Cycling is an activity for all ages and as the saying goes, “It’s like riding a bike”, once mastered, is never forgotten! It is a low impact exercise which doesn’t stress your joints and has huge benefits for your mental and physical health, being particularly beneficial for cardiovascular fitness by reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Outdoor bike riding is a fun way to get fit and can double up as an excellent form of environmentally friendly transport; an efficient and effective way of combining regular exercise into your everyday routine. And a bonus when you get to beat the congestion and avoid traffic jams!
So, whether you cycle for transport, recreation or sport, it’s tempting to think that all you need to do to improve on your fitness, endurance and stamina, is to ride your bike. But that’s where cycling associated problems arise:
- Poor bone density
Causes: Bone is a living tissue and weight-bearing exercise causes new bone tissue to form thus making bones stronger. Cycling, however, is non-weight bearing (non-skeletal loading) which can have serious effects on the bone strength of competitive cyclists who spend many hours training on their bikes, because bone formation is not being stimulated. Not surprisingly then, a recent study of male cyclists who trained for over eight hours a week, were found to have a low bone mineral density for their age which put them at a higher risk of fracture.1
Remedy: Strength and conditioning, especially weight training, is extremely effective in increasing bone density. Resistance exercises, preferably 2-3 times a week are a necessary part of any training plan to maintain healthy bones and avoid conditions such as osteoporosis. - Muscle imbalances
Causes: The repetitive movement of cycling can lead to muscle imbalances, most commonly, overdevelopment of the gluteus and quadricep muscles and underdevelopment of the hamstring, calf and hip flexor muscles.
Remedy: The power phase of the pedal revolution starts with a combination of glutes and quads and then the hamstrings and calf muscles kick in so there is a need for equally strong hamstrings, hips and quadriceps. When building strength, no one muscle group is more important than another as all the above-mentioned muscles play a key role in producing power on a bike. So, a targeted strength training programme of exercises focusing on restoring muscle imbalance and correcting any deficiencies is beneficial. - Lower Back Pain
Causes: Pain and stiffness in the lower back is a common complaint of cyclists. In fact, a survey of professional road racing cyclists reported 45% of them having back problems in their career and 58% having suffered back pain in the last year. A contributing factor to lower back pain is tight hamstrings. Hamstrings are attached to the lower part of the pelvis and when they are tight, they pull down on the pelvis causing a posterior pelvic tilt which is when your pelvis is tilted backwards away from its neutral position. This results in a rounding of the lower spine leading to a flat back. Tight quads, hip flexors and glutes can also cause back pain.
In addition, having a weak core can be responsible for back pain. During the pedaling movement, the core stabilizes the pelvis providing a foundation for your legs to push against, but if the core is weak, the lower back is forced to compensate. As a result, these constantly engaged and overworked back muscles will begin to fatigue, resulting in pain and possibly injury.
Remedy: Getting into the habit of using a foam roller and stretching your hamstrings several times a day, but particularly after a bike ride, will improve your flexibility. Once again, specific strength training exercises using weights and resistance bands will also help to correct muscle imbalances in the legs/hips and can help improve balance and coordination, especially as we age!
Strengthening the core muscles is extremely important because a strong torso will improve posture, reduce the risk of injury and allow the transfer of more power through the legs when pedaling. This will undoubtedly make you feel better when you’re cycling.
Not sure where to start with strength training? Find the thought of going to the gym a bit daunting? Then a S & C class tailored to your specific needs is by far your best option!
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- Dr Nicky Keay (2018) Cyclists: Make No Bones About It. British Journal of Sports Medicine. February 27, 2018
- Clarsen B, Krosshaug T, Bahr R. (2010) Overuse injuries in professional road cyclists. Am J Sports Med. 2010 Dec;38(12):2494-501.
