By Wayne Hansen, D.C.
Overuse injuries are surprisingly high in cycling. In a recent study they found that 94% of cyclists over a one-year period will have experienced at least one overuse injury. Luckily most of these injuries are mild and won’t take you off the bike for long. Unfortunately some injuries are more severe. The most common site of overuse injury is the knee, while the most common site of traumatic injury is the shoulder. The best medicine is prevention. Here are some suggestions to keep you out of pain. Seeing your Chiropractor regularly can keep your body aligned, this will put less stress on your joints and keep you pain free. Stretching after a 15 minute warm-up, not only will give you more power on the bike, it will keep muscles from straining. Water will also keep your muscles from straining, usually drinking 20 ounces of water an hour is a basic guideline. Finally, getting a professional bike fit will relieve most overuse and bicycle contact ailments.
Reference: Bicycling Injuries; Current Sports Medicine Reports:
September/October 2013 – Volume 12 – Issue 5 – p 337-345.
Dr. Hansen is owner of Solutions Clinic in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. He is currently the team doctor for DNA p/b K4 racing.
