Bike Injuries – Sports & Exercise Physiotherapy Bulletin

Some very interesting reading in the Sports & Exercise Physiotherapy bulletin on mountain biking injuries. Below is a summary of points:

  • Although the number of mountain bikers is increasing each year and the total number of biking injuries are rising, the actual frequency of injuries per hour riding is decreasing.
  • But, the number of injuries are still high – 50% of recreational and 80% of competitive bikers report at least one severe/major injury related to the sport.
  • Bike park injuries have been reported to be as high as 15 in 1000 exposures with 87% of riders being male and 86% of injuries requiring local emergency attention.
  • Fractures made up a large portion of presentations to medical centres with a 2:1 ratio of upper limb to lower limb fractures seen.
  • As we move from XC –> Trail –> DH disciplines, relative injuries change from more overuse injuries towards an increased risk of trauma from falling.
  • The most common and often preventable overuse injuries are knee pain (patellofemoral pain or tendonopathies), arm/wrist nerve issues (cyclist’s palsy) and neck and lower back pain.
  • Improper bike fit is one of the top causes of overuse injuries in mountain biking.

It is a very interesting read with the full article being found here.

Let’s hope everyone has one of those injury free days like 985 per 1000 rides should be, but if you have one of the unlucky 15, make sure you get that injury dealt with promptly so you can get back on the bike and have fun again. Our team members are all highly experienced with optimising your recovery and getting you back on your bike quickly.

Plus, don’t let that niggle turn into an injury. If you want to get the most out of you bike, book in with Paul for a 2 hour Bike Fit session to prevent injury and maximise pedalling efficiency.