EVALUATION OF FACTORS THAT MAY CAUSE NECK PAIN IN AMATEUR CYCLISTS: PARAMETERS TO BE QUESTIONED

Cycling is one of the exercises that has become popular all over the world. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the risk factors for neck pain in amateur cyclists who did not receive professional support. A structured questionnaire including demographic and cycling characteristics, cycling habits, Bournemouth Neck Questionnaire (BNQ), visual analogue scales measuring neck pain severity during rest and cycling was shared on the social networks of cycling groups. Data were collected and analyzed. Twenty-seven (25,7%) people were excluded from the study because they did not meet the criteria. In the analysis of 78 cyclists, it was observed that the mean BNQ value in individuals who cycled for more than 10 hours a week was significantly lower than those who cycled for 1-5 and 5-10 hours (p<0,001). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was determined that mountain bike use (OR=0,147; p=0,033) and cycling between 10-20 hours (OR=0,022; p=0,005) had the lowest risk in terms of neck pain. It was observed that personalized cycling adjustments (bike-fit) had no effect on neck pain (p=0,5). According to the results of our study, in order to prevent neck pain in amateur cyclists, it may be recommended to keep the weekly usage time between 10-20 hours, to avoid irregular, under- or excessive use, and to turn to mountain bikes for individuals with neck pain.