01 Make a diagnosis
As cyclists, we’re constantly dealing with aches and pains. So, and it sounds like a daft question, how do you know if you’re injured? Well, it helps to identify the two key types of injury. “You either endure acute or chronic injury,” explains bike-fitter Phil Burt, who formerly worked with Team Sky but now treats recreational riders at the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance. “Acute is an instant injury, a classic example being a broken collarbone where you fly off your bike and put your hand down to cushion the fall. A chronic injury is one that builds over time and is essentially an overuse injury.”
Acute injuries are suffered during accidents, with South African research suggesting that over 50% of cases are caused by clashes with motor vehicles, obstacles and road surface damage, while mechanicals account for up to 24% of injuries. The most common injuries sustained were abrasions, lacerations and haematomas, which accounted for 40-60% of total injuries recorded. Fractures (6-15%) were the second most frequent type of injury. Head injuries (including concussions) accounted for 5-15% of injuries with musculotendinous injuries accounting for 2-17.5%. Not surprisingly, the clavicle was the “prevalent fracture”.
Chronic injuries are equally as frequent with one survey among 294 male and 224 female recreational cyclists revealing that 85% of cyclists reported one
