Cyclists

Although considered a low-impact sport, cycling can nevertheless be the cause of problems for your feet and lower limbs that will eventually warrant professional attention. These problems are not due to the impact of your body weight on your lower limbs, but as a result of the rate at which you are pedaling, the repetitive impact on your knees, and the ‘fixed’ position of your foot.

As you pedal, your knees flex and extend – Up to 4,800 times per hour at an average of 80 revolutions a minute. Continual uncorrected positioning on your bike places excessive strain on your knees and hamstrings and leads to injury.

Cyclists most generally complain of intermittent pain in and around the knee, as well as the calf, and heel area and underneath the arch or ball of the foot. You may also feel sensations of tingling or numbness especially if you spend long hours in the saddle.

If you are suffering from these or any other problems within your feet or lower limb area, the extent of your problems will need investigating before a conclusive diagnosis can be given and treatments discussed.

At Kinetic Podiatry Clinic, treatment may include Orthotics (bespoke insoles) to help counterbalance irregularities in your feet. Through the motion of cycling, you rely on forefoot loading (rather than heel strike.) The Orthotics we would prescribe for you, as a cyclist therefore would be different from the Orthotics designed for running or other sports related activities where the heel strikes the ground. The design of cycling shoe Orthotics also takes into consideration the density of material used to carefully balance correction of your feet with the total weight of your shoe. They are also tailor-made for an expert fit and to help you avoid unnecessary discomfort or numbness.