Cycling, or the cycle sport, is a great physical activity for recreation and adventure. There are thousands of cycling enthusiasts, or the “cyclists”, in the US alone who swear by the benefits it offers. The popularity of cycling is increasing day-by-day. People are calling it the “new golf”.
It’s undoubtedly the best physical and sports activity which offers numerous health benefits, but it has some adverse effects as well. Cyclists often complain about neck pain and numbness while cycling. Neck pain indicates that your position on your cycle isn’t correct. Having a correct position is very important while cycling.
How to Avoid Neck Pain
Here are a few tips which can really help you avoid neck pain:
1. Proper Position – By and large neck pain and stiffness arises due to sitting in an awkward position on your cycle for a long time. It's your improper positioning that leads to all the problems. Most of the people keep their head upwards while cycling which causes arthritis, pinched nerves and spinal stenosis. To improve your posture, follow these tips:
- You must sit high on the saddle
- Place your hands on top of the bars or the brake hoods
- Elbows can be bent a little but should not be locked
- Never look downwards while riding
- You chest should be lifted a bit while riding
2. Select the Right Cycle – It’s very important to select the right cycle. While purchasing a new cycle, make sure that the fit is perfect for you. Keep trying different bikes until you find the one which is most comfortable. Get the handlebar height, seat height, pedal, and cleat alignment adjusted to suit your body.
3. Treat Soreness - You can treat the soreness in the back of your neck with either heat or ice. If it feels swollen or warm, ice is the best remedy. Take a break from cycling until the soreness is completely relieved. Try some stretching exercises for the betterment of your neck.
How to Treat Numbness
These tips can be helpful for treating numbness:
1. Right Shoes – You must choose the shoes that fit well because ill-fitted shoes are the major cause for numbness. If you wear small shoes, you will get pinched nerves in metatarsal arch at the ball of the foot.
2. Handlebar should not be Extended Far – If you have to extend your wrists to reach the handlebar, it will eventually result in pinched nerves. It should be fixed immediately at a repair shop.
3. Right Saddle – A wrong saddle pressurizes nerves and blood cells. It creates numbness in hips and downwards. Choose the right one and take help from an experienced biking professionals.
4. Hand Movement – If you move your hands around while cycling, you have less chances of numbness. People normally keep their hand fixed at one place and never move them. A change of hand position will definitely help.
Aforementioned tips will definitely help a cycling enthusiast to avoid neck pain and numbness.
