Written by: Maria Kline, PT, DPT
I started racing triathlons in 2014. Before that, I was a runner. I had a race cancelled, and I personally wanted to have something on my schedule, so I signed up for a sprint triathlon. I had one month to figure out how to bike and swim properly, which isn’t an ideal amount of time, but I raced, and I fell in love. Since then, I’ve completed two Ironman races, completed my degree in physical therapy, and started coaching triathletes.
While I was training for Ironman, I had quite a bit of knee pain while biking. Thankfully, I had a coach who was able to help me adjust my road bike into a more aero position, ideal for triathlons. After this adjustment, I was able to complete longer rides without knee pain as well as gain speed that I was losing without that aero position.
Overuse Injuries in Biking
Overuse injuries or improper alignment injuries largely occur when your bike isn’t specifically aligned to your body measurements and needs.
If your bike isn’t specifically aligned to you, excess movement can occur in your body that can lead to pain. For example, if your saddle is too high, your hips will rock more, which can lead to low back pain. Your handlebars can affect how efficiently you are pedaling. If they are too close or too far, you may fatigue your legs or be at risk of knee pain.
Getting into the correct position with a medical bike fit can help you ride without pain. As a triathlete, coach, and a physical therapist, this tool is helpful to get comfortable on your bike- whether you’re prepping for your race or if you are wanting to get more into a daily cycling routine.
When to Get a Medical Bike Fit
There are three times that getting a medical bike fit would be beneficial to you in order to help you perform your best for your next race:
- If you get a new bike,
- If you go through a significant body change,
- And/ or if you have any pain while riding.
In any of these scenarios, a medical bike fit can help you prevent overuse or misalignment injuries that can occur during the training and competition season.
Now, What Is a Medical Bike Fit?
Then, we are going to perform a movement screen to see how you are moving in all three planes of motion. This will help us see what specific needs you have that can be translated to the bike.
Read, “Game Ready: Get a Leg Up on the Competition” to learn more about the three planes of motion.
We will look at the bike itself. For example, if there is wear and tear on your crankset, it means your heel is coming in and sliding along it. This could indicate that you are externally rotated at the hip, which could indicate a movement deficit.
Next, we get you on the bike! After a light warm-up, you’ll pedal comfortably for several minutes, and we will observe your riding position–your head, your reach, how your hips are moving, where your knee is tracking, where your toes are pointing, and more.
After reviewing your bike and your current fit, we will work toward making adjustments that will best suit your body and riding style. Some of the most common adjustments that need to be made are:
- Reach – stem length & fore/aft saddle adjustment
- Saddle height & crank length – to accommodate body type and leg length
- Cockpit (handlebar) height – higher or lower to accommodate hip angle
- Saddle angle
- Pedal float
We will do what we can to optimize your bike with your current build, but we may recommend adjustments that require a visit to your local bike shop to optimally dial in your best fit.
We want to help you ride your best while minimizing the risk of pain or injury. Coming to us for a medical bike fit can help you understand your body and get your body moving with your bike so much better. Schedule an appointment today!
Medical bike fitting are available at Spooner Ahwatukee and Spooner Old Town! Schedule an appointment with Maria Kilgore, PT, DPThere.