Neck and/or shoulder problems while cycling

Many of the causes that can cause these complaints are also reflected in combination with hand/wrist problems. Due to a disturbed balance on the bike, your center of gravity can shift forward. As a result, the body threatens to fall forward and we then stop this with our shoulders and hands. This will soon become too tiring for the body and will result in various complaints. In the case of the shoulder, some of these muscles are in direct connection with the neck. When they get tired, they will then cause radiating symptoms throughout the neck/shoulder region.

Various reasons are explained below.

1. Too wide a steering wheel, as a result, the wrists want to turn inward to fully extend the elbows. Subsequently, the entire upper body will lean on it and this will result in excessive tension of the neck and shoulder muscles. A steering wheel with the same width as your own shoulders is usually a good starting position.
2. Standing too far away from the brake levers, causing you to reach excessively. This can be caused by a stem that is too long, a steering wheel with too much reach and an inappropriate frame size (too much reach). As a result, the body's center of gravity comes out too far, causing you to fall forward. This is then absorbed by the hands, neck and shoulders.
3. Your steering position is too low. This can also cause you to reach excessively for the brake grips and cause a sitting position that is too deep. As mentioned earlier, the body's center of gravity also comes out too far, causing you to fall forward. This is then absorbed by the hands, neck and shoulders. You can determine this position from the number of spacers (small rings that are between your frame and stem), the angle of your stem and possibly the steering wheel itself.
4. What I also often see in practice is the steering position that is too high. This makes it impossible to hold the wheel with relaxed shoulders and hands. There is a reaction where you just want to push yourself up from the wheel and this causes continuous tension on the neck/shoulder muscles.
5. An incorrect position of the saddle, with the nose down, may cause it to slide forward on the saddle. Just as the saddle is too far forward, the body's center of gravity is moved forward, which increases the risk of falling forward. This then puts extra pressure on the hands, neck and shoulders to maintain balance.
6. Saddle position that is too high, when the saddle of the bike is too high, there is a natural tendency to lean forward and sit on the tip of the saddle. People do this to position themselves more above the bottom bracket, resulting in a shift in the body's center of gravity forward.
7. Position of the brake levers (shifters). This part of the bike is often forgotten but can have a major influence on the entire cycling position. Setting the brake levers too far down can even make a few centimetres difference in range and can put unnecessary strain on the wrists.
8. Even the position of the cleats can be a cause of neck and shoulder problems on the bike. If the cleats are not properly adjusted (often if they are too far forward), this can lead to an unnatural position on the bike, with extra strain on the neck and shoulders. It is therefore important to position the cleats correctly so that the pressure is evenly distributed across the feet and the body remains in a more ergonomic position while cycling.

It is important that all elements are in good condition for a good balanced posture on the bike. In addition, it is also important to be aware that an adjustment to a certain part affects another component. Each component must be in a good position independently of each other. For example, don't move your saddle further forward to get closer to the wheel. This has consequences for weight distribution and can thus cause other problems.

During a bike fit, all these components are carefully analyzed and adapted to the individual needs of the cyclist. It is therefore a wise choice to leave this to a professional bike fitter, who has the right knowledge and experience to optimize the cycling position and prevent injuries.