Neck, Shoulder and Wrist Pain –Three Times the Pain for Triathletes?

Here at KT Tape, we have instructed and taped up many triathletes due to their strained position on the bike. Some triathletes and cyclists have a tough time getting comfortable.  That’s due in no small part to the deep tuck created by some aero bar setups.  The goal is to get the back as flat as possible, but that’s tough to achieve for many riders.  A bad position can result in neck, shoulder and wrist pain.

“Attaching aero bars to an existing setup is one of the most common mistakes made by beginning triathletes. This position places the hip angle in an extreme bend, and forces the elbows in front of the shoulders, requiring the neck muscles to work especially hard to look ahead,” says Dr. Michael Ross, M.D., Sports Medicine for Active.com.

Strengthening your core muscles and perfecting your handlebar setup can prevent much of this pain.  Dr. Ross explains the ideal ratio of weight distribution for your bike setup near the bottom of the page here.  Also, this article on the triathlete website Slowtwitch.com gives a great explanation of how to set up your bike and get the proper fit, including detailed equations on bike geometry.

And don’t forget, if you’ve already made these mistakes and are suffering, check out taping techniques in these KT Tape instructional videos to alleviate the pain without drugs.

Filed under: Back Pain, Shoulder Pain, Wrist sprain | January 21, 2010
Tags :aero bars , biking , KT Tape , Micheal Ross , triathlete