Views on Massage and Physio

xcmad

Interested to hear if anyone takes in trips to get their legs/back/whatevers sorted out, and at what intervals.

Last 2 months I seem to be picking up niggles every other week. I've been doing more miles and a few competitions but didnt expect it to have this much effect. Hurting. Wondering whether some pro help will help reduce risk of muscle injury and fatigue.

I'm doing 100-150m per week, mix of road and MTB

ricardo_smooth

What are your rest periods and how much riding were you doing before?

cooldad

Hot blonde massage sounds good, but if you need a physio regularly you are either doing something wrong or are a pro.

xcmad

Doing 100m weekly before, recently moved to 150. Rest periods? Tend to ride through pain when I get it. Longest rest period recently was 5 days (injury)

cooldad

Pain is there for a reason.

.blitz

Have been a few times but not because of over-training, more as a rsult of colliding with something hard and immovable. The lady in question knows her stuff but doesn't give much away, you have to ask her what she's doing and why. Once you know this, a lot of the physio can be done at home thus saving £38.50 for 30 mins

I think it's beneficial but as always, r&r is just as important as time on the bike

Anonymous

Physio is for when you half kill yourself and need to get over the injuries (and the NHS is paying).

All I needed from mine was just to tell me what exercises I should do. Seen him twice and don't really need to go back, just do the stuff myself. Riding is one of the best things for my pains. Natural endorphins and all that, and as my back was bust the riding position is good for stretching the muscles in the back.

As for pain, the old saying goes,

Patient: "Doctor it hurts when I do this"
Doctor: "Well, stop doing it then!"

hucking_fell

After 6 sessions of free physio (paid for by my work's insurance) I now have stretching exercises to do when my back starts to bother me. Prevention is better than cure and all that.

Daft thing is that I'm employed by the NHS yet myself and my colleagues are sent to a private physio place.

meesterbond

If the physiotherapist is any good then it can definitely help.

I used to have a sports massage monthly when I was running a lot - they quickly identified that all the strains and pains I was getting in my calves was actually due my quads being shorter and tighter as a result of years of cycling. The key was not to spend all my time stretching the calves, but focus on the root of the problem.

Sounds like a session would be a good idea, but also things like a good bike fit and a decent training plan might be of use too?

ricardo_smooth

You need to rest more if you are 'riding through the pain' when pros say that its usually due to an injury they shouldnt be ridign with and they will take weeks off after an event. Unfortunately most of us have to go to work on a Monday morning and don't get that kind of rest/treatment diagnosis/instant MRI scanning ect.

cee

as above.....

you need rest days in your programme.

They needn't be full on couch slob rest days....more...gentle ride, or a nice walk or something.....

I have had physio for injuries.....sessions stopped after injury started to get better and I was left with a load of excersises to do to continue the process...

I have had hydro cortisone injections..again.....for an injury....that pretty much fixed me up.

Massages are nice to have once in a while...