Preventing bike injuries
GOPhysio
Preventing bike injuries
Review of your physiotherapist
By Julie Salvas, Pht
Cyclists suffer mainly from overuse injuries, unless there is a fall and there is trauma. The most common injuries found most often on bikes are:
1- Pain and / or numbness to the feet;
2- Tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon;
3- hamstring tendinopathy;
4- Knee pain
5- Pain and / or numbness in the saddle area;
6- Lower back pain
7- Pain in the neck and shoulder blades
8- Numbness in the hands
Five main factors contribute to the development of overuse injuries:
1- Overtraining;
2- A lack of flexibility;
3- muscle weakness;
4- An anatomical change;
5- Bad adjustment of the bike.
A good fit on the bike is essential for every type of cyclist. If you are a beginner cyclist, the good fit ensures maximum comfort and ease of cycling. If you are a more experienced cyclist, a good fit increases your efficiency, power and comfort. Whatever the level of the cyclist, a good fit also reduces the risk of injury caused by cycling and can also help with chronic injuries.
Your body is in contact with the 3-point bike: the buttocks on the saddle, the hands on the handlebars and the feet on the pedals. Let's see how to adjust them.
Step 1: The right seat height
When you are positioned on your bike with the front foot on the pedal or the shoe inserted into your clip pedal, your knee should have a 30 ° angle. One quick way to make the adjustment is to adjust the height of your saddle so that when the pedal is down and your heel on it, your leg should be fully extended. In this way, when you place your forefoot on the pedal, you should have a proper knee angle.
Step 2: Positioning the seat back and forth
You must also adjust the front-back position of your saddle. When your pedals are placed horizontally with your feet parallel to the ground, the front of your knee should line up with the front of the pedal. You can use a long level or lead line to check your alignment. As for the angle of your saddle, it should be horizontal.
Step 3: Adjusting the distance between the saddle and the handlebars
Position yourself on your bike with your hands on the handlebar and your elbows slightly bent. This small bend of the elbows is used to absorb the shocks of the road to reduce stress on your joints. Looking at your front wheel, the handlebars should visually block the rotation axis of your wheel. If this is not the case, you should change the length of the stem of your handlebar (the part that connects your handlebars to your bike frame.
Here are a few tips to help you ride comfortably and efficiently, but remember that cycling is not a cyclist! Your body must also be in good physical condition. Do not hesitate to contact your local physiotherapy clinic for more information.