More injuries for the Wayfarers Wheelers Etape team! By Chris Boulton

You may have read about the exploits of some of the team members at the water jump on the ski slopes of Les Arcs last week and also have seen that I struggled home after the Bank Holiday 25 mile time trial.

Well, now I know why I came to struggle home!

By Wednesday morning my thighs had become very swollen and even more sore than they had been immediately after Monday's time trial. However, I soldiered on and still took part in a 10 mile time trial on Wednesday evening with my eldest son, Albert.

After an uncomfortable ride, by the following morning I decided I needed some medical attention so booked myself an appointment at a sports injuries clinic in Harley Street, just around the corner from my office.

On entering the physiotherapists room, I was asked what the problem was and explained that I was a cyclist and during an event on Monday I had developed a soreness in my inner thighs. I then showed him the swelling. His first question was "What have you been doing to get an injury like that on both sides, it can't be from cycling?"

I explained that I had ridden the two time trials and that the problem first seemed to appear halfway around Monday's course and then I had struggled home. "But what else?" came the question again. I responded that "I was skiing last week and did a water jump"
"Ah ha" he said. "That will be it, you have probably strained your groins leaning back as you went across the water and the cycling has made it worse". His subsequent examination and manipulation of my muscles confirmed this initial diagnosis.

Phew I though, nothing serious then. Twenty five minutes later, after lots of checks and stretching together with a massage on my thighs and £100 paid, I was on my way to Boots for some Ibuprofen gel, to take the swelling down.

"Just take it easy for 3 days and I shouldn't need to see you again" were the physios parting comments!

So the water jump of a week before had led to me having two rather uncomfortable rides and missing training for the whole week. I won't be doing one of those again. Luckily, the ski season is almost over so there is no chance!