Indoor cycling puts participants on stationary bikes for an intense cardio session. While the exercise burns plenty of calories--about 450 in 45 minutes, according to iVillage Health--too much cycling can wreak havoc on your body. Overuse injuries can extend from the hands to the knees to the feet. To avoid injury, focus on proper form during class and take sufficient time off between cycling sessions.
Handlebar Palsy
Ulnar neuropathy, more commonly referred to as handlebar palsy, occurs when the ulnar nerve at the hand and wrist is compressed due to a cyclist's grip on the handlebars. This nerve is responsible for sensation in two fingers as well as the control of the muscular function of the hand.
Surgical treatment is rarely necessary for handlebar palsy, according to Hughston Health Alert; however, symptoms can last anywhere from several days to months. Typically treatment includes rest, stretching and anti-inflammatory medications.
About one-third of bicycling injuries involve the hands, according to Hughston Health Alert, with handlebar palsy being one of the most common complaints.
Patellar tendinitis
The patella tendon attaches the kneecap to the shinbone and is under constant pressure during indoor cycling class, according to the Waterloo Sports Medicine Center. Injury can occur for a number of reasons: Overuse, poor bike set-up, incorrect technique--especially during hill-climbing--or a lower level of fitness. It is also important to warm up and cool down properly, including stretching properly when the class is over.
The conservative treatment for patellar tendinitis is rest, icing, stretching and strengthening. It takes anywhere from a few weeks to months of conservative treatment to return to activity, according to MayoClinic.com. If treatment is not helping after 12 months, surgery might be necessary.
Knee pain is one of the most common lower extremity injuries for cyclists, according to WSMC, with 40 percent to 60 percent of cyclists complaining of it at some point.
Achilles Tendinitis
Achilles Tendinitis strikes cyclists who ride on an improperly set-up bike. The continuous dorsiflexion--when your toes are pointing upward, flexing the achilles tendon--during the intense portions of pedaling could cause an overuse injury. Symptoms include localized pain during or after cycling, the tendon thickening, or pain while stretching the tendon.
To prevent this injury, ensure the seat is at the right height, your feet are aligned properly and you have warmed up prior to beginning the vigorous portions of cycling. If you are new to cycling, arrive for class five minutes early and ask the instructor to show you how to set up the bike properly.
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