Lower Back Pain

Sewinman

I was suffering with this on a long ride this weekend. I had to stop regularly and stretch my back out. Anyone have any idea whether this is preventable?

Pain was on either side of my spine.

stuaff

Sewinman wrote:

I was suffering with this on a long ride this weekend. I had to stop regularly and stretch my back out. Anyone have any idea whether this is preventable?

Pain was on either side of my spine.

Is your bike fit spot on? It might be something else altogether, but if your position's not right it certainly wouldn't help.

jonginge

Assuming bike setup is ok then core work and stretching. The lower back muscles aren't that strong so when your core gets fatigued it's there that you feel it.
Happily there is this on the homepage:
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... pain-22293

Plank is a great exercise... if you like that sort of thing


Edit: if the pain persists after the exercise then you may want to get it checked... *Linsen/Greg66 to thread*

Rich158

I've had a similar experience. According to my physio it's caused by weak core muscles putting extra strain on your back. It makes sense if you think about it, you're bending forward for hours on end and any weakness in your core will put extra strain on your back as you try to support your torso. I'm now on a series of exercises aimed at strengthening the deep core muscles (think pelvic floor) and it seems to be helping.

Of course getting the bike fitted correctly in the first place will also help, and remove dodgy bike fit from the list of possible causes.

il_principe

JonGinge wrote:

Assuming bike setup is ok then core work and stretching. The lower back muscles aren't that strong so when your core gets fatigued it's there that you feel it.
Happily there is this on the homepage:
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... pain-22293

Plank is a great exercise... if you like that sort of thing


Edit: if the pain persists after the exercise then you may want to get it checked... *Linsen/Greg66 to thread*

Agreed. Check fit first, if it's not fit then it may well be core. Annoyingly road riding requires a strong core but does little to strengthen the core. I solved my problems last year by taking up pilates. I've been lax on the core this summer and bingo, the back pain is back. I find that spinning helps mine, grinding tends to accelerate the onset of the pain. Worth starting a regime of stretching as well. I just spend 2/3 mins stretching after every ride.

ride_whenever

See a physio...

too many potential causes, compressed disc, poor hamstring flexibility, poor hip flexor flexibility, knee instability, poor core strength.

Sewinman

Thanks all.

shoulder_of_orion

I get lower, middle and upper back pain as well as shoulder & neck problems.

Wot the others said: better bike fit and improving core strength should help....

But it could be a plethora of other things too: sleeping position, posture, stress, I carry a backpack on my commute which probably does not help etc etc etc

Getting to a physio is good advice and I will be following that advice ASAP.

sem69

I know a great osteopath in north London if that's any good to you? He also works in Harley Street.
I've had loads of back problems and seen lots of specialists, and he's the only one who's helped.

linsen

I have had massive problems with back pain this year. An MRI revealed two slipped discs which caused hideous sciatica.
I had my bike fit checked (it had been terrible) and had a good long spell off the bike. In the last week I have cycled 100 miles and the pain is completely gone.

I would second what others have said

1. Bike fit
2. Pilates or similar core strength work

Please do not ignore it if it continues - you have one spine to last you a lifetime and they haven't thought of brilliant ways to fix it if it goes wrong......

Cafewanda

Forget all the the advice and get a recumbent :twisted:

biondino

I bought a Pilates book the other day - now all I have to do is open it!

I suffer the same issues after 20-30 miles without stopping - quicker if I am laying down the, ahem, awesome - and I think it's a mixture of weak core and a slightly too big bike. I've taken steps to improve things, such as tilting the bars upwards so the hoods are slightly higher and closer, and installing a shorter (90mm) stem which I flipped to the less racy position, and it has got better.

AndyManc

Shoulder of Lamb wrote:

I get lower, middle and upper back pain as well as shoulder & neck problems.

Wot the others said: better bike fit and improving core strength should help....

But it could be a plethora of other things too: sleeping position, posture, stress, I carry a backpack on my commute which probably does not help etc etc etc

Getting to a physio is good advice and I will be following that advice ASAP.

I was sent to a physio, she gave me a handful of A4 sheets with stretching and core muscles strengthening exercises to do ..... they work .... BUT .

The majority (95%-99% me included)) of those that are given the exercises give up after a few weeks because they can't be bothered :roll: , even though the exercises are very easy.

Doing them takes about 30-60 mins each day, they really do work.... if you don't get fed -up doing them.


.

tebbit

I concur, bike fit and core muscles work out and hopefully you'll be fine, it works for me.

always_tyred

Do more than one sport (i.e. cross train)