What are the common injuries cyclists prone to?

Cycling is one of the favoured sports activities in children as well as in adults. Cycling is an excellent way to maintain physical and mental health. It also helps in reducing stress and is an environmentally friendly way to commute. But, studies suggest that 42% in the U.S injured their knees, 36% hurt their groin and buttocks, 31% suffered injuries in back and hands. 

Cyclists are vulnerable to physical injuries from internal as well as external factors. Excessive cycling or putting too much pressure on the body leads to damages caused by self. The other external factors that lead to severe injuries are road accidents, bad roads, eye injuries caused by pollution, wind, rain etc. 

We say precaution is better than cure- to keep yourself safe and make a bicycle ride wonderful, you can equip yourself with safety gadgets like- Prescription Cycling glasses, helmets, knee pads, proper fit shoes and outfit. 

Here is the list of common injuries that cyclists suffer:

Eyes injuries

1. Harmful UV rays

Prolonged direct exposure to sunlight can cause photokeratitis. It is like sunburn to your eyes and can cause severe pain. UV rays weaken the eyes. The common symptoms include- extreme sensitivity, red-eye, excessive tearing and a sensation of having a foreign object in eyes.

 

Usually, photokeratitis is temporary and may not cause permanent damage. However, people who expose their eyes to UV rays regularly without sunglasses can suffer from eye cataract or macular degeneration. However, wearing Prescription cycling sunglasses protects the eyes from harmful rays and lets the wearer enjoy cycle rides.

 

 

2. Dust particles

Cyclists are prone to injuries from pebbles, low hanging twigs, branches, dust particles and things that come along when they ride a bicycle. Whether you race or stroll around your neighbourhood, you may have noticed whenever a car passes speedily, it leaves a considerable amount of flying dust, debris which directly hurts your eyes. A good pair of prescription cycling glasses must have to safeguard eyes from injuries.

 

3. Irritated or dry eyes

While you ride a bicycle, the fast-flowing wind dries out your eyes and deposits dust and tiny bits of particles. This causes inflammation in both the inner and outer part of your eyes. One of the common problems caused by dust is conjunctivitis- an inflammation of the transparent membrane that covers the white part of your eyes and the inner part of the eyelid.

If you often experience uncomfortable dryness when you expose to sunlight, consult an ophthalmologist for treatment options. If this condition remains untreated, dry eye syndrome can lead to severe problems like scarring or ulceration of the cornea. It is essential to protect your eyes from irritants.

Leg Injuries

1. Knee pain

One of the common injuries of cycle riders is knee pain. Cyclists have to fasten their feet to the pedals with cleats on the bottom of the shoes. However, if the feet aren’t appropriately placed on the pedal, there are high chances of getting severe knee pain. Patella, knee and quadriceps tendinitis are some of the common knee injuries caused by overuse of knees. Wearing the right sports shoes and soft insole can reduce the risk of severe knee injuries.

2. Foot numbness

Too much hill riding can make your feet go numb for some time because a lot of strain weakens the nerves of the foot. It’s quite common for cyclists to experience this. Another major cause of numb feet is improper shoes fit and cold weather. Make sure to buy shoes that don’t squeeze your feet or are too narrow.

3. Neck Pain

It is caused by tightness in the muscle from the skull to shoulder, along the side of the neck. While riding a cycle for long, the neck gets too tired as the entire weight of the head is on shoulders and in the same position. To avoid muscle stress, you will have to ensure your bike fits your body size. Shortening the stem of the cycle may keep your body upright and further help in balancing pressure.

4. Lower back pain

Sitting in the same position on a bicycle for long causes pressure on the spine, which results in back pain. In order to pedal forward, the body has to flex forward, which results in back pain. It is essential to buy the right bicycle according to the body needs and ride it with correct posture.

5. Muscle Fatigue

The quadriceps of cyclists are well built that’s because they use that muscle extensively for cycling. But over stressing that muscle results in building lactic acid and muscle starts to hurt. A quick massage can relax the strained muscle and help in healing. Also, switching the pedal in and out from the saddle after a long ride can help in relieving muscle pressure.

6. Skin rashes

Skin rashes are a common problem for cycle riders that develop overtime after hours of sitting on the saddle of the cycle. The friction between the skin and the clothes leads to horrible rashes. To prevent this problem, keep your saddle at the right height and wear well fitted good material cycling shorts. Using any antiseptic cream on rashes can help in relieving the uneasiness. Summary Injuries are part and parcel of every sport, but they can be prevented with the right safety gadgets. From all the above common injuries caused by cycling, CA glasses can save you from eye risk factors by offering the right pair of PRESCRIPTION CYCLING GLASSES. We manufacture high quality grade frames and lenses.