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. Thats due in no small part to the deep tuck created by some aerobar setups.
The goal is to get the back as flat as possible, but thats tough to achieve for many riders. A bad position can result in neck, shoulder and wrist pain. Attaching aerobars 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. Karen Buxton explains the ideal ratio of weight distribution for your bike setup near the bottom of the page here. The article also 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 relieve the pain without drugs.
