After a really long cold wet and windy winter here in Adelaide, the arrival of spring has made us all very keen to get outside more. For lots of people this will mean dusting off the bike and putting in some serious kilometres.
Whether you are an experienced cyclist or a beginner, this can be a less than comfortable experience sometimes. In fact, in a study done in 2015, Dahlquist found that 68% of club level cyclists experienced pain while cycling, with 65% of these riders having this pain for over a year. Recreational cyclists also commonly reported pain and this was most likely to be in the neck/shoulders, followed by the knee and their lower back. In addition to painful problems, cyclists also commonly experience pins and needles or numbness, in areas such as the hands, feet or perineum.
Issues on the bike like the ones mentioned above, can be caused by how the bike is fit to the rider, how the rider’s body responds to the forces, loads and exertion involved in cycling, or a combination of both. For example a poorly positioned cleat, or a tight quadriceps can lead to aches and pains around the knee. A stiff upper back or incorrectly adjusted saddle can make neck and back pain a feature of every ride.
Many riders are given a basic bike fit at the store when they purchase a bike, which is fine to get you started, but it is often sometime later that problems develop which can be a result of the amount of time spent riding and body changes that have occurred over time. These are all considerations that need to be considered during your Physio Bike Fit.
Here at Move for Better Health we want to make your cycling experience as comfortable, enjoyable and healthy as we can. By taking a multidisciplinary approach involving Physiotherapists, Podiatrist and Exercise Physiologists, we think we can give you the best opportunity to be strong, stable and most of all comfortable as you are tearing up the miles, whether that be on the asphalt, gravel, track or trail.
If you need some help getting comfortable on your bike, we recommend starting with a Physio Bike Fit appointment with Senior Physiotherapist (and long time cyclist) Russell Turbill.
To find out more, or to make a booking, check out our Physio Bike Fit page here.
The Club-Level Road Cyclist: Injury, Pain, and Performance. Dahlquist, Miriah DPT*; Leisz, Marie-Christine DO†; Finkelstein, Marsha MS
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine: March 2015 – Volume 25 – Issue 2 – p 88-94
