How to Prevent Cycling Related Injuries
Unfortunately, you can not avoid all cycling injuries. Due to its repetitive and high-intensity nature, it is very common to experience a cycling related injury.
However, you can take a number of steps to reduce your chance of injury while cycling.
Tips on preventing an injury while cycling
The most common cycling injuries include conditions such as lower back pain, ITB syndrome, foot numbness and neck pain. You can easily avoid these injuries. Taking the proper precautions before you go on a cycle.
The most important thing you can do to prevent injury while cycling is to make sure that your muscles are fully warmed up beforehand. Try doing some dynamic rather than static stretches. Such as leg crossovers and leg swings to help reduce joint and muscle stiffness before getting on your bike.
Reduce stress on your knees while cycling by keeping your pace at a higher cadence. If you are doing a high intensity workout, cycling at a low peddling rate could place a lot of pressure on your patellofemoral joints and hips.
It can be beneficial to use a foam roller post-workout. In order to reduce muscle soreness and tightness the following day. If you feel that you may have overexerted your muscles during a cycling session, it is important to give your body time to recover before cycling again.
The clothes and shoes that you wear can play a huge factor in reducing the risk of injury. Many cyclists often experience saddle sores. This is a skin rash that occurs after spending many hours in the saddle. When your skin and your clothes rub against each other, your skin develops saddle sores. In order to decrease your chances of getting saddle sores, make sure that the clothes you are wearing are comfortable. And poorly fitted shoes can also cause injuries such as foot numbness. You can experience knee and foot numbness because your shoe cleats are not aligned correctly.
Finally, getting your bike professionally fitted has many benefits to the way in which you cycle and can ultimately prevent many cycling injuries such as lower back pain, Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy and neck pain.
Balllsbridge Physio
Here at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic, we can provide you with a biomechanical and functional training assessment before you start your cycling training. If you happen to experience an injury while cycling, our physiotherapists are expertly trained in treating all sports injuries.
To book an appointment or if you have any questions regarding cycling injuries, contact us here.