As we all know cycling is a neat way to increase your total cardiovascular fitness. However what you may not know is that over time the demands of cycling can end up in muscle-bound imbalances which can limit the body's ability to perform at peak level and significantly increase chance of both over-use injury and chronic discomfort.

To get a more clear concept of how these disequilibria can happen we'll have a look at the riding posture starting from the feet and moving up to the head :

Pedaling places a large amount of stress on the calves. Tight calves could cause the feet to flatten and place undue stress on the heel cord, plantar fascia and knees. The major muscles involved in cycling are the quadriceps. You can see that by having a look at any pro bicyclist. [**] miles of cycling in the bent over cycling position can bring about tightness in the quadriceps and the psoas ( hip flexors ). These tight quads and hip flexors distortthe pelvis out of optimal position into a forward tilt. This anterior tilt of the pelvis sets in motion a cascade of muscle disparity. The forward tilt of the pelvis causes an increased arching of the lower back. This over loads the muscles of the lumbar backbone while at the same time lengthens and weakens the abdominals. Another muscle group negatively impacted by these dominant quads and hip flexors are the gluteals. The glutes are a major pelvic stabilizer and the main hip extensors of the body. Tightness and over-activation of their opposing hip flexors cause the glutes to become weak and under-active. In this situation , as the glutes cannot effectively extend the hip, the hamstrings must pick up the slack. As a consequence, the hamstrings get over worked and become tight.

Moving up to the shoulders and mid-back, we see the back rounded. A rounded upper back causes the shoulder blades to raise and protract. As a consequence, the muscles in the chest and upper trapezius become tight leaving the shoulders walked up and pulled forward. Tight pecs major and upper traps weaken the mid-back and scapula stabilizers. Puny scapula stabilizers can place unjustified stress in the shoulder joint during overhead movements while tight upper Traps are a major contributor to neck tension and pain.

The last body part to take a look at is the head. Cycling posture pulls the head forward. The cervical backbone was built to efficiently support the head and evenly distribute its weight among the seven cervical vertebrae. As the head is pulled forward the distribution of its weight shifts and more force is placed on the vertebrae at the base of the neck. This can end up in calcium deposits and arthritic changes in the cervical vertebrae. A forward head also leads to tightness of the neck flexors and weakening of the neck extensors. This places unwarranted stress on the muscles in the back of the neck and frequently ends in neck pain and strain head aches.

As you can see, cycling can cause some serious muscle disparities that can end up in pain in the body. The next article will look at the simplest way to correct these disequilibria using a composite training approach that incorporates muscle balance, postural potency, core stability and flexibleness.

To read more about indoor cycling trainers or bike trainers check out our website for more detailed information.
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