Pain from bicycling? Check your bike fit . . .

"Good bike fit promotes good posture with muscles and joints working in harmony. If this doesn't exist, riders will likely experience pain and be predisposed to injury." Moen, an "Elite Level" coach through the United States Cycling Federation and director of physical therapy at PRO Sports Club Seattle, says, "The first thing I ask any patient complaining of bicycling-related pain is to bring the bicycle in to check for a proper fit. In most instances, a poor bike fit is at the root of the problem."

Only 1 percent of America's cyclists are elite racers, Moen notes, so the majority of his patients are recreational cyclists. But he says that the same advice holds true for everyone. "It doesn't matter if you're Lance Armstrong preparing for an unprecedented seventh Tour de France victory or a leisure cyclist, bicycle fit is an individual matter that reflects a person's coordination, flexibility, strength, and skeletal parameters." He adds, "A properly fitted bicycle should allow the rider to maintain common riding positions with an acceptable level of comfort and the greatest pedaling economy."