Just say hello

One reason I love being at my lake house is that most people have no problem saying hello. Whether I'm riding my bike around the lake, or walking or just going food shopping, people seem to be friendly.

Most of us have gotten into the routine of ignoring others. They might shun us, or snap at us, or give us a dirty look. The ability to say hello or good morning to our fellow population is a gift.

I challenge everyone to take a risk. Look someone you pass in the eye and say hello. It doesn't matter if it's a scared deer, bold bear, snapping turtle, bitchy dog, sketchy mole or skittish cat. Just do it.

I will bet it will make you smile, and you will make someone's day brighter. Let alone your own day.

I want to ride my bicycle

I am really getting into riding this year. My goal is to ride around half of the Great Sacandaga Lake by my birthday. (That’s only 40 miles. The whole lake is about 70…but that’s for another year.) I think some of my enthusiasm is from a bike talk my company, South County Physical Therapy, did for women a few months ago.  Gene from Gear Works in Leominster (www.gearworkscyclery.com/)  came and did a phenomenal job at teaching us things from shifting appropriately to equipment needs, and bike maintenance. Here are some of my takeaways.

·         If you have knee pain have someone check your saddle height. A lower saddle will create more knee flexion and  your quadriceps will have to work twice as hard, potentially leading to a tendonitis.

·         The reach and the drop are specific to each individual. When in doubt have your bike professionally assessed for proper fit.

·         A smaller seat is better for long rides because it creates less pressure on the perineum and will help to decrease the chance of numbness or tingling.

·         Get bike shoes. Sneakers are too soft to ride with a purpose and your feet will react. **Side note, I am a fan of barefoot training, and improving foot mobility vs keeping our feet stiff, but there are times when it is important to have  more stiff footwear. Skiing and biking, my two favorite activities are some examples.

·         Pay attention! You can’t tell if a car is coming from behind you or in front of you. Don’t assume that they see you.

·         The goal is to keep the same cadence while pedaling. Instead of looking at your gears for when to shift, start to feel when you need to. Use your mind to guide you. Use the lever on the right to downshift or upshift as far as you can and then use the left.

o   This has been key for me this year. I was trying to avoid being big ring/big ring or little ring/little ring. The point is, you can go there, but don’t stay there for a long time. Ideally, you will only need to pass through, and it won’t become a problem.

o   Also, feeling with your legs, connecting to where your body is at really helps to know WHEN to shift. Keep it steady. Don’t grind it out. SO much easier!

·         Things to take with you on your rides:

o   Spare tube

o   Tire lever

o   Air (CO2 cartridge)

o   Phone

o   Food (this can make a huge difference as you are increasing your mileage. It sucks to bonk when you’re half way home)

o   Cash, in case you need water or food

o   Your license and insurance card

·         How to change a tire: ladies, we must learn this. In my opinion it is important to practice, practice, practice. I still don’t get it, but I’m learning and observing all the time.

·         Also, learn how to clean your bike. Chain maintenance will help you ride easier for a long time. Ideally this should occur after every ride so that the chain lube has time to set in before your next ride.

Bike riding is a great way to see the world. On a quiet morning, you can see all kinds of wild life and hear the stillness of the day.  Keep it safe and get out there to enjoy.

 

A topic near and dear to my heart, cheerleading. I recently learned that March is National Cheerleading Safety Month. http://www.cheersafe.org/safety/march-is-national-cheerleading-safety-month .   What a better time to look at ways to keep cheerleaders safe and able to continue doing the amazing tricks we are used to doing.

 According to the STOP Sports Injuries Campaign, “the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that cheerleading led to 16,000 ER visits in 2002(the latest year for data.) While not as frequent as injuries in other sports, cheerleading injuries tend to be more sever, making up > ½ the catastrophic injuries in female athletes.” http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/cheerleading-injury-prevention.aspx#types 

Over the last 30 years I have watched cheerleading evolve from an activity in which we wore bowling shoes and barely moved, to a very athletic activity in which people are performing amazing tricks. Kids start at All Star gyms and youth programs as young as 6 years old. Some then perform through college, and even after as adults. Specializing in any sport at that young age will lead to injuries, let alone the fun and crazy stuff we are attempting to do.  So how do we reduce these injuries, and what can you do to promote safe cheering?

NCAA (and the cheer governing bodies) doesn’t recognize Cheerleading as a sport, so it's not. It's too bad that they won't even give it club sport status. It’s even sadder that so many kids miss out on scholarships and even funding for safety equipment and training. http://www.kwch.com/kwch-news-jlr-cheerleading-not-a-sport-20130307,0,4126497.story

Anyone involved in cheering knows “perfection before progression” and performer readiness. Coaches, parents and cheerleaders need to abide by this. Stunts must be hit 10/10 times in order to perform them on the field, and in order to progress. Cheerleaders must have the strength, flexibility, and general conditioning to perform what we are asking. They need to be fully “present” when practicing and performing. The bottom line is if they are not ready, they must not move forward.

From a physical standpoint, cheerleaders to have the mobility and stability to perform the skills we want them to. They need to create length while holding the body tight without moving. They need core stability. They need to strength train, do the mobility/recovery work, and learn how to care for their bodies. As a physical therapist, and former cheer coach I want to help promote a knowledge base for safe cheerleading. I want to help cheerleaders move away from the conditioning programs of 30 years ago, and embrace a strength and conditioning lifestyle that will not only keep them safe, but will allow them to keep progressing and doing fun tricks.

 Cheerleading can be a safe, athletic activity. We just need to do the work