Bicycling is a great, low-impact way to stay fit, but itisn’t without risk of injury. Most cycling injuries occur due to poor bike fitor improper riding technique. It’s important to have your bike adjusted to yourbody because ProperBike Fit Can Prevent Pain and Injury.
One of the most serious of all bike injuries is a head injury. Wearing a bike helmetis recommended to reduce the risk of a serious head injury while biking. It isalso important to recognize and treat the earlywarning signs of an injury.
If you do develop an ache, pain or injury while cycling, it is likely tobe among the following:
KneePain
Knee pain is extremely common incyclists. In order to treat the cause of thepain, it is important to have an evaluation and proper diagnosis. Commonreasons for knee pain in athletes include the following.
PatellofemoralPain Syndrome
This term usually refers to pain under and around the knee cap It is alsocalled "Runner's Knee."
Chondromalacia
This term refers to softening and deterioration of the underside of thekneecap. In young athletes this is typically an injury from trauma, overuse,poor alignment of the knee joint, or muscle imbalance. This leads to frictionand rubbing under the kneecap the results damage to the surface of thecartilage. The sensation is a dull pain around or under the kneecap thatworsens when walking down stairs or hills, climbing stair other weight bearingactivity.
Osteoarthritisof the Knee
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in athletes. It is adegenerative disease that results in a gradual wearing away of joint cartilage.Typical symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain, swelling, and a decrease in therange of motion of the knee. Morning stiffness that decreases with motion isalso common.
Abrasionsand Road Rash
Injuries that result from a fall on a hard surface that causes outer layers ofskin to rub off.
HandNumbness / Ulnar Neuropathy
This is experienced as pain and numbness of the small and ring finger and isassociated with pressure on the handlebars for long periods of time.
MuscleCramps
A cramp is a sudden, tight and intense pain caused by a muscle locked in spasm.You can also recognize a muscle cramp as an involuntary and forcibly contractedmuscle that does not relax.
Sprainsand Strains
These are acute injuries that vary in severity but usually result in pain,swelling, bruising, and loss of the ability to move and use the joint.
IliotibialBand Syndrome
IT band friction syndrome often results in knee pain that is generally felt onthe outside (lateral) aspect of the knee or lower.
Delayed-OnsetMuscle Soreness
Description: Muscle pain, stiffness or soreness that occurs 24-48 hours afterunaccustomed, or particularly intense exercise.
ClavicleFractured (Broken Shoulder) Description: A shoulder fracture typically refers to a total or partialbreak to either the clavicle (collar bone) or the neck of the humerus (armbone). It generally is from an impact injury, such as a fall or blow to theshoulder
Concussion Description: A concussion is typically caused by a severe head traumawhere the brain moves violently within the skull so that brain cells all fireat once, much like a seizure.
AchillesTendonitis
Achilles tendonitis is a chronic injury that occurs primarily from overuse. Ittends to come on gradually over time until pain is constant and exercise oractivity too painful to continue. Achilles tendonitis is a painful condition ofthe tendon in the back of the ankle. Left untreated, Achilles tendonitis canlead to an increased risk of .
PlantarFasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of pain on the bottom of the heeland usually defined by pain during the first steps of the morning
Arch Pain
Arch pain is a common foot complaint. Arch pain, also sometimes called astrain, often causes inflammation and a burning sensation under the arch of thefoot. Treatment of arch pain often consists of adaptive footwear and inserts.
Blisters
Blisters are fluid-filled sacks on the surface of the skin that commonly occurson the hands, or the feet.
PiriformisSyndrome
If the piriformis muscle becomes tight or cramps it can put pressure on thesciatic nerve and cause gluteal (or buttock) pain or sciatica.
OvertrainingSyndrome
Overtraining syndrome frequently occurs in athletes who are training forcompetition or a specific event and train beyond the body's ability to recover.