Cycling Aches and Pains

Not the bad kind, where a cyclist crashes or gets hit by a car, which we also treat, but this post outlines some of the aches and pains common to bicyclists, both experienced professionals and novices, along with just about anyone in between. The original outline has been presented by Dr. Oliveri to cycling enthusiasts and triathletes in the Rochester, NY area. See below for the outline. Call or e-mail with any questions. Happy riding!


CYCLING INJURIES, ACHES AND
PAINS

Tony Oliveri, PT, DPT

Causes:

• Insufficient warm-up or cool-down
• Sudden changes in training duration or intensity
• Excessive hill work
• Pushing big gears at low RPMs
• Poor bike fit.
• Shoes too tight or too stiff, or too soft!
• Lack of stretching before and after long rides



A sample of problems:

• Ulnar neuropathy: handlebar palsy
• Achilles tendonitis/plantar fasciitis: saddle too low, or foot too far behind the spindle, leading to excessive ankling.
• Anterior knee pain (patello-femoral or tendonitis). 60% of injuries are among experienced cyclists: saddle too low or too far forward.
• ITB pain: caused by pronation, internal tibial torsion, saddle too high.
• Biceps tendonitis: saddle too high or aft. Cleats toe in too much.



Solutions to some of the common
cycling problems

• Gradual increases in duration, frequency, intensity.
• Sufficient warm-up and cool-down.
• Proper bike fit. May include cants or lifts between pedal and shoe.
• Biking shoes instead of sneakers, especially long or hard rides.
• Cycling orthotics.
• Floating pedal systems sometimes kinder to the knees(no loss of power). Sometimes the float needs to be restricted.
• Knee taping or bracing: but tape breaks down and can irritate skin.
• Physical Therapy: exercise modification, manual therapy, ultrasound, infrared, cold laser.