Mountain Bike Pain Free –
Injuries are common in Mountain Biking, with uneven terrain and a love of speed, it’s going
to happen. But here’s the first in a series of short articles by Sports Massage Experts at
Dynamic Touch to help you prevent and/or address common problems Mountain Bikers
have.
Headaches
Dehydration is the most common reason for getting a headache, and the easiest to avoid.
That aspirin you take probably is less important than the glass of water you drink with it!
Make sure you’re hydrating every 20 minutes, and remember that it’s better to finish the
ride with some extra water than it is to run out half way. Dehydration headaches can come
on during a ride, or hours afterward.
Another reason for headaches is tension. Mountain Biking requires a lot of stabilization of
the handlebars, and the intensity of going downhill on treacherous terrain is exciting, but
also can cause tension in the upper back muscles which refer pain into the temples and
forehead. A very nice stretch is to lock your fingers behind your back and gently squeeze
your shoulder blades together, while standing straight and holding your head up tall for up
to 2 minutes. This should create a nice, warm relaxed feeling once you let go. Massage, is
of course another way to relieve tension that we’re very fond of!
So how do you tell the difference between a headache from dehydration or tension?
Tension headaches usually create a feeling of tightness across the forehead and temples,
and can be temporarily relieved with stretches or massage. A dehydration headache
is accompanied by more symptoms such as dry mouth, decreased urine output, and
grogginess or irritability.
Seek emergency help if you have any of these signs or symptoms:
- Very sudden, severe headache
- Headache with a fever, stiff neck, mental confusion, double vision, weakness,
- numbness or speaking difficulties
- Headache after a head injury, especially if the headache gets worse
- Chronic, progressive headache that is made worse by coughing, exertion, straining or a sudden movement
Brought to you by your friends at Dynamic Touch Sports Massage. Book appointments online at www.dynamictouchmassage.com Bring your bib and get $10 off of a one-hour
massage.
3 Comments
Thanks to @dynamictouch for a “how to” on pain free mountain biking read here: http://t.co/KcRIL6W6TU
RT @overthehumpmtb: Thanks to @dynamictouch for a “how to” on pain free mountain biking read here: http://t.co/KcRIL6W6TU
RT @overthehumpmtb: Thanks to @dynamictouch for a “how to” on pain free mountain biking read here: http://t.co/KcRIL6W6TU