Hopefully you are as excited about the return of summer to the Bow Valley as we are. In between the intermittent June snowstorms, we hope that you have found some time to get active. With tennis courts in full swing, golf courses greening up, local rivers flowing and trails drying up all over the valley, there is certainly an abundance of activities to choose from!
In this third installment of the Active Motion E-Newsletter:
- We take a closer look at the muscles involved in producing 'pedal power' on your bike
- We highlight more updates to the Active Motion website
- We welcome Jill McAulay back to our Banff Clinic
- We check in on some upcoming 'Active' events in Banff and Canmore
- We introduce the NEW Active Motion Mobile Warm-Up & Recovery Centre
PEDAL POWER
Years of treating cyclists of all skill levels here in the Bow Valley (not to mention being bikers ourselves!) has helped us gain a solid understanding of cyclists' body dynamics and the origins of cycling related injuries. To help you avoid these all-too-common injuries, we would like to shine some light on the muscles involved in powering your bike and offer some helpful tips to keep you riding comfortably all summer long.
The Pedal Downstroke - GLUTS & QUADS: During a pedal stroke, the gluts work synergistically with the quads to push the pedal down. The harder we are able to push down on the pedals, the more power we can transfer into the bike and the faster we go. However, for those of us that spend the better part of the day sitting, the gluts have become an underutilized muscle group, and as is the case with muscle tissue in the body, what we don't use, we lose. This results in a drastic reduction in power output, a higher risk of injury and a tightening of the hip flexors.
The Pedal Upstroke - PSOAS / HIP FLEXORS: The primary hip flexor is the psoas muscle, which originates from the lumbar spine and connects high on the femur (as is pointed out by the green arrow in the diagram). The function of the Psoas is to lift the leg, or in this case, to lift the pedal on the upstroke. The Psoas shortens and lengthens itself depending on the position of our body. Looking at a 'typical' day for many of us - we sit for breakfast, sit at school or work, get out for a bike ride, sit for supper and sit again using the computer or watching TV – the psoas stays in a shortened position for the better part of our days, including while we are on the bike. Without proper stretching, the psoas can suffer severe aggravation as a result of running or walking after a ride. These movements cause the tight psoas to pull the lumbar spine into an extended position which in turn causes back muscles to tighten. The final result is increased compressive forces through the lumbar spine, otherwise known as lower back pain.
So what can you do to help prevent injuries resulting from tight hip flexors and under utilized gluts? STRETCH!
Cycling is a great form of exercise and a great way to get around town (and soon between towns, see update below) just bear in mind that it is incredibly important to stretch out your hip flexors and gluts before and after each ride.
Stretching the hip flexors is best accomplished with one knee on the ground and the other foot in front of you as seen in this photo. Simply flatten your lower back by tucking your pelvis in and if properly executed, you should feel a stretch on the front of your leg and in your hip flexor.
To stretch the gluts, simply place one leg as close to a 90 degre angle as you can in front of the other and extend your arms out in front of you, as seen in the photo .
EXCITING NEWS FOR CYCLISTS IN THE BOW VALLEY:
In May, the Federal government announced funding for a new paved pathway that will join Banff and Canmore! More on this announcement can be found by clicking here
The 'Cougar Commuter' bike path will be built to enable Cougar Creek residents in Canmore to commute to the downtown core on bike. More on this announcement can be found by clicking here
NEW! CUSTOMIZED CONTENT ALERTS ON THE AMPT WEBSITE
You can now login to the Active Motion website and tell us what specific sports, work, or condition related topics you are interested in receiving information about. As we continue to expand our website with new content, we will email you a personalized alert informing you that new content related to your specified area(s) of interest has been added to the site. It's an easy way to stay up-to-date with information customized to your personal interests and activities. Simply enter the personal login information provided at the top left of this e-newsletter into the 'Sign In' area of the Active Motion website (see the yellow arrow in the image above) and follow the instructions.
WELCOME BACK JILL McAULAY
We are pleased to welcome back Physiotherapist Jill McAulay. Starting July 6th , Jill will be available 3 evenings per week to treat clients at the Active Motion Banff clinic, located in the Sally Borden Building at The Banff Centre. Jill's particular areas of interest include Spinal Manipulation, Cranial Sacral Technique, Myofascial Release, Osteopathic treatment for headaches and Ergonomic assessments. She is also MVA and WCB certified. Appointment times with Jill are already getting booked up quickly, so be sure to give us a call at 403-760-0259 to reserve an appointment time.
UPCOMING 'ACTIVE' EVENTS IN THE BOW VALLEY
Banff National Park Bike Fest - June 20, 2009 11:30 am-3:30 pm @ Banff High School Field
Stop by and check out Active Motion's NEW Warm-Up & Recovery Centre, a mobile Physio and Massage therapy treatment area. Treatments available for participants and spectators alike!
Canmore Nordic Ski Club's Canada Day Run - July 1, 2009 9:00 am @ Canmore Centennial Park
Active Motion is proud to sponsor prize money for the top race finishers. $100 each to the Top Male and Top Female finishers in the 8 km race. A fun walk, a 3 km run and a kids obstacle course and are also available. Registration forms and drop-off are available at Ultimate Fit Centre in Canmore.
BOOK THE AMPT MOBILE WARM-UP & RECOVERY CENTRE FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT
If you have an upcoming event in the Bow Valley that you would like to have Active Motion attend, please feel free to call us to discuss. We are able to offer on-site Physio and Massage Therapy at outdoor and indoor events alike.
We always enjoy hearing from our clients. If there is anything we can do for you to improve the client experience, we're all ears. If you have a moment to fill out our Client Satisfaction Survey , please download it here and bring it in with you at the time of your next visit. We appreciate your feedback!
May all your summer adventures in the Bow Valley and beyond be safe and enjoyable. Here's to a healthy and active summer season!
Yours in health,
THE AMPT TEAM