1.What should I do if I have cramps while riding a bike?

It is easy to get cramps when riding at a fast speed. When you feel the signs, you should slow down and get off the bike as soon as possible.

Fingers: Make a fist with the cramped hand, then open it with force and repeat this action until it recovers.

Palms: The palms of the two hands should be joined together, and the palm of the hand without cramps should be pressed hard and bent backwards, then released, and the action should be repeated until it recovers.

Arms: Make a fist with the cramped hand, then bend the small arm to the shoulder, then extend the arm and palm, and repeat the action until recovery.

Toes: Hold the cramped toe with your hand and pull it backwards, repeating the action until it recovers.

Calf: Hold the toe on the side of the cramp with your hand and pull it backwards, press the other hand down on the knee to straighten the leg and repeat until it recovers.

Thighs: Bend your thighs and knees in front of your abdomen, wrap your arms around them, then release and straighten your legs, and repeat until you recover.

When a cramp occurs during cycling, in addition to emergency treatment, there should be at least a few days of hot compresses and medication massage after returning home, otherwise the cramp will be easy to happen again.

2. How to protect the knee on a bike - specific symptom analysis

The human knee joint is the result of a very rough evolution. When our distant ancestors began to stand on two feet, the knee was not prepared to accept such large forces. This is evident from the many problems with the ligaments and cartilage of the knee joint. The rotational motion of running on foot causes tightness and tension in the knee, causing injury. To put it in the simplest way, the knee does not move in a simple plane like a hinge. Instead, there is a slight rotation in the movement. For example, if you notice your kneecap while walking, if it is moving vertically up and down without back and forth, then the knee is under minimal stress, but if your kneecap is moving in a figure of eight or an S-shape (from the side), then there is a risk of knee injury. A good walking posture adjustment is very important.

Symptom 1: A sharp, stabbing pain that occurs on the outside of your knee, a ligament on the outside of your thigh, which is attached to the outside of your knee by touch, is used to fix and connect the muscle on the outside of your thigh to the knee joint, a complex structure that involves two joints, three tendons... This is a complex structure that involves two joints, three tendons... When this ligament rubs against a piece of cartilage on the outside of the knee when your leg is straightened during pedaling, you will feel this pain. o-leg, inward-facing foot, wider pelvis, inversion of the knee (a problem where the knee turns inward when pedaling or walking, or even collides) and flat feet are all bound to have this problem.

Treatment:This is a very small number of knee problems you need to reduce the strength of the knee straightening, which can reduce the friction between the ligaments and cartilage, in addition to ice, the outer thigh ligament stretching exercises will also help.

Symptom 2: Pain behind the kneecap caused by walking up and down stairs or ramps, with pressure points on the kneecap.

Diagnosis: Thigh and kneecap pain syndrome

Tretment:Walking for this symptom is not very helpful and should be avoided for long distances and heavy loads. Doing proper recovery exercises to strengthen your rectus femoris (a muscle in the middle of the thigh that is essential to hold the kneecap in place) can help prevent the development and aggravation of this often annoying symptom. I think this is one of the most frequent symptoms.

Symptom 3: An extra piece of lining on the inside of the knee at the edge of the kneecap. Seventy percent of people have this useless trace organ, which causes this lining to rub against the kneecap when walking, usually because the knee is bent too hard or out of alignment when walking.

Diagnosis: inflammation of the middle ligament

Treatment: Ice, massage, straighten the knee as much as possible, change the outward stance, and in some more serious cases, surgery to remove the dura.

Symptom 4: Pain in the thick ligament below the kneecap is often referred to as a "spring knee injury" because the person who suffers this injury usually starts exercising again in early spring when he or she exceeds the ligament load. Excessive weight training, or failure to keep the knee warm, may also cause the same problem.

Diagnosis: Knee tendonitis

Treatment: Apply ice for five minutes and then massage in the direction of the ligaments, repeating several times. In addition, electrotherapy, or ultrasound therapy are quite effective.

Symptom 5: Injury to the medial hamstring at the back of the knee, usually due to excessive force or straightening of the leg extension.

Diagnosis: Goose bursitis of the foot

Treatment: Ice, rest and stretching. Adjust walking strength and posture.

Symptom 6: Pain in the central hamstring at the back of the knee, usually due to walking effort and posture that strains the knee and muscles over time.

Diagnosis: Tendonitis of the second longest femur

Treatment: Apply ice, reduce walking time and intensity.

Adjust the seat cushion to the proper height

The patella is located in front of the knee and is relaxed when the foot is straight. When the foot is bent more and more, the patella becomes tighter and tighter, and the pressure rises; therefore, when riding a bicycle, as the foot is repeatedly bent and straightened, the knee joint is constantly rubbed, and the patellar cartilage becomes easily inflamed. The more you bend your knees when riding a bicycle, the greater the pressure will be, so it is incorrect to adjust the saddle to a height where both feet can land at the same time for the general public to feel safe. The first step to prevent chondrofemoral inflammation is to adjust the saddle to the proper position. The general formula for calculating the saddle height is: ╳0.885 = saddle height (center to saddle), and then fine-tune it according to your riding feeling.

Exercise strong and flexible muscles

To prevent knee injuries, you can do long-term stretching and weight training to exercise the quadriceps `bending muscles on the back of the thighs, if the quadriceps are strong, the knees will be stronger and less likely to be injured.

In addition, before exercise must be warmed up ` stretch muscle, especially in the cold when the muscle will be stiff, must spend more time to warm up. Because the muscle is like a rubber band, if very elastic, how to pull will not break; if stiff, may be a pull will be broken. And the higher the temperature, the softer the muscle will be, it will be easy to be pulled loose, so pay attention to warmth when riding a bike, otherwise the cold air will make the muscle stiff, it will be easy to cause injury. If you want to effectively prevent, you should do stretching exercises on a regular basis, according to a medical report, 5 to 10 minutes of stretching and muscle strength exercises every day, than just before the exercise to do warm-up, can more effectively reduce the chance of sports injuries.

Engage in sports should be gradual

If the usual less exercise or muscle atrophy due to injury, then the exercise should be especially gradual, not to be forced to exercise on the spur of the moment. If you ride a bicycle only on weekends, and the distance you ride is very long, it is easy to increase the chance of injury; especially in older riders, it is not suitable for once a week strenuous exercise, there should be more than three times a week is the right exercise, such as swimming ` cycling ` aerobic dance and other aerobic exercise are very good for the body.

3. Bike riders have tips to prevent back pain  

Back pain is the most common problem for mountain bike riders, and both beginners and pros complain about it.

Even the pros have back pain problems. World-class downhill biker Regina Stiefl recalls, "Every year in early spring when I train harder and ride more often, my back always hurts."

Beginning mountain bikers often experience severe back pain after their first journey: intense neck and back cramps, and pain in the lumbar spine area. "Does mountain biking bring fun? Is it healthy?" Beginners often shake their heads in disbelief and ask themselves. More than 50% of riders complain of back pain

Dr. Edward Shang, a fitness expert for Mountain Bike magazine and an experienced rider, says, "Back pain and muscle tension in the shoulders and neck are the top pains for bike riders." At least 50% of cyclists complain of back pain. In most cases, however, this pain can be avoided. There are two ways to benefit the back, Dr. Shang: "Proper saddle position and daily stretching exercises can have amazing results."

Back pain, like chain fall, is completely avoidable. By finding the correct saddle position, frame height, and top tube length for your body type and riding style, you can stop back pain from developing. As for riders who already have back pain problems, they can be treated by the stretching exercises described below.

The correct posture of the saddle should be noted when buying the bike. Many specialty retailers get the question wrong, asking: "Are you a sporty or casual rider? Do you really ride well, or do you want to relax like a Dutch bike?" When faced with such a question, every consumer will say that he wants to ride like an athlete. However, there is often a misconception that sitting with the upper body stretched out as far forward and downward as possible is the sporting position. In fact, this posture has its roots in the early development of the mountain bike, and today it seems completely untenable. The "athletic posture" with the upper body flattened is not a good sitting posture. In fact, this kind of upper body square. The so-called sports posture of flattening the upper body is no longer popular even among motocross professionals. Rune Hoydahl of Norway, a multiple World Cup winner, explained: "Even among the racers, the upper body flat riding position is no longer popular. World Cup races are tough and can last up to three hours, and it's easier to pass the test with a milder upper body lean. And it allows the lungs and diaphragm to breathe unimpeded." Regina Stiefl, a female downhill racer, recognized the serious effects of poor seating position from her own painful experience: "I used to feel like I was in hell when I rode my sports car on the road. However, riding downhill in an upright position, I have never had back pain."

Almost everyone suffers from back pain when they get on a bike with a high saddle and a long top tube without permission. We only have to think about how muscles react when riding a bike: the weight of the rider's upper body and head must be supported by the hands and arms. The entire flesh of the head and neck is heavily burdened by long periods of static support work. Sitting with the upper body tilted forward shifts the body's center of gravity forward, and the muscles must therefore bear more weight. In particular, the muscles of the shoulder blades are overloaded by hours of support work.  

In addition, every root and pothole that the bike passes through brings impact forces that burden the muscles beyond the support work. For untrained muscles, this is the most difficult work of all. At least for beginners. To effectively train the relevant muscle tissue, it is important to start gradually, giving the muscles a chance to adapt to their new position on the bike. In this way, the muscles will quickly adapt themselves to the burden of the new form. Additional stretching and weight training can speed up this process (which has also benefited the woman Regina Stiefl). Important: Weight training should only be done under the guidance of a professional trainer, as every wrong move can cause injury.

Of course, there are many other causes of severe back pain, such as improper posture, improper seating in the office, etc. In cases of back pain, the doctor must determine what kind of impact bicycling is having on the back. Typically, orthopedic surgeons categorize swimming and bicycling as back-friendly exercises. "If your doctor allows it, a full shock bike is the best option." Dr. Shang recommends that those whose back pain is not caused by grips try full shocks. "Rear-wheel shocks reduce the impact that would otherwise be applied to the vertebrae in the lower back."

The consensus among experts is that mountain biking is healthy. The problem is only how to adjust the height of the frame and the length of the top tube. As long as you can find out the correct sitting position and do muscle loosening exercises regularly, you don't have to avoid paths full of tree roots.

Tip #1: Proper seating position Cherish your back

For beginners and touring riders who just want to relax on a bike, the ideal saddle position is a short top tube with a slight difference in height between the saddle and handlebars. Riders with back problems should also choose this position, as it reduces the burden on the back muscles. With regular training, the handlebar height can be lowered. But be careful: each change must be adapted gradually. The impact of a half centimeter difference is already significant.

The trained rider whose back muscles have adapted to the cycling load should try sitting with the upper body flattened forward. The longer top tube makes it necessary to extend the upper body forward, which shifts the body's center of gravity and places a heavy burden on the shoulder muscles. The large difference in height between the saddle and handlebars also forces the upper body downward, placing an additional burden on the back muscles. For beginners and riders with back problems, this is not a good position to sit in. For sports car racers, this position can reduce wind resistance.

Tip #2: Stretching exercises

Shoulder rotation exercises

The deal warm-up exercise before every trip or daily training session: with your feet hip-width apart, rotate your shoulders with one arm moving forward. This relaxes the shoulder muscles and allows the blood to flow throughout the back. The other hand rests easily on the hipbone.

Shoulder Exercises

Exercises to stretch the scapular muscles. Move your bent arm back at the height of your throat and with the other hand near the elbow joint, compress the arm so that it continues to move back until you feel a pull between the shoulders. This will enhance the stretching effect. Note: Do not sprain your spine.

Trapezius Exercise

To stretch the trapezius muscle (located between the neck and shoulder blades), place your feet shoulder-width apart, head upside down, and one hand on the side of your head. After one to three repetitions, carefully pull your head to the side until you feel the muscles on the side of your neck get stretched. Keep your back straight and your shoulders relaxed.

Windmill exercise

Place your feet at the same width as your hips. Carefully rotate one arm forward and the other backward. The line of sight is forward. Rotating the two arms back and forth in opposite directions can loosen the tense shoulder and neck muscles and also promote blood circulation.

Neck Stretching Exercise

This exercise will allow you to stretch your neck muscles. Turn your head to the side as far as possible and carefully press your chin towards your shoulders with your hand on your head. Important: Do it very slowly and carefully. When doing this exercise, your back should be straight and your shoulders relaxed.

Great Stretching Exercise

This exercise should only be done if you do not have a problem with too much forward bending of the spine. Place both hands on your hips, tilt your head back and look toward the ceiling. Inhale so that your chest is fully extended. This will loosen the entire back muscles.