sure you can stand easily as well.

Change your position – Try standing up at some stages and sitting down at others. It is important not to be hunched over your bike for too long a period of time.

Keep your tyres pumped up – It may sound simple but it is remarkably effective. A tyre with poor air pressure will not only make your cycling more difficult and heavy but you will be putting extra strain on your body. That extra strain will increase the likelihood of injuries and that can all be avoided by putting air in your tyres.

Invest in good suspension – Whether you are a road cyclist or a mountain biker you will need good suspension. The type of suspension will vary depending on what you are doing and the surface you are riding on but ultimately you need to invest in good suspension. Stop your body and your back taking all the shocks.

Strengthen your back – If you do this your back will be a stronger part of your body and will cope with the pressures cycling exerts on it.

If you are planning on cycling a lot or you have any sporting injuries or other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.