Www.thebikefitphysio.com. As a follow up from the initial video titled a dance for cyclist hip health. This video explains that not everything that feels tight is actually tight/shortened. It can be a trick of the brain where a feeling of tightness will be due to muscle weakness and/or a tendon issue. As is the case with me!
I am presenting with a hip flexor tendon issue on the right (not for the first time as I recall having to rehab this issue back in 2018) and when I get my pelvis moving and hip moving through range, I am getting a soreness and tightness feeling at the front of my hip, detailed in the video.
What is worth noting here is that this issue flares up when I lift the intensity of my cycling, and guess who entered a mountain bike cross- country event last weekend!! This flared it up and a post activity flare up is also a sign of a tendon that can’t handle the load when the intensity goes up above its threshold. The flare up meant that I was sore at the front of my right hip even when cycling the cargo bike in an upright position.
I then tested my own ability to hold my right knee up (see video) using my inner range hip flexors and this was significantly weaker, in fact I couldn’t hold my knee up and needed to drop it due to weakness and discomfort.
Over the course of 5 days, I have made nice improvements in that I worked on the isometric holding of my knee in a inner range hip flexed position, and also working the hip flexors through range by providing a resistance with my hand and moving the right knee towards my chest when in a bike position. (See end of video)
I can now cycle pain free but I know that I need to rehab this intensively so my hip flexors can handle the high intensity of the cyclocross season later this year.
So, for those of you who cycle a lot and want to keep your hips healthy, my advice is to do the dance (this will help your hips range of movement) but also ensure that your muscles and tendons are happy, and in this case, your inner range hip flexors are doing their job well.
5 окт 2024
