Many junior riders are puzzled by a familiar pattern: they feel fine during long rides but develop low back pain during races or high-intensity efforts.

Especially for juniors, the source often lies off the bike — in posture, movement mechanics, and strength habits formed long before race day.

1. The Posture Problem — Or More Accurately, Poor Movement Awareness

This isn’t the same as simply slouching in class or sitting poorly at a desk. For junior cyclists, poor movement awareness and hip mechanics are often at the root of back pain.

Many young riders haven’t yet developed a strong sense of how their bodies move in space — what we call proprioception. This lack of awareness often shows up as:

• Rounding or over-arching the back without realizing it
• Asymmetric pedaling or uneven weight through the saddle
• Poor activation of larger, power generating muscles during hard efforts

One of the clearest indicators of this issue is an inability to perform a proper hip hinge or deadlift pattern.

When a rider bends forward by flexing through the spine instead of hinging from the hips, the lower back becomes overloaded — on the gym floor and on the bike.

Learning this movement pattern is crucial. A proper hip hinge teaches riders to load the gluteal muscles instead of the adjacent muscles along the spine and generate power efficiently without over stressing the lumbar region.

Simple drills such as hip hinge practice with a dowel, and Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) can retrain this movement and dramatically reduce back strain both in training and racing.

Without this awareness, the erector spinae muscle groups (the small stabilizing muscles along the spine) fatigue early, leading to pain and stiffness — especially during high-power efforts when posture inevitably breaks down.

When this issue is left unchecked, the possibility of strain extending to other structures such as the lumbar discs increases. 

2. It’s Not Just a “Weak Core”

A strong, stable core is vital for transferring power from the legs to the pedals. But calling a back issue a “core weakness” oversimplifies the problem.

Movement awareness will virtually be eliminated from the conscious when under strain or fatigue. If there is no ideal baseline posture to begin with, then the rider has no strategy to know how to correct their form when pain presents. 

Without having a solid position to begin with, an imbalance of our trunk muscles ensues. The muscles in the front and sides of our trunk can’t possibly function properly, the pelvis loses control, and the lower back compensates. That compensation reduces power efficiency and can eventually lead to pain.

For junior cyclists, developing core control and movement awareness together is far more effective than sit-ups or crunches. Furthermore, effective exercises for juniors should be enjoyable, straight forward, and require minimal equipment. The bear crawl is typically a fan favorite with my junior riders.

3. Bike Fit Needs Updated

The relationship between their body and the world is enough of a challenge. Parents need to also stay atop of the relationship between a growing athlete’s bike and their body. 

The most common fit-related causes of back pain for juniors include:

• “Slamming the stem”  It looks cool. But most juniors bodies can’t cash that check 
• Saddle height too high → excessive hip rocking, neck strain, and lumbar rounding
• Seat too low → unable to tap into gluteal muscles, rounded mid back 
• Cranks too long (namely on small and medium sized bikes) → increased hip flexion and tension on the lower back

A professional bike fit — ideally by someone experienced with youth riders — helps ensure a neutral spine, stable pelvis, and efficient power transfer, reducing unnecessary stress on the lower back.

4. Growth Spurts, Clumsiness, and Tight Muscles

Adolescence brings a counterpart to typical bike fit issues. Rapid growth can temporarily disrupt coordination and flexibility. Also, following a growth spurt, the body needs time to adjust to changes to the periphery, during which time a teenager may walk and function (more) awkwardly. Hamstrings and hip flexors often tighten as the nervous system searches for stability. This can compromise pelvic movement, forcing an altered spine position in order to maintain position.

That extra flexion may not seem like much, but over hours of training and racing, it adds up — contributing to stiffness and pain.

How to Prevent and Manage Low Back Pain in Junior Cyclists

The key is a balanced approach — combining smart training, proper bike setup, and targeted strength and movement work.

1. Get a professional bike fit.
   Choose someone experienced with junior cyclists — youth proportions, flexibility, and coordination vary widely.
2. Build true core stability.
   Incorporate fun exercises like forward and lateral crawl variations and lunge variations 2–3 times per week.
3. Develop movement awareness and hip control.
   Practice neutral spine alignment, learn proper hip hinge mechanics, and use light-weight or bodyweight deadlifts to refine form before adding load.
4. Strengthen key muscle groups.
   Focus on the posterior leg muscles such as hamstrings, and glutes to maintain pelvic mobility and balance.
5. Train smart, not just hard.
   Schedule recovery days, monitor load, and prioritize quality of movement over quantity of miles.
6. Practice good posture — everywhere.
   Postural awareness off the bike supports better form on the bike. Strength and flexibility only matter if you can control how you move.

Final Thoughts

Low back pain in junior cyclists isn’t just “part of the sport.” It’s a signal that something — whether posture, awareness, strength, or setup — needs attention.

By addressing these underlying factors early, young riders can not only ride pain-free but also unlock greater power, endurance, and control on the bike.

Written by Dr. Tim Tracy – PT, DPT, OCS| Physio Room

The post Low Back Pain in Junior Cyclists: Causes and Solutions appeared first on Physio Room.

There is a pharmacy down the street that offers three pills–a red pill, a blue pill, and a green pill.

A Red Pill for Energy, Strength, and Vitality

Now, imagine if you could take a pill that boosts your energy, increases strength, and helps you stay vibrant as you age. This red pill would fuel your body, fight fatigue, and give you the stamina to live life to the fullest.

A Blue Pill for Mental Clarity and Focus

What if there was a pill that sharpened your mind and improved focus as you got older? This blue pill would boost your brain health, enhance clarity, and help you stay mentally sharp and focused throughout the day.

A Green Pill for Flexibility and Mobility

Over time, as we age, stiff joints and limited movement can slow us down. Ideally, the green pill would help you maintain or regain flexibility, ensuring you stay agile and active—whether it’s walking, gardening, or playing with your kids—or even grandkids!

The Science Behind the Pills

While this pharmacy does not exist, the science behind the three colorful pills certainly does! The chemical effects of muscle contraction begin immediately once you start exercising.

Chemical Processes:

• The Red Pill: Strength training prompts your muscles to release myokines, such as interleukin-6, which help promote muscle growth and boost energy.
• The Blue Pill: Strength training triggers the release of endorphins, which improve mood, and cytokines, which enhance brain function and clarity.
• The Green Pill: Muscle activity stimulates the production of synovial fluid and growth factors that support joint flexibility, reduce stiffness, and improve mobility.

This Pharmacy Is Available to You

The good news: you don’t need to stand in line at the pharmacy to pick up these magical pills. They’re already available to you!

All you need to do is work your muscles. With consistent, guided movement that targets strength, flexibility, and mobility, you can start to experience the benefits of these “red, blue, and green pills.” Best of all, there’s no need for prescriptions, waiting in line, or complicated treatments—just intentional movement with powerful results.

That’s why at Physio Room, we offer a class specifically designed for individuals 55 and older. In this supportive setting, the class offers the ideal environment to begin your life-changing journey. It’s designed to help you unlock more energy, mental clarity, and mobility through exercise that is safe, effective, and enjoyable.

Ready for a Stronger, More Vibrant You?

Strength training isn’t just for bodybuilders or athletes—it’s for anyone who wants to feel better, move better, and live better. With that in mind, stepping into a structured and supportive environment can make all the difference. There,you can experience the benefits of the “red, blue, and green pills” through strength training—ultimately helping you build resilience, improve longevity, and enhance your overall quality of life.

So, are you ready to take the first step toward a stronger, more vibrant you? Join us today and see how simple, yet powerful, it is to take control of your health and well-being!

Written by Dr. Nate Henry – PT, DPT, DSc, OCS & SCS, CSCS| Physio Room

The post The Pharmacy of Three Pills appeared first on Physio Room.

“If nothing changes, nothing changes. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’re going to keep getting what you’re getting.” – Courtney C. Stevens

The Gist: 

Knee pain from cycling often stems from repetitive movement patterns that become ingrained over time. As we age, these compensations—developed with each pedal stroke or stride—can alter our body’s natural mechanics. Over time, they overload some structures while underloading others, leading to inefficient movement and, eventually, pain. Addressing these neuromuscular habits is key to resolving and preventing knee pain from cycling.

The Who:

Passionate cyclists typically realize the value of a bike fit, especially if (i.e. when) a niggle or pain arises. However, many riders still struggle with pain despite best efforts with a bike fit and general strengthening programs. 

The What:

“Squats for watts” is the saying but this is merely the cycling version of “no pain, no gain”.  Without awareness of our own compensation patterns, weaknesses, asymmetries, mobility, flexibility, and joint restrictions, more loading will serve to reinforce our neuromuscular ruts. Plus, bilateral loading (such as squats) is not specific to many (any?) sports and should be low(er) on the hierarchy of sport-specific exercises for cyclists.

No pain? Remote programming and the infinite cycling-targeted accounts on Instagram can have some value (mostly just overly dramatic movements with the title like “MTB Training”). And if there isn’t a mountain bike in the background it doesn’t apply – see below. 

For those with an actual loitering physical ailment, the limited benefit to a subjective and arbitrarily assembled group of exercises is soon realized. However, I do understand the natural psychological need for most people is trialing at least a couple dead-end band-aid approaches before seeking help.  

The How:

See a performance physical therapist with expertise in cycling. Ideally a PT that performs bike fits as well. A perspective and assessment outside of our own consciousness is the best (only) way to know and understand our own movement and strength inadequacies. Then, an individualized movement training program can be applied as we begin to unravel years of moving into the path of least resistance. From there you can layer in “squats for watts”. 

In the days leading up to your appointment, try these things: 

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LpNul1D8dE
2. Cycling-Specific Hip Hinge – YouTube 
   

Summary:

Your bike fit, load tolerance, and neuromuscular patterning must all be harmonized for cycling longevity. Off bike movement dysfunction does not evaporate when seated atop a bicycle. 

We must function well off the bike to maximize our performance and activity capacity.  Cookie cutter approach to bike fit and strengthening doesn’t ensure good movement patterns or muscle recruitment. A good bike fit will mitigate the effect of a significant imbalance, however function and self awareness will be compromised without a holistic approach that includes refined muscle recruitment and movement patterns.  

Written by Dr. Tim Tracy – PT, DPT, OCS| Physio Room

The post Knee pain from Cycling: The Neuromuscular Rut appeared first on Physio Room.

“When my legs hurt, I say: ‘Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do!’” — Jens Voit

The point: Mr. Voit never mentioned “shut up anterior knee pain!”. So before you break out the fingerless gloves this year, refine and master these 3 movements to help ensure a spring, year, and lifetime of pain free pedaling.

The gist: “Transition to awareness” – moving well during sport-specific, off-bike exercise(s), then applying those movement patterns on the bike with intent, purpose and understanding. Any exercise that doesn’t translate well to a sport is just an “ornamental movement” – good for social media click bait or on the dance floor, but that’s about it. 

A simple 3 step series to better movement patterns off and on the bike: 

1. “Find” your hips.

How this translates to cycling:

Most cyclists can not differentiate their gluteal muscles from their low back, hip flexors or facial muscles for that matter. The ability to “find” and engage your gluteal muscles will spread the pedaling force over a larger range of muscles leading to more power or, for bike trailer-pulling parents, simply less effort.

Mental focus points:

Nuances for success – start with a solid base:

1. Ground your feet with equal contact between the ball of great toe, ball of pinky toe and your heel while maintaining awareness for the space under the arch of each foot. Knees remain stationary, locked out or slightly bent.
2. Squeeze glute muscle on side to be weight bearing at a mild to moderate intensity without tilting pelvis or arching low back
3. Slooooowly unweight one leg and bring the knee up (as shown)
4. “Tuck” or stack your hip so it doesn’t pop out to the side (indicated in picture)
5. Hold for 4 breaths at a normal rate and depth

– Dr. Tim

Make sure to check back for parts 2 and 3!

The post 3 Keys to Avoid Cycling Knee Pain: “Spring Knee” series part 1 appeared first on Physio Room.

“When my legs hurt, I say: ‘Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do!’” — Jens Voit

A simple 3 step series to better movement patterns off and on the bike: 

2. Hip Hinge

How this translates to cycling:

This is the movement pattern essential to position your pelvis and trunk in order to utilize your gluteal muscles effectively while pedaling, especially standing. Don’t be the fatigued rider with a turtle shell profile audibly complaining how much their knee, back, and/or neck hurts.

Mental focus points:

Nuances for success:

1. Ground your feet as before with knees slightly bent
2. The first motion should come from your hips – stick them straight backwards while thinking about “hinging” only at your hip joint. Knees remain stationary and your low back should not arch or round.
3. As you push your hips back, your primary sensation should be tension along your butt and/or hamstrings
4. Stop once you feel a stretch and/or muscles working in your butt or hamstrings
5. Utilize the tension in your butt and/or hamstrings, NOT LOW BACK, to PUSH your hips forward back to start
6. Helpful option: Stand about 6” in front of a wall and touch your butt to the wall. This will help mentally differentiate a “hinge” from a squat pattern.

– Dr. Tim

Make sure to check back for part 3!

The post 3 Keys to Avoid Cycling Knee Pain: “Spring Knee” series part 2 appeared first on Physio Room.

“When my legs hurt, I say: ‘Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do!’” — Jens Voit

A simple 3 step series to better movement patterns off and on the bike: 

3. Patella Sparing Lunge

How this translates to cycling:

Pedaling is a lunge pattern performed repetitively. Poor or asymmetric lunge performance can increase risk of knee, hip, and/or back pain, along with compromised pedaling efficiency.

Mental focus points:

Nuances for success:

1. Same as hip hinge steps 1-4
2. Once butt or hamstring tension is felt, then slide one foot backwards
3. Trailing leg is for a balance point only – 99% of weight will be placed through the front leg
4. As you return, drive your pelvis forward by engaging your gluteal muscles and applying equal pressure between your heel and great toe without your knee migrating forward. (This mimics the “power” phase of the pedal stroke)
5. Tempo: 3 seconds down, pause, then 3 seconds to back up, pause, repeat. The slower you go the more challenging it will be.

Overarching Theme:

Doing the seemingly simple things well will pay dividends for years to come. Common pedaling movement faults including excessive inward knee tracking and pelvic drop can be improved with proficiency of at least one, or all 3, of the above movements. You don’t have to limp through another season without reaching your full riding enjoyment or performance potential.

– Dr. Tim

The post 3 Keys to Avoid Cycling Knee Pain: “Spring Knee” series part 3 appeared first on Physio Room.

Shoulder pain can be debilitating. It can keep you from doing the things that you love like working out, golfing, cycling, crossfit, the list goes on and on. The pain can be challenging to manage. You may find yourself asking: Should I ice it? Can I move it? How did this happen? When will the pain go away? These are some of the most common questions that come up when we have an injury. Shoulders are no exception to the injury bug.

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. More movement – or range of motion – comes from the shoulder joint than any other spot in our bodies. Due to the amount of movement that the shoulder has it can be more prone to injuries than other areas of our body. Some of the most common ways to injure the shoulder include overhead sports, overhead lifting, and poor body mechanics. What can we do to avoid these injuries?

In order to prevent the onset of shoulder injuries we need to take a multi-faceted approach. Our bodies must move well. Think of our muscles as working as a system. Each part of the system must function well in order for the whole thing to be successful. If one or multiple parts are not moving well, then inevitably we will see a decrease in the system’s performance. The system must be strong as well. If one part is working much harder than the rest, it will more likely fail first. A system that is strong, and moves well – is mobile – must also be stable. When one of these components fails, we may begin to experience pain.

When one of the pieces of the shoulder system is not working well it is advantageous to address these issues quickly. Below you will find a few different mobility drills that aid in improving the quality of your shoulder movement. Please feel free to watch the videos below.

For more information about the shoulder Physio Room will be hosting a workshop on Shoulder Pain on Tuesday November 19, at 7pm, located at : 8925 S Ridgeline Blvd #102, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129.

Click here for details and to sign up: https://signup.physioroomco.com/shoulderseminar

Shoulder Mobility for Overhead Movements

Super Front Rack

Shoulder Openers with Resistance Band

Pec Opener with Resistance Band

The post Are You Living With Shoulder Pain…? appeared first on Physio Room.

Golf is an intricate sport and your swing is the most important piece of the puzzle. Ensuring you are making the most of your swing will not only improve your game but also help protect your body as you play.

So, how can we make improvements cost-free and on your own time? The proper warmups can help along with a couple of quick mobility drills. Check out these instructional videos – try them out and let us know if you notice a difference!

Pre-Game Warmup

Prayer Stretch

Pelvis Mobility

Thoracic Mobility

The post Want To Improve Your Golf Swing? Tips and Tricks… appeared first on Physio Room.

Of course, there are many treatments we can provide for you here in the clinic that will ease, help correct and begin to heal your aching knees. Dry Needling, soft tissue mobilization, deep tissue laser session and corrective exercise are all tools in our tool box our doctors can use to get you the relief you are after.

There are several things you can be doing on your own, however, that will offer you relief without having to come in and see us. Dr. Chris will walk us through several postures, tips on safe and proper form, stretches and exercise that will keep you and your knees moving forward, pain-free.

Dead Lifting and Squat

Glute Activation

Glute Activation Cont’d

Ice Skaters

Activation Drill

Hip Extension

Reverse Hyper Extension

Lower Body Foam Rolling

The post Bulletproof Your Knees appeared first on Physio Room.

However, no matter the age, body type, sport or motivation, there is one thing that all athletes have in common; they all want to feel good and succeed. It is in this light that sports physical therapist and performance based PT has received a considerable amount of attention in recent years. Much of this awareness has developed over the past decade, due to an increased participation by individuals in recreational activities, the government’s role in encouraging physical fitness and an increase in the publicity given to professional athletes and their injuries. Most importantly, performance, recovery, and physical therapy clinics have been developing at a considerable pace, because Physio Room is keeping athletes at the top of their game through pain relief, accelerated recovery and performance enhancement.

Physio Room is keeping abreast of the latest advances in the field, most recently with the use of deep tissue laser therapy, a technique that has been shown to benefit non-professional and elite athletes alike.

The basic science behind deep tissue laser therapy is compelling. Cells absorb the light and undergo significant positive changes. Studies have shown that impaired cells have a stronger response than healthy cells. So, the light seems to produce the most benefit where it is most needed.

Lasers work by impacting cellular function. Damaged cells will absorb and become energized by photonic energy; this has been well documented with over 2,000 clinical studies stretching back 30 years. Stimulated cells increase adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, and dramatically reduce inflammation, pain and swelling. This modality may be considered a “healing” process, as it quickly corrects compromised cellular function, allowing the body to heal itself.

Physio Room prepares our athletes for the challenges ahead and keeps them healthy on multiple levels and with the addition of deep tissue laser therapy, sports chiropractors can also offer a variety of patients a new tool for reducing pain and accelerating their recovery to get them back on the field more quickly.

Conditions which have shown significant improvements using this form of therapy without the use of drugs or surgery include, but are not limited to, medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow), lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), patellar tendinitis, muscle strains (quadriceps, hamstrings, forearm, shoulder, oblique), joint sprains (ankle and knee mainly), carpal tunnel
syndrome, neck pain and low back pain. Whether your patient is a professional, college, high school or amateur athlete, they may benefit from laser therapy, getting individuals back into their game, whatever it may be, at the “speed of light.”

FREE DEEP TISSUE LASER SESSION WITH ANY INITIAL EVALUATION IF YOU MENTION THIS POST!

CALL 720-316-9974 TO SCHEDULE TODAY!

The post Deep Tissue Laser: Relief for Lifestyle Related Pain and Dysfunction appeared first on Physio Room.

Today we are in the clinic talking about overuse injuries. What is an overuse injury? This usually occurs when we do too MUCH, too SOON. What happens, then, is we create a micro-trauma state within the muscles being used. In other words, you are breaking down that muscle tissue more than what your body may be used to.

Let’s look at an example of this. It’s spring, it’s getting nice out and you may want to get out there and swing that golf club a little more than you had been over the winter months. Maybe you get out there and end up hitting 100+ balls when your body is accustomed to hitting no more than 60. This can start to create that micro-trauma state, causing your muscles to become aggravated and inflamed.

What we would like to see you do in this circumstance is to back off (but not stop!) that activity a little bit. Let’s bring it back down to what your body is more accustomed to and keep your increases smaller with a little bit more time in between.

Even more beneficial in treating this overuse is a Deep Tissue Laser Treatment, offered here in the Physio Room clinic. The laser will increase your cellular energy level through increased ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production. Additionally it reduces the inflammation you are experiencing and this is key to getting back to what we want to be doing more quickly.

If you think you may be suffering from an overuse injury, we want to hear from you. Comment “overuse” on this post and let us help! And, as always, if you have learned something, SHARE!

The post Overuse Injury appeared first on Physio Room.