Cycling

Abstract

In general, recreational cyclists are not at high risk for injuries when compared to other sports. Cycling injuries can be categorized in overuse injuries and acute traumatic injuries. Overuse injuries involve mostly the surface of contact between bike and human body, but also knee, neck and lower back can be affected. Acute injuries are mainly caused by accidents, often resulting in skin lesions and broken bones caused by high velocity and high impact forces. Special attention should be given to the foot because in cycling the entire energy is transferred from the foot to the bike. The most common acute foot injury in cycling is the ankle sprain. Overuse foot injuries include metatarsalgia and ingrown toenails from improper footwear and achilles tendon injuries often caused by excessive saddle height. For overuse injuries it is important to detect the etiology of the underlying mechanisms. This can be done through biomechanical bike fitting analyses or functional tests of joint mobility and strength of the involved muscle groups.