Cycling injuries and how to avoid them
Cycling has become a huge sport since the bike was invented over 200 years ago. There is a big movement to improve cycling in the towns and city and to make commuting safer and more popular. It is seen as the answer to help tackle the global warming issues and also greatly improve peoples health, both physical and mental. Unfortunately just like any sporting activity and mode of transport, cycling does come with some risk however we can take measures to reduce and avoid the most common cycling injuries.
What are the most common cycling injuries and how to avoid them?
Cycling and knee pain
The knee is a common place for pain caused by cycling, often it is overload or over training injury which is commonly referred to as 'cyclist knee', The pain may also be caused by wrong postural bike set up, saddle too high or low etc
Find out more about Patellofemoral syndrome or (cyclists knee)
Patella and quad tendinitis is often caused by an overload or training issue where the patella tendon becomes inflamed and painful, rest and ice will help restore normal function.
Pain on the outside of the knee, it is commonly caused by illiotibial band friction or syndrome which is often referred to as runners knee however the same condition does affect cyclists, cleat positioning is a common cause.
Muscle imbalance is one of the major causes of knee pain, the quads are four major muscles which are the main movers of the knee joint and all join into the patella tendon and knee cap. If any one of these muscles is weak or over dominant then this will cause the knee cap to track incorrectly and cause deep knee pain, tendinitis or bursitis. Once the original cause has been identified a treatment plan can be actioned to address the muscle weakness and imbalance.
Find out more about Patellofemoral syndrome or (cyclists knee)
Patella and quad tendinitis is often caused by an overload or training issue where the patella tendon becomes inflamed and painful, rest and ice will help restore normal function.
Pain on the outside of the knee, it is commonly caused by illiotibial band friction or syndrome which is often referred to as runners knee however the same condition does affect cyclists, cleat positioning is a common cause.
Muscle imbalance is one of the major causes of knee pain, the quads are four major muscles which are the main movers of the knee joint and all join into the patella tendon and knee cap. If any one of these muscles is weak or over dominant then this will cause the knee cap to track incorrectly and cause deep knee pain, tendinitis or bursitis. Once the original cause has been identified a treatment plan can be actioned to address the muscle weakness and imbalance.
Neck pain, lower back back shoulder pain on the bike
Cycling neck pain, lumbar and shoulder pain are common and commonly caused through bad bike posture, this is never an issue for low mileage rides however add in muscle fatigue of endurance rides and bad posture pain is a result.
Change riding position regularly and doing shoulder stretches like shrugs will assist with neck tension, if your day to day posture is not great then this could be the underlying cause and cycling is the catalyst for that muscle fatigue to cause neck pain etc.
Stretching and good general posture is the key to eliminating cycling neck, shoulder and lower back pain.
Change riding position regularly and doing shoulder stretches like shrugs will assist with neck tension, if your day to day posture is not great then this could be the underlying cause and cycling is the catalyst for that muscle fatigue to cause neck pain etc.
Stretching and good general posture is the key to eliminating cycling neck, shoulder and lower back pain.
Forearm, Wrist pain, loss of sensation when cycling
Cyclist wrist, forearm pain and palsy is quite common and is due to compression of the wrist on the handlebars.
The nerves and vascular supply the hand through the carpal tunnel area and are easily compressed. Whilst cycling the wrists are often compressed for long periods, to avoid this problem the elbows should be not locked out and held in a slightly bent position so to absorb road bump shock. Change hand position regularly when cycling, wearing good padded gloves will help alleviate and prevent loss of sensation.
The nerves and vascular supply the hand through the carpal tunnel area and are easily compressed. Whilst cycling the wrists are often compressed for long periods, to avoid this problem the elbows should be not locked out and held in a slightly bent position so to absorb road bump shock. Change hand position regularly when cycling, wearing good padded gloves will help alleviate and prevent loss of sensation.
Cyclist foot nerve pain, numbness, loss of sensation and tingling
Often foot problems are caused by shoes which don't fit properly and are too tight and narrow, however numbness can also be caused by nerve compression in the calf muscles, there may be a few different reasons for this and compartment syndrome is common. Due to exertion and increased pressure the nerves which serve the foot can become compressed and so lead to foot palsy and calf muscle pain,
should this persist you should seek medical advice from your doctor.
should this persist you should seek medical advice from your doctor.
Pelvic, Sacrum pain and cycling
More common for male cyclist is numbness or pain in the genital region due to compression. It can be remedied by amending the seat position or changing the saddle to a different shape one. more padded shorts may also help release the pressure.
