According to one insurance company, cycling accounts for almost half of claims.
Research by SportsCover Direct analysed its first-party claims (data from 2024 that mentioned at least one injury) which revealed that cycling accounted for the majority of the claims (47%), with watersports (28%) following close behind.
Other activities, such as hiking and trekking (7%), climbing and bouldering (7%), skydiving (4%), Thai boxing (4%), horse riding (3%), and golf (1%) were also listed in the stats.
SportsCover Direct quote a Dr Lewis Raiman on common injuries from cycling: “High-speed falls remain the main source of acute trauma with acromioclavicular-joint sprains and clavicle fractures, followed closely by distal-radius breaks when riders land on an out-stretched arm. Mountain-bike crashes add the risk of thoracolumbar wedge/compression fractures and concussion whenever a rider goes over the bars on steep descents. On the over-use side, millions of pedal strokes in a crouched posture trigger patellofemoral pain, iliotibial-band irritation, mechanical low-back ache, and ulnar-nerve (handlebar palsy) which typically begins with ring- and little-finger paresthesia before any hand-muscle weakness develops.
Dr Raiman also shared some prevention tips, including “mountain-bikers benefit from a dropper-post, body-position skills and quality protective equipment such as full-face helmets and wrist guards”.
Anyway. Something to think about at this time of year. Better safe than sorry and all that. Happy travels!
