If your bike is fitted correctly, it is unlikely that you will develop an injury however, fine tuning your position on a new bike often leaves you with a slight incorrect adjustment of saddle, handlebars and shoe cleats which may lead to a condition. It is much better to prevent injuries with a good ride position rather than cure them however, here are a few tips if you have developed a complaint.
Lower Back
Knee & upper leg
Hands
Neck and lower shoulders
Seat
Foot and ankle
Complaints of the lower back can occur whenever the distance between saddle and handlebars is too short and/or the handle bar it much lower than the seat. If the bike is fitted accurately you should be positioned correctly above the bottom bracket however you may choose to move your seat back a little (seat aft) or fit a slightly longer stem. Remember that a 110mm stem is ideal for handling and any more than 25mm different in most cases suggest the wrong frame length. (see frame). If your bar is more than 30mm lower than your seat, you may choose to raise you bar to also ease the condition.
If your saddle is pointed upwards, your pelvis will tilt backwards, which leads to the lower back being curved more than average. This will result in an increased pressure on the muscles of the lower back. Your saddle can move around a bit if it is not tight on it’s own after adjustment in all direction and should occasionally be checked to be horizontal, straight and the correct height.
Different leg length ( Asymmetry) however small, may lead to complaints of the lower back. It is recommendable to correct even the slightest difference in length of the legs. A difference in length of the legs can be corrected by using an additional sole in the shoe or by heightening the shoe cleat at the outer side of the sole of the shoe. As the shorter leg receives most of the pressure, correcting this difference by using cranks with different lengths is out of the question! This would only reinforce the asymmetry because, as a result of using a longer crank (i.e. a longer lever), the shorter leg would endure more pressure!
Asymmetry is also very often a consequence of an imbalance in the pelvis, and has the same effect on the cycling movement to a difference in leg length. However, this problem requires a different solution, and should be solved through physiotherapy.
The position of the feet being different can also result in a "difference in length of the legs".
A saddle adjusted at the wrong height can affects on the knees, particularly where the kneecap (patella) and the upper leg (femur) make contact.
If your seat is adjusted too high, your kneecap is forced to move laterally at full extension, which eventually results in pain at the outer side of your kneecap.A saddle which is adjusted too low leads, your legs are bent too much, which might result in straining of your kneecap and upper leg.
If the saddle is positioned too far forward (steep seat angle), the angle in the knee joint will be too small, which will have the same effect as when the saddle is adjusted too low.Positioning of your foot has an affect on your efficiency. Sideward (lateral) adjustment should be matched to the natural position of your feet and pattern of cycling movement.
Hopefully the imaginary line of force runs from the upper leg to the lower leg right across the middle of the knee. Your inner side of the foot should run parallel to the circle of cycling motion. If your cleats are turned inward, (heels out), this moves his ankles too close the cranks, you may develop a knee complaint or knee injuries, because the upper leg and lower leg are twisted and not in line.
Exceptions are those who show a natural inward position. For these cyclists, cleats can be placed in such a position with the heels point slightly outward.
The front part of the foot supinating or pronating (rolling out or in) during cycling implies that your knee is not in with your upper leg which is the ideal line. This leads to lateral pressure on the knee with an increased risk of knee injuries and loss of energy.The position of the front part of your foot can be corrected by using an orthopaedic innersole or by adjustment with the American Big Meat wedge. The drawing (right) illustrates the effect.
If you are suffering from numb hands while riding, it may often be a prolonged static position grip of the handlebars that restrict circulation. This complaint can be prevented fairly easily by regularly placing the hands in a different position on the bar. Handlebar ends on mountain bikes or suspension forks can also help. Gloves do little to prevent numbness unless they have a quality pad or a gel insert in the palm.
This complaint can also be caused by wrongly adjusted bars. If adjusted correctly, your wrists and hands are in one line.
If the handlebars are too much lower than the seat (over 60mm) a relatively larger proportion of body weight will be leaning on the handlebars and that position will often cause your arms to be stretched which limits your ability to allow for inconsistencies in the road. (you feel all the bumps)An angle of approximately 110 degrees in your elbow will enable a bit of shock absorption and comfort
Most riders new to the sport ride with a very straight arm that allow road shock to run through you arm to your shoulders. While holding the bars with straight arm you should be able to feel the pressure of your body supported by your neck and shoulders. If you can drop your elbows down (not outward), you can feel the shift to below your bicep. This means that your problem may be caused simply by how you hold the bars. The dropped elbow is also preferred for MTB riding allowing more arm suspension and better in bunch riding in case you rub up against another rider, the contact when you push back a little will not control your steering.
Complaints of the neck and shoulders can also occur when the distance from the saddle to the handlebars is too short and/or the bars are too much lower than the seat (over 60mm). In either situation, you will have a very curved spine making it a strain to look at the road.
When the distance from the saddle to the handlebars is too long, your position is too stretched and could lead to neck and shoulder complaints due to increased tension.
Regularly changing the position of the hands on the handlebars can prevent pain in the neck. For this reason racing handlebars provide more choices of grip than MTB (mountain bike) bars. If riding a MTB on longer rides it is best to look into fitting bar ends (handle bar extensions) for a variety of grip positions.
Handlebars that are too wide could lead to a sagging of the shoulder blade. This can eventually cause an irritating sense of pain. It may be worth checking your bar set up.
The saddle carries most of your weight and as a result many suffer from saddle complaints while riding especially women.
Pelvic Support
We can all agree that the saddle should fit. This is easier said than done, since we are all different shapes and ride in different positions.
The width of the saddle depends on the width of the pelvis, or, in other words, the distance between the sitting bones. Normally speaking women (1) have a wider and differently shaped pelvis than men (2). Many manufactures make women’s specific saddles and it may be looking at a saddle that does suit your gender.
The more upright your sit position, the wider your pelvic is contact with the seat. This means a more narrow seat for a leaned over position and wider for more upright positions.
When the saddle is not adjusted in a horizontal position, both sitting complaints and complaints of the back might be the result.
Men who have prostate complaints also suffer from saddle pain quite frequently, combined with a slight pain in the lower back. In those cases a visit to the General Practitioner is highly recommendable .
Surface Support
When the saddle is positioned too high the cyclist runs the risk of pelvic rotation and may case chaffing skin across the saddle, which could lead to irritation of the skin.
Your saddle may cause discomfort if you have any stitching or seems on the sit area. There has been a huge development of seats with a strategic centre area cut out (see pic). Companies advertise that these saddles offers no support in the soft tissue areas however, the edges of that the cut out may cause your skin to fold which can cause sores and chaffing.
The cut out section does not absolutely mean that the seat will be comfortable, it only means there will be no pressure on soft tissue areas. If chaffing is your complaint, the edges of the cut out could be the cause and a seat without the cut out bay be the more suitable. There are saddles without the cut out that also offer little support in the soft tissue area by removing some of the structure underneath.
Because of the pressure on the saddle and the development of heat and perspiration can occur. It is advisable to treat the skin with a special moistening lotion or antiseptic powder. An old bike riders remedy is mentholated spirit, although it will sting on chaffed areas, it does toughen the skin up within a couple of weeks.
If you suffer from numbness in the genital area it may be because your seat is too high, your reach too long causing a lopsided pelvis, your seat too high at the front or the surface of the seat too hard in the area. In any of these cases it is advisable to revisit your overall position and learn about some of the specific seats available for your condition at our store. You can also read up on saddle comfort or Saddle Height.
If you are planning a long ride or you have experienced chaffing, There is a product called "FIXAMULL" available from chemists that is a breathable adhesive mesh. Stuck on the affected area or an area your worried about becoming sore offers instant relief and can be removed easily with body oils.
A shoe positioned too forward causes extra pressure on the Achilles tendons and the calf muscles. The preventative is in the adjustment of the shoe cleat to position the ball of your foot exactly above the pedal axle.
Aching Achilles tendons and calf muscles could also be an indication of the saddle being adjusted too low which means you are likely to compensated by pushing the heels downwards.
Burning feet is often caused by the rigidity of the attachment between foot and shoe. For the cycling movement to be as effective as possible, this rigidity is ideal however, because the pressure is almost completely concentrated under the ball of the foot. The solution is often found by replacing the innersole of the shoe by a sole made of material that shapes itself to the sole of the foot, or by using a comfort sole or an orthopaedic innersole. Another cause could be poor air circulation with the actual shoe in warmer conditions.
Tingling and/or numb feeling is lack of circulation. that is a result of your shoe too tight or most likely not enough toe room. If you cant wiggle your toes, circulation will be restricted.The occurrence of complaints of the Achilles tendons can be the result of calf muscles that are too short. Stretching the calf muscles regularly is the appropriate remedy.
