There is no denying that bicycling is an excellent form of exercise that’s beneficial for the body. It’s low impact, improves your muscle tone, doesn’t put undue stress on your ankles or knees, and is exceptional for your cardiovascular health as well.

However, every time you put your leg over a bike, you are at risk of injury – not only for collisions with other vehicles, but from incorrect riding postures, hitting objects, and falling off. In fact, even though you share the road with much faster and bigger vehicles, collisions with other traffic still only account for seven percent of all bicycle-related accidents. The remaining incidents, injuries, and accidents are due to your position on the bike and impacts of your own doing. Regardless how the cycling injury occurs, you should contact your local chiropractor as soon as possible.

Below, we cover some of the more common bicycle-related injuries and what you can do about them.

LOWER BACK PAIN DURING OR AFTER CYCLING

If you find yourself with a sore back during or after a cycling trip, or you have fallen off your bike and now have a sore back, it’s a good idea to call a San Diego chiropractor sooner rather than later. Not only can a fall cause a sore back, but so can your riding style. Often, you develop exceptionally strong leg muscles from all that pedaling, but you aren’t doing anything about your back strength. Therefore, your torso is not capable of supporting your leg’s force, causing fatigue and spasming in your back.

When you visit an experienced chiropractor in San Diego for lower back pain, they can help to correct the problem and provide solutions going forward. These solutions may include keeping your back straight when you’re riding.

NUMB TOES AFTER CYCLING

While having numb toes is an injury caused by your riding style rather than a fall, it’s uncomfortable and painful all the same. Usually, numb toes are caused by road vibration, tight shoes, or too much pressure on the feet – resulting in squashed nerves.

To solve this problem, make sure you keep your feet straight when you clip your cleats into your pedals, and remove anything tight that’s pressing against your feet such as seams.

SHOULDER PAIN AFTER CYCLING

If you have fallen off your bike, or have spent too much time on a bicycle with an incorrect riding style, you may begin to feel shoulder pain. In the case of a wrong riding style, shoulder pain can be excruciating and ongoing.

Rather than put up with it, it’s in your best interests to see your chiropractor. They can offer solutions as well as advice on how to correct the problem going forward. Guidance might include keeping your elbows bent to reduce road shock from entering your upper body and causing pain.

KNEE INJURIES AND PAIN FROM CYCLING

A number of cyclists seek help from chiropractic clinics in San Diego, for knee pain and knee-related injuries. Many of these injuries also occur when riding a bike. Even if you don’t fall off and injure yourself, an incorrect riding style, or riding too intensely, can cause overuse injuries.

The best first step is to seek help from your local chiropractor. They can offer help and advice such as pedaling at a lower gear to reduce the stress on your joints, adjusting your seat height and training to build up knee strength. For the perfect seat height adjustment, see your local bicycle specialist.

IF YOU’VE BEEN INJURED IN A CYCLING ACCIDENT Blakely Chiropractic CAN HELP

The benefits of cycling far outweigh any negatives, but injuries and accidents can occur. To reduce the instance of bicycle accidents and injuries, see your local chiropractor in San Diego. Here at Blakely Chiropractic, we are more than willing to help with education, advice, and treatment for bicycle-related injuries. Get in touch with us today to book your free consultation.

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