Triathletes and injuries go hand in hand. It’s a tough sport. We believe that overuse conditions in the themselves don’t actually exist. You are merely overusing your body in the current way it works – leading to pain and discomfort. If we can change the way your body works and make it more efficient then you can get a whole lot more mileage out of it.

We tend to see similar types of repeating movement patterns in the triathletes we see. Leading to injury and breakdown in different parts of the body. Here we show you how to avoid similar problems and stay fighting fit. If you do have a current issue that is stopping you from training then give us a call on 01793 613352 (or mail) and we’ll give you the short cuts to get back to training straight away.

Disclaimer: The exercises below are meant for general education and demonstration purposes and may not be specific for your condition. If you feel any pain or discomfort then stop immediately and ensure you get proper medical advice. We cannot accept any liability for injury that may occur from your use of these exercises.

Triathlon Swindon Thoracic Extension Stretch

  • Thoracic Extension

    The static posture of the thoracic (middle bit) spine for long periods on the bike has a lot to answer for. Especially during transition. This slightly awkward looking pose should help. For this you need a rolled up towel (the bigger the towel the more intense this will be). Start by laying the towel along the floor and lie over the top of it. A good starting point is to start with the towel across your back roughly around the position of your shoulder blades. This creates a hinge point and encourages extension of your mid back. You can increase the intensity by raising both arms above your head. Either hold this position for up to a minute or to make it more dynamic, slowly raise the arms above your head and then back again, repeating 8-15 times.

Back Pain Swindon Half Moon Stretch

  • Half Moon

    This will stretch the obliques and the muscles above (intercostals) and below (gluteus medius) and possibly even you lats. The obliques can get overworked due to the rotation in front crawl but more of an issue in triathlon is the fact that they tighten as a compensation for weak quads. Usually as a result of endless miles on the bike. Try this stretch before and after a ride to see this in action! As such this is the first port of call for anyone with knee issues. Simply stand feet together with the arms outstretched above (think streamline position off the wall in swimming) and bend over to the side i.e. make like a half moon. I’ve yet to meet a triathlete who’s not stiff as a board on this one!

Knee Pain Swindon Adductors Stretch

  • Leg Pit

    It’s like an arm pit but in your leg! More importantly the “gap” between your quads and adductors houses the fermoral nerve which gives sensation in the knee. If we can make this nerve feel “happier” about life then you feel less pain in your knee. Simply stand side on to a sofa, wall, table (depending on what’s convenient and how flexible you are to start) and put you leg on it. Rotate your whole leg forwards to the point that your inside ankle bone is in contact with the surface. Then bend your other knee to drop down and get a stretch along the inside of the thigh.

Running Swindon Seated Glute Stretch

  • Glutes

    So cycling gives you tight hamstrings is a given. But why? And how does that impact potential overuse injuries? Firstly, tension in the hamstrings will affect tension on the sciatic nerve which can in turn affect tension in the calves and into the plantar fascia increasing the risk of injury in these areas. So now why? Glutes do hip extension (pushing your leg backwards in plain English). What do you need to do to make a bike go forwards – hip extension. As a result the glutes get tired and look for help to do hip extension – which your hamstrings also do. To stretch sit on the floor with the side you are not stretching in front of you. Then place the foot of the side you are stretching on the floor on the outside of the opposite knee. Then hug your knee to the opposite side and rotate the side you are stretching. As shown in the picture.

Knee Pain Swindon Hamstring Stretch

  • Hamstrings

    You can prove to yourself the relationship between hamstring tightness and glute tightness by doing this stretch before and after the glute stretch above. It should work in the majority of cases. Simply place you foot on a table or something of a suitable height and lean forwards to increase the stretch. I’m sure you’re all seen this one. The subtle change however is the position of the foot. There are three hamstring muscles (not a lot of people know that!) and the foot position can isolate different ones. Start with the foot pointing straight up. Then try rotated outwards and then rotated inwards. See which one works best for you.

Calf Stretches Shin Pain

  • Calves

    So you’ve been sat on a bike for hours and then your expect you calves to get you round 10k, 13 or 26 miles. The least you could do is give them a bit of stretch! Again goes back to the glutes, if they are tired and tight your body needs to look for more spring from somewhere. After your hamstrings your calves are next in line. The standard stretch which I hope you all know is leaning against a wall with the heel down and your knee fully extended. Try bringing the foot forwards slightly and bending at the knee you may need to turn the foot inwards slightly when doing this as shown. This should stretch a different area in your calf.

So that’s it. We hope you found it useful. If you have any feed back we’d love to here from you. This list is not designed to be extensive but reflects the exercises that we’ve found to be most useful to triathletes over the last 10 years of treating them.

If you have a current injury or limitation that you would like to know what to do about then give us a call on 01793 613352 (or mail) and we’ll tell you about who our Progressive Sport Therapy treatments can help short cut you back to full fitness. If you’d like to see more information on how our treatments have benefit other triathletes like yourself then please click here: Swindon Triathlon.

Contact Us

Call us now 01793 613352

After persistent back problems caused by a rugby injury and having seen physiotherapists with varying degrees of success I contacted Swindon Sports Therapy and arranged an appointment. Their approach and explanation of what was wrong and how it would be treated inspired confidence, and after the course of treatment, my back is at its best for years.

BH

Swindon Sports Therapy have an holistic approach to solving the problem and look at the whole body, treating the cause rather than just the area of pain. As a result of the treatment I am now plantar fasciitis free, back running confidently and feeling better than I have done in a very long time. Swindon Sports Therapy are extremely professional and always provide an explanation of the treatment, why they are doing it and what that will involve. I felt completely at ease and I have absolutely no hesitation in highly recommending Swindon Sports Therapy.

SB

I went to the Swindon Sport therapy clinic with lower back pain and restricted movement. They treated much more than my back symptoms, really looking at what other parts of my body were causing the problems. Through massage and simple stretching exercises my pain has now gone and areas of my body that I now realise had been giving me restricted movement for a long time have freed up again. I also feel I have the tools to keep me this way. I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.

JC

It has been amazing seeing and feeling the difference that just a few months have made and best of all, I can run again without any discomfort! I found the sessions to be very informative in helping me to understand my injury.

SH

I arrived at the door of Swindon Sports Therapy with a calf injury. They were excellent and immediately found the root of the problem. After a few sessions all these issues have been sorted and I can honestly say it has helped me achieve more in my fitness regime. Without hesitation I would recommend Swindon Sports Therapy for the professional, expert and friendly treatment I received.

NW

Excellent sports therapy. I was having ankle pains for several months. The problems with my ankle and associated area were quickly identified. The sports massages and exercises given quickly helped my injury and by the fourth session my problem was almost entirely fixed. I would highly recommended Swindon Sports Therapy.

TB

The best treatment by far! I’ve had 5 different Physiotherapists over the years and the treatment here is the best yet. Easy to work with, give great ‘at-home’ exercise to do and has sorted all my sports injuries.

NH

From the very first session I noticed massive improvements and a reduction in the pain and discomfort I lived with daily. Having spent nearly 8 years trying different health professionals in and out of the country, this has by far been the best. I can’t thank Swindon Sports Therapy enough and would highly recommend them.

TP

Simply put this was an amazing experience. I would go as far as describing my recovery as miraculous. After 6 years of crippling shoulder pain, 4 therapists and over a thousand pounds wasted I had pretty much given up on the thought of a healthy shoulder. I took a punt on Swindon Sports Therapy and boy did it pay off. In just a couple of sessions they were able to identify the root cause and remedy my pain. I still can’t believe I am pain free! Highly recommend they certainly know what they are doing.

CU

Disclaimer: The testimonials on this page are the opinion of a few of our clients. Results to treatment cannot be guaranteed. We can guarantee we’ll be doing everything we can get you back to your best ASAP.

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