No one wants to think about getting hurt when biking, but it does happen.  These are the most common biking injuries that affect most bikers.

Blisters

People don’t usually think that blisters are a big deal but if you’ve ever had a bad blister on your foot or your heel you know how incapacitating they can be.  Blisters are usually caused by wearing poorly fitting shoes or the wrong socks but blisters can also be caused by the way you pedal the bike.  If you are having trouble with blisters wearing sneakers to cycle try wearing cycling shoes instead.

Sprains and strains

Poor body positioning or overuse can cause muscle strain and sprains.  Bikers commonly have sprains and strains of the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder or wrist.  Sprains and strains can be very serious and can even need medical intervention to heal properly so always take sprains and strains seriously even if you are tempted to ignore them and keep going.  A bad sprain can ruin a cycling career so always stop cycling and get medical attention when you get a strain or sprain.

Abrasions and “Road Rash”

At some point you will fall off your bike or the bike will fall over and you will fall with it.  If you are a road rider this could lead to road rash, or cuts and abrasions from the gravel and other debris on the road and from the pavement itself.  Road rash is generally not serious but it can be very painful and it may lead to scarring.  Small cuts and road rash abrasions should be treated with antibiotic cream and covered with sterile dressing until they begin to heal. 

Arch Pain

When you first start cycling or if you are training hard you will probably experience arch pain in your foot.  If you’re not used to cycling then you will have arch pain from using your feet to pedal.  To combat arch pain try to massage your feet after cycling and use arch supports or Ace bandages to support your feet as you pedal.  If your arch pain is severe then consider investing in cycling shoes that have special foot and arch support to be comfortable during long distance cycling and to help prevent arch and foot pain.