Simple Tips on How to Avoid Dangerous Cycling Injuries
Cycling can be dangerous. In fact cycling accidents happen so often that they come very close to car accidents in sheer numbers. But you can be safer and avoid cycling injuries if you know how. Here are tips on how to avoid cycling injuries.
If you are new to cycling or are looking at it as an option to improve your health and fitness, you must take care that you avoid common problems and injuries that can occur as a result of improper cycling. Such injuries are very common among people who do not take the proper precautions.
There are quite a few common cycling injuries which can be totally avoided with a little bit of common sense and some useful equipment.
The first thing to remember when taking up cycling is to use proper gear. If you are considering it as an exercise option, you will probably end up stretching yourself during long ride stints, hill climbs or the like. Under such circumstances, you must ensure that you are wearing the proper cycling attire and have all the different required protective accessories at your disposal.
The cycling suit comes first. It may be a single piece or two piece uniform made from special breathable fabric in order to let air flow properly and make you comfortable over long rides. It is stretchable as well and that helps in developing a smooth, obstruction free pedaling motion. In addition to the suit, you will need pads and a helmet. These will help protect crucial joints such as knees and elbows from a fall as well as protect your head in case of an accident.
When you go for a bike for yourself, choose a proper frame size depending on your stature. Too large a frame will make you stretch that extra few inches more and too small a frame will make you feel crammed. Persisting with either will hurt your body and joints in a very serious way. Hence, choose a bike which fits your size and makes you feel comfortable in the normal saddle position.
Coming to the saddle, the saddle height is extremely important if you wish to avoid cycling injuries. The perfect saddle height is the one where your knees have a slight bend at the bottom of the pedaling motion. Adjusting the saddle this way will relieve a significant amount of pressure of your back and your knees, not only enabling you to pedal smoothly but also reducing the risk of stress injuries in the future.
The saddle tilt and the position of the handlebars is also important to prevent injuries, especially to the back. When you try to find out the perfect saddle tilt, it usually varies from person to person depending upon what they are comfortable with. The horizontal stem of the handlebar should ideally be about an inch lower than the saddle. The idea is to keep the arms slightly bent when holding the handle bar. This means that there is little tension built up in the muscles over the long hours of cycling. This prevents stress related problems of the back and the arms for the rider.
Give these simple tips a try and you will greatly minimize your risk in getting cycling injuries.
If you are new to cycling or are looking at it as an option to improve your health and fitness, you must take care that you avoid common problems and injuries that can occur as a result of improper cycling. Such injuries are very common among people who do not take the proper precautions.
There are quite a few common cycling injuries which can be totally avoided with a little bit of common sense and some useful equipment.
The first thing to remember when taking up cycling is to use proper gear. If you are considering it as an exercise option, you will probably end up stretching yourself during long ride stints, hill climbs or the like. Under such circumstances, you must ensure that you are wearing the proper cycling attire and have all the different required protective accessories at your disposal.
The cycling suit comes first. It may be a single piece or two piece uniform made from special breathable fabric in order to let air flow properly and make you comfortable over long rides. It is stretchable as well and that helps in developing a smooth, obstruction free pedaling motion. In addition to the suit, you will need pads and a helmet. These will help protect crucial joints such as knees and elbows from a fall as well as protect your head in case of an accident.
When you go for a bike for yourself, choose a proper frame size depending on your stature. Too large a frame will make you stretch that extra few inches more and too small a frame will make you feel crammed. Persisting with either will hurt your body and joints in a very serious way. Hence, choose a bike which fits your size and makes you feel comfortable in the normal saddle position.
Coming to the saddle, the saddle height is extremely important if you wish to avoid cycling injuries. The perfect saddle height is the one where your knees have a slight bend at the bottom of the pedaling motion. Adjusting the saddle this way will relieve a significant amount of pressure of your back and your knees, not only enabling you to pedal smoothly but also reducing the risk of stress injuries in the future.
The saddle tilt and the position of the handlebars is also important to prevent injuries, especially to the back. When you try to find out the perfect saddle tilt, it usually varies from person to person depending upon what they are comfortable with. The horizontal stem of the handlebar should ideally be about an inch lower than the saddle. The idea is to keep the arms slightly bent when holding the handle bar. This means that there is little tension built up in the muscles over the long hours of cycling. This prevents stress related problems of the back and the arms for the rider.
Give these simple tips a try and you will greatly minimize your risk in getting cycling injuries.
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