In recent years, MotoGP riders have been subjected to increasing physical demands – both due to aerodynamics making the bikes more challenging to handle and an ever-expanding calendar.
Physical issues are common, and cases of arm pump, or compartment syndrome, have become increasingly frequent. Pol Espargaró, KTM’s test rider, spoke about this physical strain in an interview with Nico Abad:
– The muscles are reaching their limits. Riders are undergoing operations for compartment syndrome. I have had two stress-related surgeries on my right hand – because the muscles grow beyond the available space. These are small spaces and cavities, and muscles that theoretically shouldn’t develop much.
The Spaniard added: ‘With MotoGP, they develop too much, and then you lose sensitivity, you lose strength, and it becomes a problem’.
