Cycling is one of the most liberating activities you can perform; however, and even though is a low impact sport, today we will tell you what are the most common injuries in cycling. All this with the aim of prevent them and take necessary measures in case of suffering them.
Stay with us and join us in this bike ride. Wear your safety helmet, knee and elbow pads to avoid accidents in the road. Let’s go.
Most common cycling injuries
Here, we will present you a list of the most common cycling injuries. Take into consideration that their frequency doesn’t mean that at some moment of your life will happen, at least if you ride your bike carefully.
Fractures
As all sport, among the most common bike injuries exist the fractures. This isn’t new, considering that driving a vehicle and taking certain speed, you are exposed to falling at some point.
Of course, falls are part of learning, but is better to avoid them, due if you ride at high speed and fall, you can suffer minimum or severe bone fractures; among the most frequent are: collarbone, wrists, arms and legs.
Injuries in backbone
Talking about bones, and even though are more frequent than the previous ones, injuries in backbone can also occur, above all, if you practice mountain biking.
The vertebras can be fractured if you fall from a great height or in objects like rocks. This can cause you injuries in the intervertebral discs or injuries in spinal cord. Even though this class of accidents are less frequent, are also severe when occur; even, at long term, may have severe consequences, such as a paralysis.
Tendonitis and bursitis
Let’s focus on the tissues. In this aspect, other most common injuries in cycling are present in tendons. Cycling can increase the risk of developing tendonitis and bursitis, mostly in elbows, shoulders and knees.
The previous is due the repetitive movement or pedaling and lean in the handlebars. When doing that, tendons and bursae irritate and swell, causing pain and inconveniences. However, this can be prevented if you adjust your bike and pedal with the correct technique. It is also recommended the muscle strengthening of arms and legs to have a better and greater resistance.
Dislocations and sprains
Continuing with joints, other of the most common injuries are dislocations and sprains. The first ones occur when the ends of the bones in a joint are out of their normal position; the second case happens when ligaments that support joint are overstretched or torn.
The sprains are more frequent in wrists, ankles and knees, while dislocations are associated with falls and direct impacts in shoulders, elbows or knees.
Scrapes and blows
The scrapes and blows are the most common cycling injuries. Even though are the less severe of the ones we have in the list, not for that, stops being dangerous or with certain risk.
In the best of cases, you might fall of bike and you will only have some scratches, nothing severe. On the other hand, you can also have bruises and swelling in the affected area. These accidents are associated to mountain biking as road, whether is a bad management of bike, an uneven terrain or the negligence of motorists and also pedestrians, you might fall in any place.
If you are in the city, we recommend you to circulate within separated bikeways due are exclusive spaces for cyclists, yes, we are not exempt of suffering accidents, but we can avoid them.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Maybe you have noticed that after cycling during a long time, you present certain pains in your hands and arms. This is mostly, to the small but frequent impact your hands receive when holding the handlebar.
Here it is when the carpal tunnel syndrome occurs, when the median nerve has a constant pressure. This can cause numbness, tingling and weakness in the hand and fingers. It’s recommendable to maintain a correct posture and rest every time considered to relax your hands and arms.
How to prevent them?
The urban cycling or mountain biking, is a sport activity in which you must wear the correct equipment, from helmet to knee and elbow pads. Likewise, having a bike to your measure will allow you to have a better control and posture on this.
Of course, you can also be exposed to certain risks you can’t control, such as a bad motorists. In this case, we recommend you to be aware of different roads and respect the transit regulations of your city.
As we mentioned before, circulate within bikeways every time you are nearby one. And don’t forget to have your bike in the best mechanical state possible.
If you are thinking of cycling as a lifestyle, is recommendable to increase little by little the intensity and durability of your rides. This will help you to generate a better body resistance.
