Father's Day at The Pedaler

We're all Dads here at The Pedaler, well, one of us is that we know of.  We know what it's like to get crappy presents.  I've had my share of oversized t shirts and stacks of lollies.  I wish my family had bought me gear from The Pedaler.  That's why we created The Pedaler.  To end sh#tty present giving once and for all.

We will be running a different special every day in the week leading up to Father's Day.  On top of this, you spend over a hundy, and you get a free Pedaler t shirt for extra kudos.  If it's too hard, get a voucher and be done with it real quick.

If you call us and order the $100 voucher, we'll even wrap your free T Shirt and you can pick it up. Job done.

The Pedaler cares.........about your Dad.  So should you.

Improving your Hamstring's flexibility.

Many amongst us know that they need to work on their hamstring flexibility. When I bring it up with my patients they aren't unduly surprised.

Aside from stretching, I also ask patients if they perform myofascial release with their hamstrings (Eg. Foam Rolling) and often the answer is yes.

The difficulty is that foam rollers are too large and cumbersome to properly address this particular muscle group. With this approach, you will generally find that the relief is temporary and minimal.

I have a two step approach for addressing hamstring muscle stiffness based on the anatomy. 

Step 1. Addressing muscle stiffness at the hamstring origin point.

Step 2. Addressing hamstring muscle stiffness in the belly of the muscle.

Step 1: Addressing muscle stiffness at the hamstring origin point. Hamstrings originate from your ischial tuberosity, aka your 'sit-bones' and from the femur. There is a degree of irony here as our hamstrings weren't actually designed to be sat on. 

• Sit on a hard surface, preferably a chair.

• Take a tennis sized ball and place it just past your 'sit-bone'. (This is one of the few times I would recommend using a harder ball like a cricket or lacrosse ball.)

• Move you body weight onto the ball and proceed to roll from side to side. (If you feel as though you are rolling over steel cables then you are doing it correctly.)

• Do this for 2-4 minutes or until you feel a change or until you stop making change.

Step 2: Addressing hamstring muscle stiffness at the belly of the muscle. We have three hamstrings; semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris. The first two are located closer to the inside of your leg and the other is closer to the outside near your Iliotibial band (ITB).  Remember to roll on the center of the hamstrings but also on the inside and outside.

• Sit on a hard surface, preferably a table or bench top.

• Hard balls don't work for this, I only use the ALPHA ball from yoga tune up. These balls have some give and their large grippy surface is ideal.

• Place the ball in the center of your hamstring and then move your body weight atop of the ball.

• Once you have found a tender spot or knot then sit on that spot with your weight and begin to flex and extend your knee. You will feel you hamstrings moving past the ball as you move your leg.

Re-test your flexibility!

Try to touch your toes and see the difference.

NB. If the spot is not tender make a mental note of relaxing and if that location is still not tender move to a new spot.

NB. If you start feeling numbness or tingling down your leg or foot move to a new site. The sciatic nerve does pass down the back of the leg and can become trapped by the ball.

David Gruhl

Why does my heel hurt?

Perhaps the most common problem we encounter as Podiatrists at The Pedaler is heel pain.  'My heel hurts when I get out of bed'.  'It hurts when I get up for a coffee'.  This type of pain is synonymous with our old friend 'Plantar Fasciitis'.  A name that looks as painful to pronounce as it is to deal with.  It's pronounced 'fashy-i-tis'.

Make a time to chat to us about heel pain.

Plantar Fasciitis (often termed heel spur) is the most common pathology effecting the foot.  Approximately 10% of the population will experience pain under their heel in their lifetime with women more likely to suffer from the condition then men.  The highest risk category are those between the ages of 44-64 who spend prolonged periods on their feet.  Obesity is also closely linked to the presence of heel pain.  The term 'heel spur' is often used in place of Plantar Fasciitis, however there is little evidence to support the link between the two. Heel spurs are quite common in the ageing population without the presence of any heel pain.  Again, the link between the development of heel spurs and obesity is tightly linked.

The pathophysiology of Plantar Fasciitis is not pure inflammation as the name would suggest.  Essentially, the plantar fascia is subjected to enormous repetitive loading over our life times and becomes damaged through micro trauma (tears).  This hinders the structural integrity of the tissue often leading to enlargement, collagen disruption and pain.  Due to this often non inflammatory process, the term fasciosis is often used rather then fasciitis.  Either way, it still hurts.

Despite being an enormously common condition, a treatment outcome for Plantar Fasciitis is notoriously fickle. Anyone who professes to have a blanket solution to Plantar Fasciitis across the population is treading dangerously close to selling snake oil.  Each case of heel pain needs to be taken on its individual merits.  An understanding of the patient's risk factors needs to be taken into account and realistic expectations need to be set out.  Far too often, the magic pill of orthotic therapy is wheeled out and its failure is often related to missing the other key components of a comprehensive treatment plan. 

To this end, if your heel hurts, we need to get a full picture of your presenting complaint. This will translate into a thorough treatment solution not limited to orthotic therapy.  With the right tools, a conservative option will lead to gradual success.  If it doesn't, then the less conservative treatment options tend to get a little 'uncomfortable'.  Make a time to have a chat with us about your heel pain today.

The popular Attaquer Core and All Day range is now restocked and available

The new range from Attaquer which sold out quickly when first released has now been restocked.  Now is the time to get your spring kit dialled in.  Drop in and get sized.  If we haven't got what you want in store, we'll get it in for you and throw in a free pair of socks or a kiss from JPed for your troubles.*

*only on full kit purchases.  You can still get a kiss from JPed even if you get some socks.

(Dave is the meat in a brutally handsome sandwich)

Podiatry Myth Busting - Flat feet are bad.

I love this topic.  It's one of my favourite bug bears.  'Your feet are too flat'.  'You need arch support'.  'If you don't treat that, your arches will drop'.  'We can build your arches up'.

What a load of complete BS.  This sort of science belongs back in a era when the concept was used as a determining factor for admission into the Armed Forces during the Second World War.

There have been a large number of studies that have investigated 'foot posture' and it's relevance to injury rates.  There is no correlation between injury rates and flat feet in most instances.  Indeed there are some studies that indicate injury rates in certain activities are actually more prolific in cavoid (high arched) foot types against their more planus (flat) incarnations. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16130646

Lets address each of these statements individually.

Your feet are too flat.  This would suggest that their is a normal or perfect foot type (there isn't).  It simplifies the assessment of mechanics down to a purely static visual assessment rather then as part of a thorough investigation.  It also creates an arbitrary ranking system where every clinician's opinion drives intervention. Many of the world's best athletes have planus feet and excel in their sport.  

You need arch support.  I love this one.  Do your arches need some form of guidance counselling? A support group of sorts?  Anyone who has passed through The Pedaler Podiatry would have seen first hand our reluctance to use this arbitrary term.  Orthotics don't 'hold feet up' so as a consequence, popping an orthotic into their shoe won't provide the theoretical 'arch support' they require.  An orthotic is simply an inert material placed inside your shoe that your foot lands on.  It doesn't push back.  It doesn't stick to your foot and hold it up. 

If you don't treat that, your arches will drop.  Umm, no.  No studies support this theory.  The key driver of intervention should always be pathology, pain or function impairment.  Treating based on the assumption that not treating will cause the arches to drop further is inaccurate.

We can build your arches up.  Holy cow.  Firstly, why?  Secondly, how?  We know that flat feet don't cause any more problems then more cavoid versions, so why are we doing this?  We also know that putting orthotics inside shoes won't lift the arches over time either.  

Now, don't let my cynical musings convince you of other false generalities.  There are exceptions to every rule.  Human anatomy and mechanics are not simple structures.  There are examples of planus feet that may require treatment, as there is when dealing with cavoid feet. There is also a place for orthotic therapy when required within this space especially when dealing with pain or imperfect function.  In these instance, the use of an orthotic insert may assist in shifting load from overloaded tissue or changing the length of time a structure undergoes load.  

Orthotic therapy can achieve pain relief, but if your about to prescribe it, you better have a better reason then - your feet are too flat.

Buying a Bike - The Pedaler Process

Harry Dennis

The cycling industry is awash with incredible deals on great quality bikes. There is also a huge second hand market flooded with proper weapons.  It truly is a buyers market with access to deals and bikes across a range of platforms.

You can walk in to any concept store and buy a top of the line bike often for heavily discounted prices. They come out of a factory, already half assembled, with the same bar, stem, tyres, saddles, cranks. While you get a whole lot of bike for your buck, the client has very little control over the types of the components included or the sizes of these elements. You save money by buying a bike built for a generalised geometry driven by industry standards. 

Harry Dennis

At 'The Pedaler', we understand the appeal of this and we appreciate it provides certain fiscal and quality related benefits.  The quality of bikes available through this network has never been better and there are some super shops selling some beautiful rigs.

Nick Woods

However, we believe an alternative process should be available to the client.  When buying a bike through 'The Pedaler', you are in control of the entire process. Everything from the choice of tubes through to the frame colour is a decision to be made by the client. We also work closely with the best bike fitters in Queensland to ensure that all the parts of the bike are perfectly suited to you and your riding style.

Harry Dennis

We are aware that we are not always able to compete based purely on price point for some components given the discounting afforded the larger chains and their strong relationships with certain companies.  With that in mind, we are openly transparent regarding the build cost break down and strive to get you the exact bike you want.  This may mean sourcing rare components or items to help make your bike unique.  We strive to get you the bike you want at a fair and reasonable price.  Every build we complete is unique and every client gets the same care and attention along the way.  

Once your bike is ready, we encourage you to take it for a test ride alongside our Pedaler / Cobra9 Elite Squad. Take the opportunity to get a few tips and enjoy a brew with some of Queensland's best and most promising road cyclists.

Every build we complete is unique and every client gets the same care and attention along the way.

Nathan White

The trio of bike brands we carry, Ridley, Colnago and Johnson, are all companies we have 100% faith in. They are very different, and yet similar at the same time. All brands create aesthetically beautiful bikes and back that up with a high level of performance. Ridley allows us the freedom to choose custom paint and designs, and incorporate the full group set into the builds to make the price point remarkably competitive.

Colnago is one of the oldest and most well known brands on the market with a place in the industry untouched by other contemporary players. 

Johnson is one of the newest and most exciting brands to emerge in the boutique space and comes locally from the Sunshine state.

All brands create aesthetically beautiful bikes and back that up with a high level of performance.

I am excited about building dream machines for our clients.  Every dream machine starts as an idea.  A concept that needs finessing.  Have a chat to us at 'The Pedaler' and experience the comprehensive and personalised approach that we are well known for.

Cyclebro

Words - Josh P.

FLEXIBILITY? Why stretching is not enough.

I have been stretching for years and I still can't touch my toes.

I stretch to help my recovery between workouts.

I stretch lots but I don't notice much improvement.

I stretch but the changes I make don't last.

Does this sound like you?

Stretching addresses tension in the muscle-tendon unit by lengthening short and tight muscles. There are several different factors that can affect joint range of motion and hinder performance.

• Short and tight muscles

• Myofascial trigger points

• Soft tissue restriction

• Joint capsule restriction

• Motor control problems

• Joint range of motion dysfunction

• Neural dynamic issues

These can be complex issues that require identification and analysis by a Health Professional. However, there are two areas that I regularly teach patients to deal with at home:

1. Soft tissue restrictions

2. Joint capsule restrictions

       Soft tissue restrictions can be treated with a form of myofascial release; foam rolling, massage, dry needling, acupuncture or cupping. These modalities all have their pro's and con's but in different ways, they all alter the state of muscles and fascia. They reduce muscular tension and an improve the ability for fascia to slide and glide.

       Joint capsule restrictions require a different piece of equipment.  Power bands.  Joints are just like any structure in the human body.  They require regular use to ensure ongoing quality function. The tissue structures around joints can tighten and become less flexible if not taken to end range of motion regularly. The power band is used to distract the joint apart efficiently. 

Drop in today and have a chat to David about how to improve your performance with a more effective method than stretching alone.

Note: Banded mobilisations should not be attempted by anyone with hypermobile joints or significant ligamentous laxity.  If you are unsure of whether you should roll on a certain spot on your body check with a health practitioner or strength and conditioning coach.

David Gruhl

B. Hth Sc (Pod). Hons

Latest Collaboration between Attaquer and The Athletic // 'Bande de Filles'

Bande de Filles

In a time of routine collaborations between brands across the cycling, it's refreshing to see a unique female orientated concept emerge under the steam of Attaquer and The Athletic. Bande de Filles, which translates to 'girl gang' or 'girl band', is the brain child of Julie Krasniak and the lads from Attaquer.  The designs developed in conjunction with designer Rachel Peck finesse the thin line between sportswoman, role model and brand ambassador.  See the full article from The Athletic here or the down low from Attaquer here.

The outsome is a range of products that look very cool and are a perfect fit for all the brands involved.  The female only kit looks subtle but striking.  The colour palate also blends nicely across the range of products.  In an industry saturated with countless male orientated kits, this collaboration marks a subtle deviation towards the female aesthetic.  It does this without falling victim to the pure woman's specific approach that ostracises the many with cliched patterns and colour palates.  With so many guys asking if this kit will be released in a male cut, you could argue the tables have been neatly turned.

In an industry saturated with countless male orientated kits, this collaboration marks a subtle deviation towards the female aesthetic.

As an official stockist of both Attaquer and The Athletic, The Pedaler will be carrying a selection from the range including bidons, socks and women's specific kit.  The socks and bidons landed today and look the business.  As soon as the kit arrives in store, we'll let you know.  Drop by and have a browse.

Nathan White