Back pain

pauldowner
pauldowner Posts: 6
edited November 2009 in Health, fitness & training
Hi im 17 bit skinny for my age and recently started to take my cycling serousily and aiming to do longer distances. Every time i get off the bike i seem to get a annoying ache pain in my lower back i was just wondering if anyone had advice :?: or if im cycling wrong cheers thanks

Paul Downer

Comments

  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    You can do excersises to strengthen your bodies core muscles.Your lower back, stomach and groin muscles do a lot of work on a MTB and you can do damage to your back if you keep straining yourself. Have a look at this link to get some ideas



    http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/abdominalcorestrength1/a/NewCore.htm
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • pauldowner
    pauldowner Posts: 6
    cheers stubs thats helped a lot :)
  • landranger
    landranger Posts: 220
    It could be that your streched out too much on the bike.
    Moving you seat forward will help. I hade terrible lower back pain and that sorted me, it was a revelation tbh.

    I've shortened my stem now and moved my seat back so it's not too far forward. Now no back pain. :D
    Sink the eight ball. Buy the lady a drink. And nobody knows my name.
  • rock_hopper
    rock_hopper Posts: 129
    Soooo many variables can contribute to back pain on the bike. Namely bike fit, saddle height, saddle for-aft, handlebar drop/reach, poor core stability, poor flexibility and increase in training time. Bike fit speaks for itself, try and get someone to look at this for you, maybe a bike shop. Start a core stability routine 2-3 times a week for 20-30 minutes and start stretching regularly. If you think of the position when on the bike your lower back muscles are flexed all the time and your back/core muscles are the foundation for your legs to push from. If this area is not strong/stable and flexible your stabilizing muscles may start to compensate for other weak muscles, effectively giving them jobs they shoudn't be doing. Stretching should also really help to keep your muscles long which offsets the effect of shortening through exercise. Hope some of this helps.
  • cycleactive
    cycleactive Posts: 8
    Paul, from people I've seen who are new to cycling one of the first thing that starts to happen as you ride more is your hamstrings get tighter and so do your glutes. Tension here results in lower back pain - not always but often - and starts to affect your posture. This isn't the only thing to watch out for with back pain, but definitely get some good, slow stretches worked out as part of your post ride recovery, especially those glutes. Also, if you want to avoid "cyclists hunch" get some good stretches going for your pecs too, so you keep your chest opened out. Final tip - if you are riding off-road then there are all kinds of bike posture and bike skills things that could be causing your discomfort so read the skills tips online and see if that helps too.
  • dean85
    dean85 Posts: 87
    get working on your abs my friend, if you abs were tighter they would help your back,

    You ab's and lower back will work together, make sure you stretch well before you ride to loosen up abit, dont wanna cramp up on the ride,

Categories