Triathlon
The three sports that triathletes compete in—swimming, cycling, and running—can put their bodies under a variety of pressures.
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What We Treat
The following list of typical injuries suffered by triathletes and how physiotherapy can help them:
Lower Leg Injuries:
The repetitive impact of running can cause shin and calf strains in triathletes. Physiotherapy can help by putting in place a thorough treatment plan that includes rest, specific lower leg muscle strengthening exercises, gait analysis, footwear evaluation, and a gradual return to running.
Due to the requirements of running and constant calf loading in cycling too, triathletes are more likely to develop some tendinopathies.
Alongside the above treatment plan – its key to know we can also help heal these injuries quicker. We sue methods such as shockwave, deep soft tissue massage, mobilisations, cupping and joint manipulations. This will reduce pain and inflammation to return athletes to triathlons as soon as possible.
Examples:
- Calf Strain / Tears
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Shin Splints
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Stress Fractures
Knee Injuries:
Triathletes may develop patellofemoral pain syndrome, ITB pain or hamstring strains for example, particularly when running or cycling. Physiotherapy can assist by correcting biomechanical abnormalities, enhancing bike fit, applying load management techniques, and offering exercises to increase quadriceps and hip muscular strength. We can also treat the injuries to reduce pain and get you back as soon as possible.
Examples:
- Patella Tendonitis
- ITB Syndrome
Shoulder Injuries
Rotator cuff and shoulder tendinopathies may be brought on by often repeated swimming strokes. Some muscles can remain tight after the prolonged posture on the bike, gripping the handle bars – especially after swims too. It is key to reduce pain and correct tissue dysfunction through physiotherapy as soon as you start to feel pain. Incorporating exercises to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles, enhance shoulder stability and mobility, and offer advice on good swimming technique and shoulder biomechanics are all things that physiotherapy also may help with.
Examples:
- Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
- Trap Tightness / Trigger Points
Lower Back Pain:
Because cycling and running require longer stances and the posture on prolonged bike rides isn’t ideal; triathletes may have lower back pain.
Exercises to strengthen core muscles, enhance posture, improve running and biking form, and employ load management techniques and stop excessive spinal stress are all things that physiotherapy may do to help.
Treatment such as joint manipulation/adjustment, deep tissue massage, cupping and needling; can also reduce tightness, pain and inflammation.
How We Can Help!
Injuries in triathletes are managed and prevented with the use of physiotherapy.
Physiotherapists are able to evaluate movement patterns, spot areas of imbalance or weakness, and create specialised treatment regimens. They can also offer advice on how much to train, how hard to train, how to recover, and how to prevent injuries with things like correct warm-up and cool-down routines, mobility drills, and cross-training choices. Physiotherapy aids triathletes in their recovery, lowers their risk of further injuries, and improves performance across all three sports by addressing particular ailments and enhancing biomechanics.
