Cycling and Injuries

There are two main types of injuries associated with cycling; acute injuries and chronic injuries.

1. Acute injuries usually involve collisions with vehicles or objects.

2. Chronic injuries, which are also known as overuse injuries, are often caused due to repetitive strain during movements that occur continually during the cycle.

The most common sites of injuries involve the neck, knee, groin, hand and low back.

a. Neck- Chronic neck pain in cyclists are thought to occur due to constant hyperextension of the neck in order to keep the head upright. Conditions that could enhance this problem could be heavy helmets, weak back muscles or low handlebars.

b. Knee- Chronic knee pain is often felt in the front and the outside of the knee. Knee pain in the front is often due to the repetitive bending of the knee during the ride and the pain on the outside of the knee is either due to weakness in the hip musculature or incorrect saddle height.

c. Groin- Chronic groin pain is due mostly to prolonged sitting on a poorly fitting saddle. Compression of nerves or other vital structures in the groin region can lead to pain and injuries.

d. Hand- Chronic hand pain can present with numbness, tingling or weakness and is often due to compression on the handlebars. This sustained pressure and vibration can lead to hand problems.

e. Low back- Chronic low back pain is usually due to constant bending forward and core weakness. Conditions that could amplify this problem include improper saddle height and a weak core.

Since the majority of these issues involve both biomechanical and structural issues, it is important to address both the physical setup of the bicycle as well as the dynamics of the rider. Also, a rehabilitation program can be implemented which can help alleviate a lot of these problems.

Resources

1. Asplung, C. Knee pain and bicycling. 2004. The Physician and Sports Medicine 32(4).