Neck pain

dstev55

Evening all,

I did a sportive today which also happened to be the longest ride I've done so far at 106km (Big Red just north of Mansfield). I have suffered with neck pain on longer rides before but I have was in agony for the last 10-15km today and really had to dig deep to get through it. The pain is at the rear of my neck and is from me holding my head up (on the hoods for 95% of my ride).

Like an idiot I've signed up for a 165km sportive in June that will probably take over 8 hours as opposed to just over 3 hours that it took me today and I'm seriously concerned how I'm going to get through it.

Does anyone have any tips or advice to help improve my long distance comfort?

*Edit* Forgot to add, there is nothing much I can do with my bike position as I already ride a fairly relaxed geometry model and also ride a size that is generally smaller than what my height suggest so that my reach is slightly shorter, which has been suggested from a bike fit.

imposter2.0

Impossible to offer any advice without seeing a pic. We're all just guessing otherwise.

marcusjb

Physio will be able to get you right, both in terms of pinpointing the issues and giving you excercises to do, both on and off the bike.

As a sufferer of neck pain, I had some great physio in the past and the excercises they gave me help me to this day if things flair up (sitting on the bike can trigger it, but so can being at my desk).

One quick and easy change to make is to make sure you are keeping your neck warm this time of the year, wearing a buff or whatever around it to keep the wind off etc.

dstev55

Imposter wrote:

Impossible to offer any advice without seeing a pic. We're all just guessing otherwise.

I wasn't thinking of suggestions for when I'm on the bike, more when I'm off it. I get the pain because naturally when riding a road bike I am leaning forward and having to hold my head up so I can see where I'm going.

dstev55

marcusjb wrote:

Physio will be able to get you right, both in terms of pinpointing the issues and giving you excercises to do, both on and off the bike.

As a sufferer of neck pain, I had some great physio in the past and the excercises they gave me help me to this day if things flair up (sitting on the bike can trigger it, but so can being at my desk).

One quick and easy change to make is to make sure you are keeping your neck warm this time of the year, wearing a buff or whatever around it to keep the wind off etc.

Thanks for the advice although I was wearing a neck warmer yesterday and it made no difference. The pain is concentrated to the rear centre of my neck, where you get that bit of a bone sticking out. I think I will look at seeing a physio though.

redvision

I went through a stage of having neck pain and back pain. The cause only became evident from a bike fit and it was down to having the saddle to low, and too short a stem - i was placing too much pressure on my hands.

OP i would definitely see a physio and get some treatment. Also get a foam roller to relieve pressure after each ride.

You mention a bike fit but was this a full bike fit?? Or a fitting when you had the bike?
I would suggest having a new bike fit. They can be expensive but it will identify any issues with your position.

diy

This is likely due to the neck angle and some weakness in the traps. Strengthening and stretching your traps might help as well as practicing riding in the drops.

A chair stretch ~ 9:30 on might help
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WElIDKxmyQo

but to be honest the whole 15 minute routine will do you some good. Also get the habit of stretching after every ride.

BrandonA

dstev55 wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Impossible to offer any advice without seeing a pic. We're all just guessing otherwise.

I wasn't thinking of suggestions for when I'm on the bike, more when I'm off it. I get the pain because naturally when riding a road bike I am leaning forward and having to hold my head up so I can see where I'm going.

Your original post is not very clear. If you're not looking for suggesting she for when you are on the bike why post on a cycling forum and mention you are doing a longer sportive than the last one?

I've broken my neck twice (second one whilst cycling) which has resulted in my head arching slightly forward. When I completeled by rehabilitation the second time I had pain doing most things. You might need to look at the pillows you use in bed, and the actual mattress. If you work at a desk, ensure your monitor is correctly positioned.

This will be my second summer after bending my neck. I did a long indoor season and have only ridden a couple of times outside (30 miles) and my neck hurt after both rides. My point, when on the turbo I am in a different position than when I'm on the road. I therefore know that it will take me a few rides to build the endurance/strength required to hold my head in the required possition. This is too for everyone too. My point is you need to be on the bike in order to train your body to sustain an unnatural position for a long period of time.

diy

I think the OP meant what can he do when off the bike to make it easier - e.g. stretches/strength training etc.

dstev55

diy wrote:

I think the OP meant what can he do when off the bike to make it easier - e.g. stretches/strength training etc.

Exactly, thought the bit about not being able to do much with my bike position was clear enough, but obviously not!

I remember when I first starting riding only a year ago and I was in pain after 50km, now it's 90km. As mentioned doing more longer rides should train my body (and specifically my neck) to be able to cope with greater distances.

Easier said than done though when I, like the majority of us, have limited training time!

bristolpete

Bench press (flat, incline, decline) helps hugely with the back, traps and lats, which in turn impact the neck ache to help it. In my opinion. Lateral pull downs help, but difficult unless you have a gym with this machine, though a door bar could help.

Google basic neck stretches and learn to apply them on the bike when not pedaling, at junctions, lights or snacking on a gel.

Foam roller the upper spine and lats after every ride and treat rollering as a nightly 10/20 minute thing.

diy

Bench press - is chest and triceps primarily, it wont help traps and lats much.

OP should be doing:
lateral side raises or flies
Bent over row
overhead/shoulder press
and lots of stretching and rollering (as you say).

This doesn't need to be big weights, high rep, low weight will be best - focus on proper technique and pull deep in to the movement range.

bristolpete

diy wrote:

Bench press - is chest and triceps primarily, it wont help traps and lats much.

OP should be doing:
lateral side raises or flies
Bent over row
overhead/shoulder press
and lots of stretching and rollering (as you say).

This doesn't need to be big weights, high rep, low weight will be best - focus on proper technique and pull deep in to the movement range.

According to Lance it helps the back too, I have found it to as well. Not a primary excercise for sure, but for push there is a pull so does use the back more than one might imagine.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/50560 ... s-work-on/

diy

sorry to be rude, but you do know where the traps are?


and these are what you work when you bench press:

bristolpete

Of course. Works for me though and I will leave it there, as I am a cyclist not a body builder. Just trying to help the guy out. Cheers.

diy

You can be both though - just doesn't make you very good at either as in my case

dstev55

Thanks for all the advice chaps, I'll definitely build a daily routine to try and strengthen the areas that I need to.

webboo

E

diy wrote:

Bench press - is chest and triceps primarily, it wont help traps and lats much.

OP should be doing:
lateral side raises or flies
Bent over row
overhead/shoulder press
and lots of stretching and rollering (as you say).

This doesn't need to be big weights, high rep, low weight will be best - focus on proper technique and pull deep in to the movement range.

I see you missed out two of the prime excercises for working your traps up right rows and shrugs. I presume that was just a slip up.

diy

It wasn't meant to be an exhaustive list. and I didn't want the OP thinking he had to do all of them. Otherwise he might end up like this:


though I suspect the above might be from oil, rather than toil

webboo

Even for bodybuilding that's well weird.

diy

That is why I said oil not toil. The traps are very hard muscles to develop, because they are quite small. Hence it can be a give away of some sort of abuse. In this case I doubt its even muscle.

bristolpete

That fella lives near me, he is an animal in the hills. Literally.

chrisaonabike

Webboo wrote:

Even for bodybuilding that's well weird.

That's gotta be shopped, surely?

diy

Its probably real as in not photoshop, but I doubt its real muscle. I suspect it may be a cocktail of mineral oil, alcohol and novocaine. Known as synthol - think silicon boob job in liquid form, injected directly in to the muscles.

Even conventional bodybuilding drugs, won't deliver results like that.

chrisaonabike

diy wrote:

Its probably real as in not photoshop, but I doubt its real muscle. I suspect it may be a cocktail of mineral oil, alcohol and novocaine. Known as synthol - think silicon boob job in liquid form, injected directly in to the muscles.

Even conventional bodybuilding drugs, won't deliver results like that.

Bonkers innit. How the fark can people think that looks good?

diy

And like fake boobs its not functional either
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX1UKEIFICg

See how this guy needs help curing a 10kg bar with 30kg on.

Camcycle1974

So back to the original subject, could this not be down to the position on the bike rather than a muscle weakness? A good bike fit should address neck pain. Exercises like shrugs and deadlifts will help to strengthen the traps etc but they won't address the fundamental issue of the position on the bike being wrong.

diy

I think its more about developing the muscles and the range. Cycling is not a natural position for our necks, it takes time and effort to develop the range. MTBers get similar problems with shoulders. Avg person could do a couple of hours, but go 5 hours or 10 hours and you need to deal with different stresses.

Camcycle1974

diy wrote:

I think its more about developing the muscles and the range. Cycling is not a natural position for our necks, it takes time and effort to develop the range. MTBers get similar problems with shoulders. Avg person could do a couple of hours, but go 5 hours or 10 hours and you need to deal with different stresses.

Very true. My mother-in-law is a retired physio and when I complain of neck pain she says "well, what do you expect?" Lots of sympathy there as you can tell! No real answer but a good position and hours in the saddle are a good cure. It's the one area where I have never managed to get comfortable, despite doing 8-10 hours most weeks. I should have got habituated by now, think I need a decent bike fit as I have tinkered with my own position on the bike with no real improvement.

dstev55

diy wrote:

I think its more about developing the muscles and the range. Cycling is not a natural position for our necks, it takes time and effort to develop the range. MTBers get similar problems with shoulders. Avg person could do a couple of hours, but go 5 hours or 10 hours and you need to deal with different stresses.

I think you're right. I did 100km a few weeks back and was in agony. Did 100km last week and although in pain I still felt Ok at the end. I think I just need to carry on do longer rides and train my body to accept this comparatively unusual position it finds itself in. I had a bike fit a few months back and my current bike is pretty much where it needs to be.

diy

I used to get lower back pain and I found slamming the bike made it go along with lots of thoracic rotation exercises.

Someone showed me a new one the other day which pulls on the glutes at the same time - I found I had less range in my weaker pedaling leg which was interesting.