Summer is here, and with that, the cycling season begins in earnest.
Whether you are a seasoned Tour de France rider, speed through the velodrome or ride for the joy of it, there are so many health benefits to riding.
It works the entire body, trains coordination, endurance and leg strength, as well as significantly boosting cardio.
However, as we have seen on the Tour before, there is the potential for injury, so here are ways to avoid straining yourself whilst riding.
Pace Yourself
Extreme fatigue can be a major factor in causing damage, and it can be exceptionally painful and concerning.
Three-time winner (and only American winner) of the Tour De France Greg LeMond famously overworked his body so much he believed he had a muscle disease and retired from the sport.
It is important to pace yourself whilst training and race and ride at a level your body feels comfortable at. If you push yourself too far you risk overuse injuries such as those to the knees, muscles and joints.
Wear A Helmet
It stands to reason that riding a bike comes with the risk of falling off it, and taking a fall has happened to all of the best riders.
What is important is that you wear sufficient protection to avoid significant injury. Wearing a helmet not only protects your head from impact but reduces the risk that you will instinctively try to block the impact with your arms, risking broken bones.
Use a Wider Seat
One potential injury that is rarely talked about concerns male riders in particular, as constant riding can cause problems with the lower body, to the point that cycling is considered a risk factor for ED.
Because this issue is caused by compression, fitting a wider seat, altering the tilt, removing part of the seat, adding padding or simply wearing padded shorts will relieve the pressure.
If you want more information and advice from a physiotherapist in Maidenhead, get in touch today.
