Written by: PROFESSOR ALI GHOZ
Published: 11/12/2019 | Updated: 21/04/2023
Edited by: CAMERON GIBSON-WATT
Cycling injuries are an unfortunate part of cycling and both amateur and
professional cyclists will find themselves forced off the bike at some point from
an unexpected injury. Professor Ali Ghoz, a revered consultant trauma and
orthopaedic surgeon, has put together the most common bike-related injuries
and how they can be treated and prevented.
Affected body parts
• Knee – injuries to this body part are often referred to as ‘cyclist’s knee’ and
are associated with pain around the knee cap due to constant, repetitive
movement. It puts a strain on your connective tissues and causes
inflammation and pain.
• Neck and back – spending hours hunched over the handlebars doesn’t do
anything for our lower back muscles and often results in undue stress.
When we cycle, the neck muscle also needs to bend upwards to look
forward which can cause muscle pain.
• Hand, wrist and forearm pain – Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common
condition among cyclists, causing pain, numbness and tingling in the hand
and arm.
• Handlebar palsy is also a common nerve condition causing numbness and
tingling from an irritated ulnar nerve in your arm. This is typically due to
repeated shocks to the bike while your hands are holding the handlebars.
Sometimes, simply gripping the handlebars too hard can leave your hands
in pain, however, this usually subsides after adequate rest.
• Foot numbness and tingling – the pedals or your shoes being too tight
and not providing the right support can damage the nerves in your feet.
• Urogenital problems – common problems include genitalia numbness
and, for some men, erectile dysfunction.
Which part of the body is most commonly affected?
The knee, specifically around the knee cap, is the part of the body that connects
the upper and lower leg and takes the biggest hit when cycling. Several injuries
can develop from overuse.
Chronic tendonitis is one of them and is an acute tendon injury. This usually lasts
up to six weeks and is an inflammatory response of the tendons due to constant
overuse.
Medial plica syndrome is another common injury that results from irritation to
the medial plica – a part of the lining of the knee joint from overuse. The
symptoms can appear as a dull ache and may be accompanied by a snapping or
clicking sensation when the knee is moved.
Ilio-tibial band (ITB) friction syndrome is can cause pain on the outside of the
knee. This IT band is a band of tissue that runs down the length of your thigh and
works with your knee to stabilise your knee joint.
Acute injuries are also likely due to a fall from the bike and impacting the floor.
This can result in bruising and/or fractures to the knee. You may twist your
knee when pedalling too hard, meaning one of the ligaments in your knee has
been stretched or torn which also results in pain.
What type of treatments can be offered?
After an injury, it’s easy to give in to temptation and get back on the bike but
doing so may cause your muscles to overcompensate, resulting in further injury.
So rest is important, and a visit to a specialist might be a good idea. The
treatment they offer always depends on the type of trauma that’s occurred.
Acute injuries
For any kind of acute injury, where there has been a sudden impact from a fall or
crash, then you should initially be following basic first aid. This should be
followed up by at-home treatment which involves, resting, applying ice, taking
painkillers and/or anti-inflammatories, and if necessary, wearing some type of
soft support to reduce any swelling.
If you are suffering from severe pain and swelling, there are visible deformities
such as lumps and bumps or your limb is at a strange angle then you should visit
A&E as soon as you can to receive professional care.
Chronic injuries
Chronic injuries, which are frequently a result of prolonged, repetitive motion,
often require a more holistic approach when deciding the best treatment. It can
involve identifying the causes of your injury and working on ways to prevent
injury in the future.
Physiotherapy might be considered for chronic injuries, which focus on reducing
pain using treatments such as soft tissue massage, passive muscle
stretching and joint mobilisation. A physiotherapist can also provide expert
guidance on cycling posture and how to set up your bike to ensure you are
cycling in a pain-free way to reduce the risks of injury
