Avoid Common Cycling Injuries
with this Ultimate Shoulder Workout

Use this ultimate shoulder workout to stay strong and avoid injury. The shoulder is a very common area of injury for the cyclist. Shoulder injuries are quite painful and can keep you off the bike for extended periods.

Many times injury occurs from a fall. Cyclists often “endo” or go over the handlebars when falling. Although the natural instinct is to extend your arms to brace yourself, the best thing you can do is simply “roll with it.” Tuck your body and absorb the impact as best you can, but keep your arms tucked in by your torso.

Sometimes injury can occur from riding with too much weight on your hands or riding with straight elbows. Always keep a slight bend in your elbow to absorb as much shock as possible. This tip is even more important on the mountain bike or in rough terrain.

Despite your best efforts, especially when mountain biking, the terrain can put unexpected strain on the shoulder. I’ve dislocated both of my shoulders, one from an over-the-bars crash, and the other from getting my front wheel caught in a rut. The force from the wheel jerked my shoulder in a way that pulled it out of the socket. Ouch!

Perhaps if I had completed this ultimate shoudler workout for more strength in my shoulders, my muscles could have prevented the dislocation. Unfortunately, once the ball comes out of the socket, it remains loose so that it’s really easy for it to happen again. It’s much better to avoid an injury in the first place than to try to rehabilitate after the fact.

Having strong and flexible shoulder muscles and joints will also greatly decrease the chance of injury. Here are some exercises to build an ultimate shoulder workout that will help you keep your shoulders strong, stable, and flexible...

Ultimate Shoulder Workout Exercises

These ultimate shoulder workout exercises can be performed with no weight or light weight dumbbells. For each exercise, continue to fatigue with both arms. Never go past the point of pain.

• Lie on your stomach on a table or bed with your left arm hanging over the edge, bent at the elbow at 90 degrees, knuckles facing down. Bring the hand up in an arcing motion until shoulder level, and then back down.

• Lie on your right side with a towel rolled up under your right armpit and your right arm stretched over your head. With your left elbow bent at 90 degrees and your forearm resting against your chest, raise the left forearm until it is level with the shoulder, and then lower.

• Lie on your right side with your left arm along the upper side of your body. Rest your right forearm on the floor with your elbow bent at 90 degrees. Raise your right forearm up to your chest, and then lower.

• Stand with arms down to your sides, and then raise both arms, thumbs down, to about 45 degrees from your body.

These ultimate shoulder workout exercises should be performed with low resistance exercise bands. Never go past 45 degrees or the point of pain. Repeat until fatigue for both arms.

• Stand with band secured at one end at shoulder height, your body facing perpendicular to the band, the band in the hand furthest from the secure end. Hold the band in your left hand, elbow in at your torso, bent at 90 degrees, with the band crossing in front of your abdomen. Rotate your shoulder out to pull the band across your abdomen.

• Stand with the band secured and held as before. This time, lift the shoulder pulling the band up and across your torso.

• Stand with band secured at one end. Facing the secure end, hold the band in your left hand, arm bent at elbow at 90 degrees and elbow in to your side. Pull the band directly back toward you.

• Stand with band secured at one end, your body facing perpendicular to the band and the band grasped in the hand closest to the secure end. With elbow tucked into side and bent at 90 degrees, rotate the shoulder to pull the band across your midsection.

Ultimate Shoulder Workout Stretches

Hold each for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. Never go past the point of pain.

• Stand with your hands clasped behind your back and slowly lift toward your head until you feel the stretch.

• Hold your right arm across your chest, grab the right elbow with your left hand and pull your arm across your chest.

• Hold a towel or rope in your left hand and dangle it behind your head and neck. Grab the towel with your right hand behind your back and pull up with your left hand.

The most common shoulder injuries for cyclists are...

• A broken collarbone. Most mountain bikers I know have experienced this firsthand. If this occurs you are looking at 6 weeks off the bike in a sling. If the fracture is bad enough you may need surgery and/or pins and other metal to hold you together (not good!).

• A dislocated shoulder. This is where the ball of the upper arm comes out of the shoulder socket stretching and possibly tearing ligaments and tendons. This connection will be loose and rehabilitation will be necessary to strengthen the stabilizer muscles to keep the shoulder in place.

If you do have an accident and injure your shoulder, follow these steps...

• Rest. Immediately cease all activity. Avid cyclists and racers – this means get off the bike no matter what. Do not put any further weight on the shoulder or you may increase the damage. Do not continue the ultimate shoulder workout.

• Ice the shoulder with ice wrapped in a damp towel for 20 minutes every couple of hours for the first couple of days. This will help reduce pain, swelling, and bleeding.

• Apply compression by bandaging the injury between ice treatments. This will help reduce swelling and any bleeding.

• See a doctor. It is important to get an accurate diagnosis for proper treatment.

It is very important not to return to cycling too soon. You must allow the injury to heal. Keep up your aerobic conditioning by riding your trainer without putting your hands on the bars. Or, find a recumbent stationary or elliptical machine.

Keep your shoulders strong and flexible with this ultimate shoulder workout and avoid these common cycling injuries.

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