Advice

Yes. Cyclists often develop problematic areas of the body as a direct result from their individual cycle 'gait' and cycling habits.

Cyclists must adopt a very unique position which, over the course of a long cycle ride or event, can lead to strain on certain joints, muscle imbalances (some muscles become weak, others become tight) and ultimately give rise to pain.

3 Common Symptoms

Three of the most common symptoms cyclists suffer are neck pain, low back pain and pain at the front of the knee.  Neck and back pain usually starts due to the prolonged position placing extra postural stress on the neck and back joints. Knee pain is often caused due weakness of the gluteal (buttock) muscles and tightness in the muscles at the front of the hip as they are predominantly in a shortened position. This tightness alters the muscle pull on the knee-cap and can cause extra friction underneath the knee-cap. These symptoms can be avoided or minimised by performing some simple stretches and exercises. See below for some example exercises to help you stay fit and keep you in the saddle.

Correct Cycling Position

Above all, the cycling position and bike set up needs to be correct for each individual. Lots of cycling injuries are caused by poor positioning. For example, simply having your saddle too high can create too much movement of the pelvis and can lead to low back pain. 

Contact David Roberts Physiotherapy for an appointment to discuss your bike set up and specific personal exercise requirements to enable you to optimise your cycling performance.

Visit their website at www.davidrobertphysio.co.uk

Having been in the cycling industry for nearly 30 years, we are very conscious of the dangers involved if bikes are not checked regularly in some key safety areas. At Leisure Lakes Bikes we have qualified Cytec mechanics at all our stores, this ensures that new bikes leave us well tuned and safe and any repairs are carried out in a professional and thorough manner.

Here are some key areas that all cyclists should be checking on a regular basis to ensure their bike is safe, on or off road.