A retrospective international study on factors associated with injury, discomfort and pain perception among cyclists

Although cycling has been associated with overuse/fatigue and acute injuries, there is lack of information regarding associated risk factors and prevention factors. The objective of the study was to determine the factors associated with injury, and perceptions of discomfort and pain in cyclists. A t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2019-01, Vol.14 (1), p.e0211197-e0211197
Main Authors: Priego Quesada, Jose Ignacio, Kerr, Zachary Y, Bertucci, William M, Carpes, Felipe P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aerobics
Bicycles
Bicycling
Bicycling - injuries
Bicycling - psychology
Biology and Life Sciences
Biomechanics
Cancer
Confidence intervals
Cross-Sectional Studies
Cyclists
Demographics
Demography
Discomfort
Europe
Exercise
Fatigue
Female
Human health and pathology
Humans
Injuries
Injury prevention
Internet
Laboratories
Life Sciences
Logistic Models
Male
Medicine and Health Sciences
Middle Aged
Overtraining
Pain
Pain - etiology
Pain - psychology
Pain Perception
Perception
Perceptions
Physical fitness
Physiological aspects
Posture
Pressure distribution
Prevention
Questionnaires
Regression analysis
Regression models
Research and Analysis Methods
Retrospective Studies
Risk analysis
Risk Factors
Santé publique et épidémiologie
Self Report
Social Sciences
South America
Sports injuries
Statistical analysis
Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Swimming
Tissues and Organs
Training
Variables
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Description
Summary:Although cycling has been associated with overuse/fatigue and acute injuries, there is lack of information regarding associated risk factors and prevention factors. The objective of the study was to determine the factors associated with injury, and perceptions of discomfort and pain in cyclists. A total of 739 cyclists completed an online questionnaire between February and October 2016. The questionnaire acquired information on participant demographics, characteristics related to cycling profile and fitness training, bike components and cycling posture, self-reported perceptions of comfort and pain, and injuries sustained in the last 12 months. Logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) that examined factors associated with reporting overuse/fatigue injury, acute injury, body discomfort, saddle discomfort, and pain while cycling. Odds of reporting an overuse/fatigue injury increased when the cyclists complemented training with running (OR = 1.74; 95%CI = 1.03-2.91) or swimming (OR = 2.17; 95%CI = 1.19-3.88), and with reported pain while cycling (OR = 1.17; 95%CI = 1.05-3.69) and not cycling (OR = 1.76; 95%CI = 1.07-2.90). Odds of reporting an acute injury increased when biking to work (OR = 1.79; 95%CI = 1.07-2.86), and decreased with increased average cycling speed (1-km/h decrease OR = 0.93; 95%CI = 0.88-0.97), and compared to low-end bike, with the use of mid-range (OR = 0.25; 95%CI = 0.09-0.72) and high-end bike (OR = 0.34; 95%CI = 0.13-0.96). Although body discomfort was only associated with saddle discomfort and the presence of pain during cycling, saddle discomfort was also associated with biking to work (OR = 0.46; 95%CI = 0.22-0.88). Finally, pain perception was associated with a number of factors such as ride to work, core training, cycling experience, saddle discomfort, pain while not cycling. Numerous factors are associated with injury, and perceptions of discomfort and pain in cyclists. Such factors should be considered when developing training routines, bicycle maintenance best practices, and injury prevention programs.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0211197