Ajustes da bicicleta na prevenção de dor lombar em ciclistas

Abstract

Cycling is one of the sports activities with the highest number of riders in Brazil and worldwide. Some cyclists suffer injuries that can be caused by improper positioning on the bike. Among these injuries is lower back pain, which affects a large number of cyclists and can be related to both the training and the sheer volume and intensity of the workouts carried out, since cycling requires exhausting training over long periods, not always respecting the time needed for recovery. In order to prevent injuries, some preventive interventions can be included in the cyclist's preparation, such as training programs for the lumbar pelvic muscles and the use of bike fit, a technique that adjusts the bike's components to improve the performance of the cyclist-bike combination and thus reduce the risk of injury. Therefore, this study aims to identify which bicycle adjustments can be made to prevent low back pain in cyclists. The method chosen was a systematized literature review, carried out by searching the PubMed online database. As inclusion criteria, original studies were selected, with text available online and in full, in English or Portuguese, from 2014 to 2024, which addressed the topic. Four articles were selected, all in English. All adjustments made must take into account the individuality of the cyclist and the cyclist-bicycle relationship. The saddle has been shown to be a key part of good positioning for cyclists, and its distance, angle and shape should be assessed. The findings in this review indicate that cyclists tend to endure a level of pain and discomfort, which can make it difficult to prevent injuries to the spine and other parts of the body. More studies are still needed into the relationship between low back pain and cyclists, to find out what mechanisms actually trigger pain in the region, and what should be done to minimize the damage.