Neck pain, back pain, strains, various pains: just a few gestures and exercises are enough to enjoy the bike at all ages like Franco Picco.
For this reason we have decided to turn to the professionals of Axis Milan, athletic trainers, kinesiologists and osteopaths, to better understand how to prevent various aches and pains and to be fit motorcyclists, even if we do not race in Dakar.
The posture in motion
Obviously a correct position in motorcycle it would already save many of our neck or back pain, but it's not that simple: we are hostage to many factors such as the handlebars, the saddle, the footpegs and the angles between these key points. Sometimes it is not possible to modify them, either too expensive or the driving would be upset. What to do then?
The only way to counter these incorrect positions is to adopt some material measures such as:
Lighter and more aerodynamic helmet: certainly an excellent solution to reduce pressure on the neck and less strain the muscles in countering wind and incorrect positions.
Lumbar band: motorcycle models or models integrated with the back protector are not always effective, consider the enduro or orthopedic ones with double elastic, the greatest benefit is obtained when the higher the fence support is and the pressure well distributed.
Athletic training: or how to train and maintain your body in the best possible way so that the muscles can counteract the onset of inflammation and fatigue.
CORE STABILITY (postural muscles)
Core stability has as its primary function, although not the only one, precisely this: to give stability to the core of our body, by acting and working on two muscular systems, namely the stabilizer system (local musculature) and the movement system (global musculature).
In our case the primary objective is to strengthen postural muscles, in particular the dorsal ones and those connected to it: buttocks, paravertebrals, internal adductors of the thigh.
Together with the work to strengthen the muscles, the proprioception exercises are very important, that is to increase and amplify the perception of one's body in space. It is done with one or more proprioceptive tablets, a tool used to educate (or re-educate) the mechanical receptors of the foot.
We always recommend that you contact a professional, even if only for a few lessons where you can learn the basic exercises and correct execution, in order to avoid incorrect positions or movements and at the same time also correct breathing, often neglected.
The main exercises that we recommend can all be performed even at home with the help of a few tools such as tablets proprioceptive and a stick.
Joint mobility:
- Alternating knee-to-chest pulls
- Extension exercises with a stick
- Circulations of the arms with a stick
- Cervical circumstance: lateral, frontal flexion, rotations (yes / no)
Strengthening exercises:
- Buttocks bridge: in the supine position, with the legs spread apart at the hips and in a flexed position, feet firmly resting on the ground or on the discs, lift the pelvis upwards.
- Abdominals: in the supine position, one knee is brought to the chest and pushed with the opposite hand.
- Classic crunch: in the supine position, with the legs apart at the hips and in a flexed position, lifting the torso towards the pelvis which must remain firmly supported.
- Crunch in isometry: same position as the classic crunch but you keep the suspended position for several seconds (depending on your resistance).
- Isometric plank: holding the position for 10-15 seconds up to a maximum of 1-2 minutes.
- Dynamic plank: lifting an opposite limb or limbs from the ground (e.g. right arm and left leg)
- Superman: in the prone position (belly down), extend the arms forward with the palm of the hand facing down and keep the legs well extended, simultaneously raise one arm and the opposite leg, trying to keep both limbs extended, hold the position for a few seconds, return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Internal adductors: while sitting or lying on your back with your legs flexed, with the help of a ball between the knees (not a medicine ball, therefore not heavy) tighten and release or hold the grip for several seconds.
For those who practiceenduro or off-road, therefore often in a standing position on the platforms we recommend practicing squats in general, also and above all in isometry (thus maintaining the position for several seconds / minutes) even in conditions of instability with the discs under the feet, remembering never to go with the knees and nose past the toes, keeping the leg still and moving back with the butt. In addition to squats, you can perform classic exercises of push-ups on the arms and chest pulls for the lats, also these, if desired in conditions of instability by leaning on the discs. For what concern breath or in any case to give completeness to the training, it is also recommended to train the heart and lungs by running, bike or rowing machine.
Photo by Roger Yi
