Sports Medicine Tips
from an Expert
By Fred Matheny for
www.RoadBikeRider.com
Andy Pruitt’s name has
become synonymous with sports medicine for cycling.
As director of the
Boulder Center for Sports Medicine in Boulder,
CO, Pruitt has made a career out of treating
world-class riders such as Lance Armstrong and
George Hincapie. In 1996, Pruitt served as chief
medical officer for the U.S. Olympic Cycling Team.
Pruitt is an elite
athlete in his own right, too. He lost his lower leg
in a hunting accident at age 14 but still wrestled
and participated in track, eventually winning 12
high school varsity letters. When he took up cycling
he earned a category 2 ranking in able-bodied racing
and was twice a world champion in disabled cycling.
But the Boulder Center
isn’t reserved for elite clients. Pruitt wanted to
develop a sports medicine center equal to any
university or Olympic training facility but
available to recreational athletes of any age.
That’s what he has accomplished
Here’s a sampling of
Pruitt’s sports medicine wisdom.
-
Floating
Pedals. "In the late eighties, the
cycling injury rate soared due to step-in
pedals. The old, slotted cleats and soft leather
cycling shoes allowed feet quite a bit of
movement, but the newer step-in cleats and more
rigid shoes with a heel counter locked feet in
one position. Now the injury rate has gone way
down due to cleats that float, allowing each
foot to find its best position on the pedal.”
-
Bike Fit.
“I’ve done thousands of bike fits. Much is made
of saddle height and saddle fore-and-aft
position. It’s true—they’re important. But the
reach to the handlebar along with the height
difference between the bar and the saddle are
the two most personal aspects of bike fit. If
they aren’t right, you’ll be miserable. We’re
seeing more riders who want to raise their
handlebars for increased comfort.”
-
Patellar
Tendinitis.
“Strain of the tendons around the knee often
happens in the early season when riders get
caught out in the cold and wind and decide to
get home fast. They push a big gear, maybe they
aren’t wearing leg warmers, and the next morning
they have an ominous twinge. The problem is that
in the early season, your muscles can bear a lot
more strain than your connective tissue.”
-
Saddle
Position.
“Greg LeMond has extremely long femurs. His
kneecaps are slightly above his ankles. So for
him a bike with a slack seat tube angle, a long
top tube, and the saddle jammed all the way back
is appropriate. But most people aren’t built
that way. For example, Ron Kiefel moved his
saddle back when a famous pro he admired told
him he’d be faster if he did. Ron didn’t get
faster, instead he got severe back pain and
missed several weeks of racing. The moral of
this story: Let your femur length determine your
saddle position, not your hero.”
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