Toronto sports medicine and common cycling injuries

This is the best time for cyclists in the GTA. Whether you are riding a bike for fun, commuting or even riding in a competitive manner, cycling is a great way to stay in shape. However, our Toronto sports medicine clinic also understands there are certain injuries that are common to riding a bike. Here are a few of the ones that we see most often and some tips on how to avoid them.

Pain in the lower back

Sitting forward on a seat for an extended period of time puts a lot of pressure on the discs in your lower back. However, there are a few remedies that you can try to alleviate this common injury.

Raising your handlebars is one of them. This allows you can sit in a more upright position. A series of exercises designed for the hip and lumbar should limber up those critical areas. An expert in the field of osteopathy can also suggest some excellent exercises to improve your chances of avoiding lower back pain.

Headache and neck pain

The same flex forward posture you use for cycling that causes lower back pain can also be responsible for problems with headaches and your neck. In particular, your neck can overextend as you look around when you are competing. Side bending stretches and exercises designed for the neck can help you to avoid these issues.

Once again, it’s a good idea if you can raise your handlebars so you can ride in a more upright position.

Sore knees

If the saddle on your bicycle is too low, your knees and legs never fully extend as you peddle. The problem here is the shortening of your hamstrings which in turn creates tension on your knee. The solution is simply raising your seat position to make sure your leg fully extends.

Sore hands and wrists

As you lean forward while riding a bicycle, you put a lot of pressure on your forearms and wrists. The situation becomes worse when you don’t change your hand positions for a long period of time.

It’s a good idea to keep your wrists straight and try not to over extend them as you ride. Changing your hand positions frequently can help you to avoid these injuries. Remember to take a look at the Toronto sports medicine physicians that we have on staff. It’s always better to get an expert opinion and experienced advice when you’ve suffered a cycling injury.