Training tips

Injury Prevention Tips with Andrew Thorp from Allsports Physiotherapy

From a young age Andrew has pursued his love of triathlon and cross-country running which ultimately led him to a career in physiotherapy. Andrew commenced working within Allsports during has studies, graduated in 2012 from the University of Queensland, and now works as a senior clinician at the Kangaroo Point and Albany Creek clinics. His clinical interests include lower limb biomechanical injuries in endurance athletes, bike fitting, persistent lower back pain, as well as optimising sport specific rehabilitation. Andrew will be taking part in this year’s Brissie to Gold Coast Ride and outside of that he continues to pursue his love for cycling, running, surfing and live music.

Training hard and consistently for your 100km Brisbane to Gold Coast ride is crucial, but making it to the start line injury-free is even more important. As a physiotherapist, I unfortunately see many people who haven’t looked after their bodies in the lead up to significant events such as this one.

Here are some essential tips for your preparation and training. 

Personalised Training Plan 

One of the most important aspects of avoiding overuse injuries is to avoid overtraining. Develop a personalised training plan that considers your current fitness level, available training time, other forms of exercise, and your event goals. It's easy to get carried away with unrealistic goals or copying others' training routines, which can lead to injury.

If you're unsure about creating a training plan, refer to our previous article, “Preparing for Brisbane to Gold Coast 100km Ride: A Physiotherapist’s Guide.” 

Stretching vs Strengthening 

Interestingly, there is no consistent scientific evidence that static stretching reduces injury risk, especially in cycling. The effectiveness of stretching for recovery is also debated. While stretching can relieve tightness, it may not be the best use of your time for injury prevention or recovery. Instead, incorporate strength training sessions early in your preparation.

Combining strength training with endurance training can improve cycling performance and help guard against overuse injuries. 

Recovery 

Effective recovery is crucial for training consistently and minimising injury risk. Key recovery components include: 

• Sleep: Maintain a consistent sleep pattern of 7-8 hours per night to support pain perception, immune function, inflammation, and tissue repair. 

• Nutrition/Hydration: Follow Sports Dietitians Australia’s recovery goals—refuel, repair, rehydrate, and revitalise. 

• Refuel: Replace depleted glycogen stores with carbohydrates immediately after exercise. 

• Repair: Include protein-rich foods in your post-training snacks to promote muscle repair and growth. 

• Rehydrate: Consume 1.5 times the amount of fluid lost during exercise to stay hydrated. 

• Revitalize: Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to get essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for immune health.

Other important factors for recovery include: 

• Active Recovery: Perform 10 minutes of low-intensity cardio or movement post-training to reduce the severity of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). 

• Massage: Remedial massage can effectively reduce muscle soreness, fatigue, and inflammation. 

• Compression Garments: These can help minimise muscle soreness and fatigue. 

• Cold Therapies: Immersion in pools or ice baths can be beneficial for reducing muscle soreness and fatigue although again the evidence is a little conflicting.  

The other important thing to remember is that what works best for one person may not work for you – make sure you have experimented with different recovery options to find out what suits your body the best. 

Bike-fit and Biomechanical Assessment 

Having a professional assess your body’s strengths, areas for improvement, and movement patterns is essential to ensure your training program is suitable and to prevent injuries before the event. Additionally, ensure your bike is properly fitted to your body dimensions and riding style. A professional bike fit can optimise your cycling posture, reduce injury risk, and improve efficiency and power output. Proper bike fit adjustments include bike size, saddle height, handlebar reach, and cleat positioning. 

By following these tips, you can prepare effectively for the Brisbane to Gold Coast 100km ride and reduce your risk of injury, ensuring you reach the start line in top condition.