Thousands of Britons have taken up cycling during the coronavirus pandemic, and many are now planning on riding their bikes to work when they eventually return to the office.
But if you’re new to pedalling or returning to it after a long break, you may be experiencing some unwanted aches and pains in your back, wrist, knee, pelvis or feet as a result of your lockdown hobby.
Cycling is a fantastic way to keep fit and healthy. It’s particularly great for those with arthritis, as it reduces the amount of load through particular joints compared with running and walking activities.
The essential place to start in terms of injury prevention on a bike is getting the saddle height correct.
Sit on the bike (you may need someone to help keep you steady), and place one foot on the pedal with it at the 6 o’clock position, with the ball of your foot on the pedal.
You should find you now have a ‘soft’ knee in this position – not too much knee bend, and not fully locked out straight. This is the optimum riding position in terms of ergonomics. Then gradually adjust the seat until it feels comfortable.
If the saddle isn’t adjusted correctly, it will create a rocking and tilting of the hips and increased knee flexion. This, in turn, will irritate the patellofemoral (PF) area right at the front of the knee. The PF joint may become irritated if the knee is in an increased flexed (bent) position.
The rocking of the pelvis can lead to greater trochanter bursitis. The bursas are fluid-filled sacs on the side of the pelvis that get irritated and inflamed due to the incorrect position and additional movement of the pelvis.
It’s normal to have delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) as you commence your new activity regime. But there’s a difference between DOMS and an injury. If soreness persists, always seek professional advice or medical attention.
If you need a sports therapist in Maidenhead, come and talk with us today!
