Pursuit Physical Therapy + Bike Fit

Pursuit Physical Therapy + Bike Fit Doctor of physical therapy and SICI certified bike fitter 🚲

Previously I discussed why step ups are my favorite glute and quadriceps exercise as they mimic the unilateral concentri...
03/19/2024

Previously I discussed why step ups are my favorite glute and quadriceps exercise as they mimic the unilateral concentric contraction of the glutes/quads during the power phase of the pedal stroke. Compared to 24 different gluteus maximus exercises, step ups have been shown to elicit the highest activation levels of the gluteus maximus.

Why does this matter? A stronger gluteus maximus equals a stronger, more efficient pedal stroke and can be protective against injury!

Looking for equipment to do step ups at home? I’ve linked to my favorite things in my bio: a step-up plyo box (3 different heights- 12in, 14in, and 16in) and Bowflex Adjustable weights (space efficient and can adjust from 5 # to 52.5 #)

Resource: Neto WK, Soares EG, Vieira TL, Aguiar R, Chola TA, Sampaio VL, Gama EF. Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review. J Sports Sci Med. 2020 Feb 24;19(1):195-203. PMID: 32132843: PMCID: PMC7039033

Interested in the basics of bike fitting? 📐 Check out my podcast with ! ✨Click her link in her bio or search for Mainely...
05/23/2023

Interested in the basics of bike fitting? 📐

Check out my podcast with ! ✨

Click her link in her bio or search for Mainely Wellness Podcast on Spotify or Apple podcast 🚲

Have you been told you have a very ‘quad dominant’ or ‘posterior chain (hamstring/glute) dominant’ pedal stroke? Everyon...
01/27/2023

Have you been told you have a very ‘quad dominant’ or ‘posterior chain (hamstring/glute) dominant’ pedal stroke?

Everyone will have slightly different combination of muscle activation during the different phases of the pedal stroke. Part of this is genetics and how you train, but also your position on the bike will contribute to if you are more dominant with one muscle group compared to another. Having someone who understands the body and the biomechanics of your bike fit is key to comfort, performance, and injury prevention!

Saddle shape, size, and overall positioning/bike fit all determine saddle comfort. The compression of soft tissue agains...
01/09/2023

Saddle shape, size, and overall positioning/bike fit all determine saddle comfort. The compression of soft tissue against the perineal nerve is the main cause of saddle numbness, followed by resisted blood flow. 🩸

One of my favorite saddles for relieving perineal nerve pressure is SQLab 611 Ergowave, shown here in widths of 130 mm and 140 mm. If the SQLab 611 Ergowave is determined to fit your anatomy and riding style, you get to test it out before purchasing! 🚲

Happy World Bicycle Day!! 🌎🚲
06/03/2022

Happy World Bicycle Day!! 🌎🚲

It's been quite windy here in Maine! 💨 Apart from steep inclines, nearly 80 percent of our energy goes into forcing the ...
05/02/2022

It's been quite windy here in Maine! 💨 Apart from steep inclines, nearly 80 percent of our energy goes into forcing the air in front of us out of the way (which with those head winds we are expending A LOT of energy)! If we break down our aerodynamic drag, the bike only accounts for 20%. 🚲 The other 80% comes from our body shape and position. However, you have to be comfortable in an aero position and it has to fit your unique anatomy in order to produce sustained power and prevent injury.
Lumbar (low back) degenerative disc disease, lumbar bulged or herniated disc, cervical (neck) stenosis/arthritis, arthritic hips, hip labral tears, and hip impingement (FAI) are examples of diagnoses that will limit your ability to be in an aggressive aero position. A professional bike fit determines the best position for you to optimize performance, efficiency, and comfort!

The foot/cleat/pedal interface is commonly overlooked but significant aspect of bike fitting as this is where we transfe...
04/19/2022

The foot/cleat/pedal interface is commonly overlooked but significant aspect of bike fitting as this is where we transfer our power! The insole of shoes determine the position of your feet and give your feet a platform to produce power. Most stock insoles are made of flimsy, cheap foam which do not provide support and an ideal surface area to transfer power. Cycling specific G8 Pro Series 2620 orthotics offer customized arch placement and 5 different arch heights to match each individual foot needs, allowing for improved power output and comfort. Determining if you would be a good candidate for G8 orthotics is now part of a bike fit with me. You can also schedule a separate orthotic fitting on my website www.sopopt.com.

Recovering from an injury can be just as much mentally taxing as it is physically. You can feel stuck in the present, an...
03/18/2022

Recovering from an injury can be just as much mentally taxing as it is physically. You can feel stuck in the present, anxious to know what the future holds.

Following a bike accident, six months ago I underwent surgery for a completely separated acromioclavicular (AC) joint. Earlier this week, I celebrated my recovery by getting back in the saddle! 🚲

If you are recovering from an injury, here are some helpful reminders:

🔹Trust the process. Rehabbing an injury is not linear. There are ups and downs. When you are having a "bad day," remind yourself that a "good day" is just around the corner. On those “bad days,” lean onto your support system- you’ll need them!
🔹The human body is strong and adaptable. When you give it the right environment to heal, it can do amazing things.
🔹Determination and patience goes a long way. Recovering from an injury takes time and a lot of work!

It's been quite a journey and I certainly did not get to this point alone. Huge thank you to ._hurt for providing amazing care to my patients when I was unable to continue with their care. Thank you to all my friends and family for all the walks, notes, yummy food, car rides, podcast/Netflix recommendations (Schitts Creek got me through those first couple post op days 😂) and most importantly being there when I needed a "cheerleader." Thank you to the whole medical team for continuing to work tirelessly in the midst of a pandemic. Thank you to whoever's hamstring tendon I now have in my shoulder, helping to approximate and stabilize my AC joint. Words cannot express how amazing it is to have my life back! 🙌

Happy International Women’s Day!!!Shout out to all the ladies who ride! 🚲🚲🚲 I love that I can easily list off so many in...
03/08/2022

Happy International Women’s Day!!!
Shout out to all the ladies who ride! 🚲🚲🚲 I love that I can easily list off so many inspiring female cyclists who ride with such grit and determination. You don’t have to be a pro cyclist to kick a$$ but thankful for , , and for paving the way to get more women on bikes in such a male dominated sport!

Brake levers should be positioned for optimal leverage. This includes:1️⃣ The position of the levers on the bars 2️⃣ The...
03/08/2022

Brake levers should be positioned for optimal leverage. This includes:
1️⃣ The position of the levers on the bars
2️⃣ The angle of the brakes
3️⃣ Adjusting the lever reach
4️⃣ Adjusting the bite point

With disc brakes, you should be able to operate them with one finger. This allows you to keep your other fingers on the handlebars for better control and stability!

02/03/2022

Low back pain while biking on an indoor trainer is far too common! Here's several reasons why low back pain is more common riding indoors and what you can do about it!

1️⃣ We tend to not move around the bike as much as outside and being static in one position can put excessive strain/stress on our joints/muscles. Make sure you mix up your hand positions (hoods, drops, base bar) and make note to mix it up with climbing and sprints by getting out of the saddle.

2️⃣ It is much more common to ride consistently with your hands on the base bar as we don't need to be close to the breaks, we tend to not shift as much, and we aren’t concerned about being aero. This shifts more weight onto your saddle and changes the position of your pelvis/spine, which can cause saddle discomfort/low back pain. If you tend to ride this way, your saddle may need to be in a different position and/or you may need a different saddle shape/size.

3️⃣ You may have underlying stiffness in your muscles/joints from being more sedentary in the winter. This can be addressed with mobilizations/manipulations, dry needling, cupping, instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, and mobility exercises . Your core muscles also have to be more engaged as we don't have the wind to help hold our trunk upright. Core stabilization exercises are the key if you need improved core stabilization!

Dreaming of biking outside (1.5 months to go!) and reminiscing of my most favorite, epic rides.1️⃣ Most Epic Climb: Hale...
01/24/2022

Dreaming of biking outside (1.5 months to go!) and reminiscing of my most favorite, epic rides.

1️⃣ Most Epic Climb: Haleakala, Maui. 10,000 feet from sea to summit
2️⃣ Most Beautiful: Stari Grad to Hvar Town, Croatia
3️⃣ Most Badass: Downhill MTB in Whistler
4️⃣ Best Charity Ride/Longest Ride: Micheal J Fox Foundation Parkinson’s Ride

What are your favorite rides? Comment below ⬇️

12/02/2021

Shoulder injuries (in particular clavicular fractures and AC joint separations) are quite common among cyclists. Here’s a look into the initial phases of shoulder strengthening!

After 7 weeks (1 week prior to surgery, 6 weeks post op) of being in a sling, I was able to start range of motion exercises. I also worked on shoulder isometrics (contracting the muscles around the shoulder without moving the shoulder joint itself) to improve neural firing, and nerve glides (it’s not just muscles and joints that get stiff from immobilization)!

I am now cleared to start strengthening! 😁😁😁

While each program should be individualized to each person’s needs and goals, here’s what I’m is starting with:

1️⃣ Shoulder External Rotations + Walk Out Isometric Holds
2️⃣ Shoulder Internal Rotations + Walk Out Isometric Holds
3️⃣ Shoulder Adduction
4️⃣ Prone Extension
5️⃣ Prone Row
6️⃣ Sidelying External Rotation
7️⃣ Triceps Extensions
8️⃣ Biceps Curls

Hip rocking?It’s common to think hip rocking is caused by a saddle that is too high or too low but there are also many o...
11/17/2021

Hip rocking?
It’s common to think hip rocking is caused by a saddle that is too high or too low but there are also many other factors.
🔹Wrong saddle shape, size, and/or tilt
🔹Poor core control
🔹Asymmetrical distribution of power (one leg producing >5% difference in watts)
🔹Improper cleat position
🔹Poor arch support
🔹Improper Q-factor/stance width
🔹Too far reach/hips too closed down
🔹Crank arms that are too long

Hip/pelvic rocking can be a culprit for low back pain, saddle pain, and knee pain. It also produces an inefficient pedal stroke. 🚫

How’s your handlebar width?This client has shoulder width measurement of 36.2 cm. Her original handlebars (in the “Befor...
09/22/2021

How’s your handlebar width?

This client has shoulder width measurement of 36.2 cm. Her original handlebars (in the “Before” photo) are 42 cm wide. She had excessive scapular protraction and upward rotation causing strain and pain in her upper traps.

The “After” picture is with 38 cm wide handlebars. As a gravel cyclist and prioritizing stability over aerodynamics, we chose 38 cm vs 36 cm width. She has neutral shoulder girdle alignment and no neck pain with the 38 cm width bars. 👌

Other handlebar specific specs we analyzed was handlebar reach, handlebar drop, handlebar rotation, hood placement, reach to brake/shifter levers, and flare of drops

Note: Posts over the next several months will be from previous bike fits

Address

855 Sawyer Street
South Portland, ME
04106

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 6pm
Tuesday 7am - 6pm
Wednesday 7am - 6pm
Thursday 7am - 6pm
Friday 7am - 5pm

Telephone

+12072007267

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