HIP PAIN

A cyclist's hip never straightens. At the top of the pedal stroke the hip is deeply flexed; at the bottom it is still bent. Ride for hours a week in a forward-leaning position and the front of the hip is compressed for all of it, while the glutes work in a short range and the deep hip stabilisers rarely get loaded the way walking or lifting would load them.

The result is the classic cyclist's hip: tight at the front, weak at the side, and stiff when you stand up off the bike.

Open the hip angle

• Raise the bars. Every millimetre of bar height opens the angle between thigh and torso.
• Move the saddle back slightly, which also opens the hip at the top of the stroke.
• Consider shorter cranks — dropping from 175mm to 165mm noticeably reduces peak hip flexion and is one of the most effective changes for a pinching hip.
• Tilt the pelvis forward from the hips rather than rounding the lower back to reach the bars.

Stop the rocking

• Film yourself from behind on the trainer. Any visible hip rocking means the saddle is too high or you are reaching at the bottom of the stroke.
• Check saddle width. A saddle that is too narrow lets you slide about; too wide and it rubs the inside of your thighs and pushes your legs apart.
• Level the saddle. Sliding forward or back constantly makes the hips work sideways.
• Address leg length differences with a fitter rather than guessing with shims.

For most hip complaints, and for hip osteoarthritis specifically, gentle cycling is one of the better exercise choices: no impact, supported body weight and a smooth repeated range of movement that helps stiff joints stay mobile. Stationary bikes appear in most hip arthritis exercise guidance for exactly that reason.

The caveat is position. Deep hip flexion is the movement most likely to provoke an irritable hip, so the version of cycling that helps is upright, low resistance, moderate cadence and short sessions repeated often — not an hour in the drops at sweet spot.

• Start at 10-15 minutes of easy spinning and add a few minutes per week.
• Keep resistance light and cadence comfortable at 80-90rpm.
• Set the bars high. If you have an indoor bike, raise the handlebars and bring them closer.
• Stop at the first sign of pinching in the groin and reassess your position rather than pushing through.
• Some ache during and just after is acceptable; being worse the next morning means too much.

• Glute bridges and single-leg bridges — the glutes cyclists never fully extend.
• Side-lying leg raises and banded lateral walks for the lateral hip.
• Hip hinges (Romanian deadlifts, kettlebell hinges) to load the hip through range.
• Step-ups and split squats for single-leg control.
• Hip flexor lengthening: a half-kneeling stretch with the pelvis tucked, held 45 seconds each side, daily.