Lower back ache :(

robinfisichella

I commute most days to work, which is a 12 mile ride more or less flat all the way. Im having some trouble with my back the last couple of weeks where the lower back muscles have started to ache and im worried it could develop into something more serious. My back has ached in the past from cycling but never really this bad. It only seems painful on one side (my right side).

I ride a mountain bike with the handlebar setup on the highest position so i am as upright as possible.

I do carry a ruck sack (not really designed for cycling) to work with some clothes, towel and food in which weighs up to 3-4 kilos probably and i feel sometimes that i am tensing my right shoulder to even the balance of my bag and perhaps this is having a secondary effect on my back.

I also sit in front of a computer all day at work which probably doesnt help! I had a 4 days rest last week but it seems to have come straight back.

I have also had problems in the past as one leg is shorter than the other (cant remember which right now (only 1cm).

Does anyone else have experience of back -pain similar to this?

antikythera

My riding conditions are different from what you described, but I've experienced lower back pain (discomfort) on one side, just above the glutes.

However for me it occurs during long "power" rides; i.e. hill ascents, head winds or time trial training.

After various physio's etc. seems that the solution was to do more work strengthening the glutes themselves. So I spend 30 minutes every few days in the gym doing glute specific exercises. squats, weights etc.

Did the etape the other week and didn't experience the back pain and the only thing I did differently were these exercises... YMMV

danowat

Do you do any stretches?, I find tight hamstrings can cause me lower back pain.

mattward1979

On long rides I have exactly the same.

I alleviate it by stretching my back muscles in the saddle whenever I start to feel the tightening, and also, alternate which foot you put weight on when resting on the pedals..

I used to exclusively freewheel with my left foot bearing my weight, now I split it half and half and this has helped although not eradicated the problem.

Pigeons in flight

I used to suffer from this a lot - and dodgy knees!

Like other posters say, it could be a knock on effect from other parts of your body, such as hamstrings being inflexible. Core strength is another key area here - as cyclists, we have developed leg muscles, but our core is often neglected. Some good physio strectching excersises (loads on web) and a swiss ball would be a good place to start I reckon. Try and make it part of your daily routine.

ride_whenever

Right, tight hamstrings, weak glutes, back pain.

Typical cycling complaints as a result of poor core strength and tight hip flexors (the hip flexors being the underlying cause) Stretch the hip flexors and hamstrings alongside your glutes exercises because you can strengthen your glutes as much as you want, but if they're not working due to your tight hip flexors it wont do a jot of good.

Then add some core work to try to balance out the back issues.

redvision

i have exactly the same problem.

i only really got in to cycling last year (had always played football until then) and everything was going ok. i was commuting to work occasionally (office work), but most was evening/weekend rides.
Towards the end of the summer i started getting pain in the lower back and down my hamstrings. saw several drs and physios and all said it was very common for cyclists to struggle with the lower back and sciatic pain.
despite several months of physio the problem persisted. i ended up having 4 months off the bike, tried to bike again last month and ended up back at the drs.

i have now seen a specialist and have been told to stop biking full stop until i have had an op on my back (god knows when that will be).

so my advice is to try and have a break from biking. try to improve your lower back strength during that break and get in to a habit of doing daily stretches. i would also suggest getting to see a physio or dr.
if, after the break, the problem still persists then seek specialist advice.

robinfisichella

Thanks everyone for the advice, i might book in with a physio to get it checked out, the first poster mentioned power rides and time trials, i would say since its only a 12 mile ride and i push it all the way it is quite similar. I also have aerobars which when i am on them seems to worsen the problem. Riding into headwinds also makes it worse.

I used to row competitively and used to have good flexability for that, since i stopped i have neglected flexibility so maybe that is why i am starting to have trouble.

I'll work on flexibility and strength.

Headhuunter

danowat wrote:

Do you do any stretches?, I find tight hamstrings can cause me lower back pain.

Absolutely, cycling causes the quads and hamstrings to shorten and if you don't do any stretches, hamstring tightness in particular will lead to back problems.

Basically by cycling a lot you're strengthening your hams disproportionately to your back and core muscles and as the hams strengthen and shorten/tighten, they pull on your back.

Do some hamstring specific stretches and some back/core strengthening work to balance things out.

RoadieBob

If one leg is 1cm shorter, and you're getting the pain on one side only, I'd imagine this has at least something to do with it. You could try lowering the sadlle a bit, a few mm at a time, which might help. In the long run, it would be worth improving flexibility (as others have said), and looking into getting shims to compensate for the leg length difference.

robinfisichella

and looking into getting shims to compensate for the leg length difference.

Thanks, yes i have had shims in my shoes in the past which solved the problem for rowing and i think i could do the same by putting them on the inside of the cycling shoes.

Ill book a session with the physio as well, best to get these things looked at sooner rather than later.