Next Full Moon

Sunday, May 3rd Full Flower Moon

15 September 2008

We're gonna talk today about increased mobility.



There is a very good article here on joint-by-joint assessment of mobility, followed by this one ,regarding drills to improve mobility. They are both very detailed, and useful.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, as my old issues with the left hip have been reoccurring. That this re-occurrence closely follows my 2 week stint on the fixed crosscheck does not surprise me. While it is a mistake of one sort to assume that events happening near simultaneously are necessarily related, it's a whole 'nother ball of mistake to ignore the probable connection. So, putting aside the potential causality of having a left ankle that is a tiny bit unstable, and riding a fixed gear off road, while clipped in...

As you remember (being so closely involved in my bikes' fits, personal discomforts or rumors of discomfort involving bike fit) the crosscheck is awaiting it's replacement stem. Rick, I'm looking at you here. Since the current stem is too low and too short, I'm essentially in my old position vis. reaching down too far, while being contracted abdominally. All my other bikes' fit has changed to accomodate a more upright/comfortable posture and I'd forgotten my old bugbear, the hip- specifically trigger points in Pectineus:


Gluteus Minimus:


and Iliopsoas:

In each of those images, the Trigger Points are represented as Xs, while the (pain) referral patterns are represented as red blotches.

Thoracic Mobility comes into this mainly due to this blog entry, which felt like the missing piece in the pattern I see so often in (everyone) cyclists in particular due to positioning. Lack of mobility in the thoracic spine dovetails so... uh...insidiously? with the ultra-common pectoral tightness among cyclists, especially as that area of the spine is used to anchor movement while pedaling furiously. Or in my case, languorously.

Time to roll around on tennis balls, while I wait. Don't think for a minute this means I'm not gonna kick your ass come 'cross racin', sucka.

Hope this finds y'all well. If not, poke around and get better. Body Massage, GO!

4 comments:

Gunnar Berg said...

My young wife (pushing 60 real hard) recently damaged her hip doing some extreme yoga. A therapist gave her a series of exercises which were mostly resistance based. The exercise she seemed to enjoy the most was to have someone (me) massage the top side of her gluts. After dealing with the pain, and probably reinjuring herself, for months, it only took about 2 weeks of staying away from yoga and doing the exercises. Now she's happy, back to yoga, just avoiding the extreme hip spreads.

Anonymous said...

Hey Capty
Your stem is done.... Has been for a while... was thinking I was going to run into you somewheres... Where and when do you want it ? Come on up to the secrect location if you want...
Rick

Anonymous said...

so this pirate walks into a bar, with a steering wheel attached to his crotch... i think you know the rest AAAARRR

reverend dick said...

No! I cannnot remember that joke or where I heard it, and it's driving me crazy!