It’s inevitable to experience pain and discomfort during a cycling trip. If not addressed properly, it can lead to long-term health issues.
Shoulders: Shoulder pain is often caused by handlebars that are too narrow or too low. In this case, adjust the saddle and handlebar height until you find a comfortable position — never settle for less.
Back: Back pain is caused by improper cycling posture. The correct posture involves leaning slightly forward with a slight arch in your back. If your back sags downward, the bumps during cycling will push it even further down, overstretching your spine and causing back pain. If your back is too straight, the jolts can compress your vertebrae, also leading to back pain.
Wrists and Hands: Long periods of cycling can harm your wrists and hands, so it’s important to frequently change your grip to keep your hands and wrists active. Additionally, wearcycling glovesduring your ride to help absorb shock and protect your hands and wrists.
Knees: Prolonged pedaling can indeed strain your knees. It’s best to take breaks after cycling for a while. Other factors such as a saddle that’s too low, excessive pedaling force, excessive side-to-side leg movement, or using gears that are too high can all lead to knee pain. So apart from resting, you should also correct these issues.
Achilles Tendons: I won’t elaborate on where the Achilles tendon is, but pain here is often due to an improperly adjusted saddle height or incorrect pedaling motion.
Ankles: Improper pedaling technique can also cause ankle pain. In addition, flat feet may contribute to this issue. A solution is to use corrective insoles in your shoes. Another possibility could be a bent pedal axle or crank.
Feet: During cycling, the force of pedaling is concentrated on your feet, especially when using a high gear ratio, which requires more effort. Soft-soled shoes can lead to foot pain. Therefore, wearcycling shoesorsports shoes with thick and firm soles.
In fact, most pain experienced during cycling is caused by improper posture. The correct cycling posture should be:
Lean slightly forward with a gentle arch in your back, tilt your head slightly forward, and look ahead. Keep your arms naturally bent, grip the handlebars lightly yet firmly, bend your waist, and perform vertical circular pedaling motions with your feet. Avoid swinging your legs sideways and distribute your weight evenly across your hips, feet, and hands.
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