Lower Back Pain/Neck Pain

badhorsy

Hi all,

sorry for yet another thread about pain.

I've been seriously road biking for a couple of years now and no mater how hard I try, I can't get rid of some serious bouts of lower back pain and neck pain. My neck typically starts to get sore after about 15 miles, whereas it takes about 25 for the back pain. If I do anything over 75 miles, my back is typically so sore after the ride, that I can hardly move for the rest of the day.

Recently, I've been trying to play around with my bike fit. As far as I can tell, my setup seems ok. At least, I don't feel overly stretched out or hunched. I've tried moving my saddle up and down, and forward and back to make myself more comfortable. The only thing that I've not tried is replacing the stem, which I'm starting to consider.

Any advice? What are the primary causes of lower back pain and neck pain, assuming that someone already has a strong core and is quite fit?

Thanks

22-48

I've been trying to play around with my bike fit. As far as I can tell, my setup seems ok.

Clearly not if you get pain after only 15 miles! Your position on the bike is clearly and seriously wrong. Pain like you describe, could be due to a number of factors ( bike to long, bike too short, H bars too low, saddle position/height wrong) but it;s almost guaranteed to be linked to poor posture on the bike due to any/all of the above reasons.

Get a good bike fit as doing it yourself will never solve it!

Where in the country are you? as one of the best fitting services is in Southampton.

martincashman

Get thee to a physio, I've had a minor niggle with my neck for years. Slight restriction looking over my shoulder but not too noticeable and I didn't do sports so it never really bothered me.

When I started cycling last year, I noticed I felt restricted when trying to look for traffic when turning but it was minor so I could cope. I would get a sore back and neck on longer rides and arms too. I put it down to fitness.

An opportunity came up in work for a free physio visit so I went about my neck expecting to be told it was a minor prob but turns out, my left shoulder is completely dropped and hanging on the wrong muscles, causing the next pain, in addition my posture/back is twisted to compensate.

Physio did some tweaks and gave me some exercises to do, will take a few months to resolve but can feel the benefits already on the bike... still get some pain but know how to unlock it now.

Gonna follow up with a bike fit later in the year but body needs to be right first.

Running running jump

A common problem with poor bike set up/ bike choice/ stubborn men not asking for proper help. Etc

I've been through hell with my road biking. Similar big pains, Inc back, shoulders, arms, feet, and arse!

If you don't want the pressure of going for a bike fit or your convinced you can solve it yourself, as I was, I can offer a bit of advice.

Take a proper side on view of you on the bike, and of the bike. I would guess the saddle I a fair bit higher than the bars? Handle bars flat? Seat lilting forward? Are your ams locked out? Head near arm pits? Mine were, because thats how my friends set theirs up. Wrong for me. I'm different. So are you. So's everyone...

Also thanks to my friends I was riding 23mm tyres with 120psi in. Again same story.

So what did I try that you can try.

Buy a couple of specialized comp stems. They are unique in that they offer a huge amount of adjustment. +16 +12' +8' +6, etc etc. Get a few. I got 100mm and 110mm. This will allow you to trial many different bar positions without much cost. Just eBay them afterwards.
I ended up with one on the highest setting, telling me I had bought too sporty a bike! By a mile!
Tyre psi. Drop that down to 95-100psi. I've never looked back! Maybe even look at wider tyres. I think the continental 24mm look like a nice idea. I use 23mm ones. This was a turning point for me. I'll never ride 120 again.
This process will help you start to get comfortable. You shouldn't feel like the bike is trying to kill you, then you can start to look in detail at what is wrong with you and your bike.

For me, it was go up a size in bike frame. Buy a more upright bike, buy a bike with more comfort built in cannondale synapse. Superb bike. Fit wider bars. Fit a seat with a ramp up at the back to hold me in, wtb, trek and fizik all do good ones. Run 100psi.

Now I'm fine tuning seat, cleats etc. But am much happier and can ride 70 miles and feel a little sore and mashed up, but no worse than the buddies I chase, and not something that doesn't go completely after 24-48 hours.

Good luck!

colsoop

badhorsy wrote:

Hi all,

sorry for yet another thread about pain.

I've been seriously road biking for a couple of years now and no mater how hard I try, I can't get rid of some serious bouts of lower back pain and neck pain. My neck typically starts to get sore after about 15 miles, whereas it takes about 25 for the back pain. If I do anything over 75 miles, my back is typically so sore after the ride, that I can hardly move for the rest of the day.

And you have been suffering through that for the last couple of years :shock:

It wont solve the problem but you can tell fairly quickly with a bit of info if something is fundamentally off with the bike sizing so:

How tall are you, inside leg measurements etc .
What make is the bike, how long is the top tube and seat tube ?

Lower back pain and neck pain are normally due to being stretched in the torse area.
Perhaps the top tube is too long and the seat set back is wrong.

However It may be that the frame and fit are ok but you have a weakness in the abs / core area which means the way it is set up causes you the pain.

I have broken my back and had my spine fused and i don't get lower back and neck pain so there will be a way of sorting it im sure.

xloly

22-48 wrote:

I've been trying to play around with my bike fit. As far as I can tell, my setup seems ok.

Clearly not if you get pain after only 15 miles! Your position on the bike is clearly and seriously wrong. Pain like you describe, could be due to a number of factors ( bike to long, bike too short, H bars too low, saddle position/height wrong) but it;s almost guaranteed to be linked to poor posture on the bike due to any/all of the above reasons.

Get a good bike fit as doing it yourself will never solve it!

Where in the country are you? as one of the best fitting services is in Southampton.

Where abouts in Soton dude?

mrwibble

Try a deep tissue sports massage, all your muscles maybe in a state of spasm to compensate for your initial injury. Your surrounding muscle areas maybe affected and need releasing... Try it, it has worked for me and my woes in the pain department is are slowly getting better. Probably be about £30 for an hour or so.