Peloton Physiotherapy

Went to Nicole with pain in lower neck which would come on during longer rides. She took a full assessment off the bike but even while I was chatting she looked over at my bike and questioned what my descending was like given my handle bar position. I had just thought I was a poor descender as I got pain in my hands and had to intermittently stop however she had noticed that my handle bars were tilted upwards too much and my brake/gear levers were too far out given the size of my hands (small). Easy to fix and what a difference and I hadn't even gone to see her about that! The neck problem was treated by recommending a shorter stem (£15 from a bike shop) and she showed me a better way to sit which incidentally also improved some signs of carpel tunnel and hand tingling. She also gave me some simple stretching exercises for post ride tension in my upper back. I was emailed all the photos she took during the session.. My neck, new stem and new position was put to the test by taking part the following week in Deloitte's Ride Across Britain (LEJOG) over 9 days with between 100-126 miles per day in the saddle. I can honestly report I didn't have any physical problems at all which was amazing given the fact that the possibility of stabbing neck pain more than tired legs, was my over arching worry when comtemplating my ability to complete the ride. In my experience, Nicole's background as a physio as well as a cyclist gives her a unique insight into the way bodies respond to a bike's geometry and how both can be altered to reduce or eliminate pain.