Common Pain Points When Starting to Ride a Bike: Causes and Effective Remedies

1Lower back pain

Symptoms:

• Pain and fatigue in the lower back and spine.
• Difficulty and pain when getting up from a seated position.
• Pain that radiates from the chest to the shoulders and arms.

Causes:

• You choose a bike that is not suitable for your height and arm span.
• Your biking posture is not accurate.
• Your spine health is weak or has bone issues.

Remedies:

• Adjust the height of your bike to be suitable for your body. If necessary, consider changing to a new bike with the right size.
• Change your biking posture to suit the type of bike you are riding. You can learn from reliable sources or seek advice from experienced individuals to adjust it properly.
• Visit a hospital and consult with doctors for care.

2Knee pain

Symptoms: 

• You will experience pain in the top bone of the knee.
• Knee pain makes it difficult to move.
• Stiffness and difficulty in joint movement, affecting walking.
• If severe, the knee can become swollen and red.

Causes:

• You adjust the height of your bike saddle too low or too high.
• You have had a previous injury that is aggravated when biking, resulting in more serious injuries.
• You don’t warm up or activate your body before biking.

Remedies:

• Adjust the height of your bike saddle to suit your height.
• Visit a doctor for a health check-up.
• Take 15 minutes to warm up before biking.

3Hand pain

Symptoms:

• Numbness in both hands while controlling the bike.
• Pain and numbness in the fingers that lasts.
• Pain that extends down the forearm, wrist, making it difficult to move and grip.
• Itching in the palms or fingers.

Causes:

• The handlebar height is too low.
• Your hands have been in one position on the handlebar for too long.
• You don’t wear gloves when controlling the bike on long journeys.
• The handlebar is not stiff, rough, or does not provide a comfortable, smooth feeling when controlling.
• When biking, you put too much weight or pressure on your hands.

Remedies:

• Increase the height of the handlebar to relieve pressure.
• Move your hand position on the handlebar while moving.
• Wear gloves when biking.
• Use handlebar tape to create a comfortable feeling when controlling.
• Adjust your hand placement to the appropriate position.

4Muscle pain

Symptoms:

• Difficulty in movement.
• Whole body feels pain and fatigue.
• Pain and fatigue in muscles.
• The affected area of the skin becomes red and swollen.
• The affected area becomes more sensitive.
• Pain in the joints.
• Severe pain can cause fever.

Causes:

• You exert more physical effort than your body allows. It will exert pressure on the nervous system and cause muscle pain.
• You have had a previous injury that has not completely healed before biking again.
• You don’t warm up and prepare your body before exercising.
• Tense muscles in one or more areas.

Remedies:

• Control your training process to suit your body’s capabilities.
• If you have a previous injury, consult a doctor before biking.
• Warm up with regular exercises such as wrist rotation, knee rotation, hip rotation, thigh rotation, etc. before biking.
• You bend both knees, cross your left foot over your right knee, and squeeze your left foot’s arch against your right knee. This will help reduce pain and fatigue to some extent.

5Neck pain

Symptoms:

• Pain and fatigue in the shoulders, neck, and both sides of the neck.
• You will experience more pain when getting up, moving, or sitting for too long or moving your neck.
• If left untreated, it will spread to the shoulders, causing the arms, forearms, and fingers to feel numb and tired.
• Even a slight movement affects and causes pain in the neck, shoulders, and neck.

Causes:

• The position of the bike saddle is not correct.
• Due to low blood pressure in the neck area.
• Incorrect biking posture. Each type of bike will have different standard postures.
• Your handlebars are too low.

Remedies:

• Adjust the position of the bike saddle to the correct position.
• Lie flat with your knees bent. Focus on a point just above the knee while simultaneously pulling your chin toward the skin and not lifting your head. Do this for 10 seconds and repeat gently for the next 10 seconds.
• Change your biking posture to fit the bike model you are riding.
• Adjust the handlebars to be suitable for yourself.

6Burning and itchy toes

Symptoms:

• Your toes feel itchy, and small red rashes may appear.
• Your toes feel warm and uncomfortable.
• Difficulty in movement.
• Your feet have an unpleasant odor.

Causes:

• You tie your shoes too tightly.
• Your cycling shoes are not suitable and too tight. If the shoes are tight, it will restrict the blood flow in the foot.

Remedies:

• Review how you tie your shoes and see if it is appropriate.
• Get yourself a new pair of shoes, paying attention to the comfort and good range of movement for the toes.

7Hip pain 

Symptoms:

• You feel tightness and pain in the lower back and hip bones.
• Pain and fatigue on both sides of the hips, which may turn red.
• If the pain is severe, it will cause limping and difficulty in movement.

Causes:

• You adjust the bike saddle too high.
• The bike crank is too high, causing the thigh muscles to work excessively.
• When biking, your knees are not straightened.

Remedies:

• Adjust the bike saddle to the appropriate height for your body.
• Use a lighter crank to help increase pedaling speed.
• Exercise sports, gym exercises for the hip muscles.

8Ankle and ankle joint injuries

Symptoms:

• Painful and sudden contraction of the muscles, causing numbness and soreness for a few minutes.
• You cannot stand up immediately.

Causes:

• Your body is dehydrated.
• Your body is weak and tired.
• Lack of salt.
• You have been injured in the ankle joint without fully recovering before biking, which can lead to cramps.

Remedies:

• Ensure adequate hydration for your body every day, bring a bottle of water when biking.
• Take proper rest until you feel refreshed and capable before continuing your training.
• Take supplements of electrolytes such as potassium and sodium in your daily meals.
• Make sure that when biking, you do not have any previous injuries.
• Gently massage the cramp area.

9Cramps

Symptoms:

• Muscles contract strongly, painfully, causing numbness and lasting for a few minutes.
• You may not be able to stand up immediately.

Causes:

• Your body is dehydrated.
• Your body is weak and tired.
• Lack of salt.
• You have been injured in the ankle joint without fully recovering before biking, leading to cramps.

Remedies:

• Ensure adequate hydration for your body every day, bring a bottle of water with you when biking.
• Take proper rest until you feel refreshed and capable before continuing your training.
• Supplement electrolytes such as potassium and sodium in your daily meals.
• Make sure that when biking, you do not have any previous injuries.
• Gently massage the cramp area.

I hope this article helps you understand more about common types of pain when starting biking, their causes, and effective remedies. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below!