Can Cycling Hurt My Hips? Kansas City Physical Therapists Answer This Popular Question

18 September 2019 — Chiropractic

"Can cycling hurt my hips?" Road cycling is an attractive hobby to many Kansas Citians as a low-impact, joint-friendly activity that can help you explore the outdoors. In addition, it allows for a sense of adventure in your workout, along with improved cardiovascular health, improved mental health, and many other benefits!

Like all sports, however, cycling can potentially lead to nagging aches and pains that may lead to more serious injuries. While cycling is not inherently bad for your hips, there are multiple factors that can potentially lead to hip pain while riding your bike.

Below, the F.I.T. team will teach you about the proper steps to take to ensure your hips are protected while cycling and answer the overall question “Can Cycling Hurt My Hips?”

Can cycling hurt my hips?

In Kansas City, if the proper precautions are not taken, hip injuries can occur from cycling. Many of these injuries are the result of repetitive motion over the course of numerous hours.

Muscular imbalances, bike fit, and training load can all play a role in the repetitive stress injuries we see in our five Kansas City metro locations from sports such as cycling.

Muscular Imbalances

Common muscular imbalances that we see in cyclists include tight hip flexors and tight piriformis muscles. A variety of factors can contribute to these muscles being tight, but often we can draw links between the amount of time spent sitting and the time spent in the cycling position.

Sitting and cycling both require prolonged periods of hip flexion, which can predispose people to develop tight hip flexors. Additionally, glute weakness is common in individuals who sit for most of the day, which can potentially lead to muscles like the piriformis becoming overactive.

Bike Fit

A poor bike fit can also increase the risk of developing repetitive stress injuries. A proper bike fit can take numerous hours, and finding a properly trained specialist is incredibly important. If you experience hip pain or other nagging injuries, do your research and make sure the individual who does your fit is adequately trained and experienced. Unfortunately, out-of-the-box solutions are common—and finding a good, custom one can be a challenge!

Training Load

Lastly, consider training volume & intensity to avoid injury prevention. Particularly during the summer months when the weather is nice, it’s important to make sure your body is getting enough rest and recovery between training sessions.

If every workout is an all-out effort and you notice that your muscles are feeling more fatigued, listen to your body and go for an easy ride or take the day off. To ensure that your well-balanced training and recovery, and to decrease the chance of hip pain and other injuries, a good cycling coach is a great resource.