Lower back pain

scott mcavennie · June 2007

Recently I've been getting muscular lower back pain while riding downhill trails. As I'm off the seat and slightly leaning over, the muscles around the tops of my hips ache and sieze up.

Can anyone recommend any exercises to strengthen these up, and reduce this?

Malt 4

Orange P7 - current rebuild

Deliverance

daxionwmb · June 2007

Assuming you have no back injuries, and "lower back" you mean lumbar region, a group of muscles around the L1-L5 and usually S1 discs.
It appears your core strength is poor which can lead to back pain from muscles over compensating.
Pilates is very good - if not excellent - for developing core strength.

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Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by scott mcavennie

Recently I've been getting muscular lower back pain while riding downhill trails. As I'm off the seat and slightly leaning over, the muscles around the tops of my hips ache and sieze up.

Can anyone recommend any exercises to strengthen these up, and reduce this?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> More sex.

Bikes

buddha · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mike59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by scott mcavennie

Recently I've been getting muscular lower back pain while riding downhill trails. As I'm off the seat and slightly leaning over, the muscles around the tops of my hips ache and sieze up.

Can anyone recommend any exercises to strengthen these up, and reduce this?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> More sex.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
You asking? [:I]

edit: Seriously though, How about sit-ups for increasing core strength?

<center>Lardy | Madame de Pompadour</center>

Unknown · June 2007

I'd second more sex, also use a swiss (yoga) ball in lieu of a chair for parts of the day/evening. I like watching films on mine.

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Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by buddha

You asking? [:I]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Yep.

(but I'm not asking you [8D])

Bikes

Anonymous · June 2007

I'm recovering from a back op and the main emphasis during my recovery is on my core strength, google this and it will give you loads of stuff to help improve this.

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Rob15234 · June 2007

I have the same problems on my road bike, i spoke to a mate who plays for Salford rugby club who gave me some exercises which seem to help.

If you have a gym ball this helps greatly when doing this one: rest on the gym ball with the ball on the upper back, pull your belly button to the spine, concentrating on maintaining this pulled in slowly pass one dumbell over your head. Repeat this 4 times and do 6 sets.

Lie on the floor with your neck slightly raised. Pull your belly button towards the spine again. Hold this for a minute and repeat 3 times.

On all floors pull the belly button to the spine. Hold for a minute and repeat 3 times.

These three will all work your inner abs helping to increase core strength. The guy i asked used to play for Melborne Storm and when he first joined the club he had a six pack and strong outer abs - the coach there quickly pointed out that these can hinder your fitness as the core strength isn't there to suport your spine etc.

Try and repeat them a couple of times a day - google for some more!!

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Cycling is unique. No other sport lets you go like that - where there's only the bike left to hold you up. If you ran as hard, you'd fall over. Your legs wouldn't support you. ~Steve Johnson

Rob15234 · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by buddha

edit: Seriously though, How about sit-ups for increasing core strength?

<center>Lardy | Madame de Pompadour</center>

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Sit ups only work your outer abs (the visible bit) mainly, therefore they won't really do much for core stability. If you want good visible abs aswel then you could do them at the same time as your core stability exercises.

<hr noshade size="1">
Cycling is unique. No other sport lets you go like that - where there's only the bike left to hold you up. If you ran as hard, you'd fall over. Your legs wouldn't support you. ~Steve Johnson

Unknown · June 2007

Have a little read of this http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1508256 its worth the 20mins reading.lower back muscles work with hip flexor muscles.Remember before strengthening muscles, stretch (loosen off) its opposite tight muscle (s)

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Unknown · June 2007

I had lower back pain for years (from about 25-35; I'm 37 on Thursday).
Lots of visits to GP / physios etc.

Finally I got a physio who made me work at my core strength.

It's worked wonders for me - my back pain is now occasional rather than chronic.

Core strenght is really important for cycling (esp MTBing) and will improve your riding too.

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scott mcavennie · June 2007

Thanks for all the replies.

Mike - your suggestion is a difficult one with a hyperactive 2 year old running round causing chaos at the moment. Everytime I go near the missus she looks like she's going to cut my throat.

Ninja - I really need to find 20 minutes to myself when I can start to make head or tail of that article you linked. Looks good though.

Rob - thanks for the suggestions. When you say "pull the belly button to the spine", what exactly do you mean?

Was speaking to the missus who said she has a couple of books on improving core strength which will not involve risking having another little monster, so I'll have a butchers.

Either that, or find a bit on the side.

Malt 4

Orange P7 - current rebuild

Deliverance

Rob15234 · June 2007

Basically just pull your stomach towards the back - as if you were breathing in. When you do this you should still be able to breathe easily. On some of the exercises you really need to make a conscious effort to keep the stomach pulled in but its worth it!!

HTH

<hr noshade size="1">
Cycling is unique. No other sport lets you go like that - where there's only the bike left to hold you up. If you ran as hard, you'd fall over. Your legs wouldn't support you. ~Steve Johnson

Capt. Jon · June 2007

Here is a selection of exercises for your lower back. Along with strengthening work on flexibility.

http://www.nismat.org/orthocor/programs ... x.html#Ex1

TyMBR

- Support the UK bike industry -
"You don't get that at trail centres"

Unknown · June 2007

I have just started to get the same kind of pain in my lower back, and guess i now know what is causing it. Time to go buy a gym ball thingy to bounce about on[:D]

<hr noshade size="1">
Wrath '07

Anonymous · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Capt. Jon

Here is a selection of exercises for your lower back. Along with strengthening work on flexibility.

http://www.nismat.org/orthocor/programs ... x.html#Ex1
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They are pretty much the exercises I was given after my recent back op, so IF you can stick to them, they seem to have helped me.

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Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by apcmtb

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Capt. Jon

Here is a selection of exercises for your lower back. Along with strengthening work on flexibility.

http://www.nismat.org/orthocor/programs ... x.html#Ex1
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They are pretty much the exercises I was given after my recent back op, so IF you can stick to them, they seem to have helped me.

<center>Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinions at all.</center>
<center>My Pic's & Stuff</center>
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

So do you just do every one of those 23 exercises once a day then?

<hr noshade size="1">
Wrath '07

Marky Mark. · June 2007

Feel a bit of a prat doing some of them "Cat and Camel" and "Tail Wagging", especially if the missus insists on watching and extracting the urine, but they do work.

10 years post-op after a discectomy and only one problem since kind of says it all.

The Family

Anonymous · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jamieayres

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by apcmtb

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Capt. Jon

Here is a selection of exercises for your lower back. Along with strengthening work on flexibility.

http://www.nismat.org/orthocor/programs ... x.html#Ex1
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They are pretty much the exercises I was given after my recent back op, so IF you can stick to them, they seem to have helped me.

<center>Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinions at all.</center>
<center>My Pic's & Stuff</center>
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

So do you just do every one of those 23 exercises once a day then?

<hr noshade size="1">
Wrath '07
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I had about 18 different ones to do for the first couple of weeks, probably up to 3 times a day (10 sets each time), this was just to keep me mobile. Now concentraing more on the core work which takes some getting used to, but builds up the support of the muscles surrounding the discs/spine, hence making your back stronger long term

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Unknown · June 2007

So is the bottom line essentially if you want to build core strength then you have to do the camel and look a bit silly?[:)]

<hr noshade size="1">
Wrath '07

Anonymous · June 2007

I don't think any of the exercises are particually flattering, but hey if it helps long term then it doesn't matter does it.

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Unknown · June 2007

Very true, and if it stops this nagging pain i have started to develop then i would happily do the camel, the cat and walk like an egyptian[:D]

<hr noshade size="1">
Wrath '07

Anonymous · June 2007

As they say prevention is better than cure, so maybe starting to do some of these will help prevent problems that COULD arise in the future

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Unknown · June 2007

Very rarely are lower back muscles weak,because they are used in most things we do.Most people are in either a front tilted pelvis or laterally tilted pelvis.You need to check lengths of muscles before you exercise them or you will probably make the situation worse.If you have short (tight) quads for instance you dont want to be strenghening your lower back.You really do need to understand what you are doing.

Charge Duster Ti

When the going gets tough,The tough get going
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Unknown · June 2007

Get Some Pilates lessons and then buy Michael King`s book Pure Pilates.
It changed my life and that is no exageration.
It`ll never cure my problem and in fact i`m waiting for further manipulation and physio again but that is down to all the kit i wear in work.
Give it a go and i`m sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

Capt. Jon · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jamieayres

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by apcmtb

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Capt. Jon

Here is a selection of exercises for your lower back. Along with strengthening work on flexibility.

http://www.nismat.org/orthocor/programs ... x.html#Ex1
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They are pretty much the exercises I was given after my recent back op, so IF you can stick to them, they seem to have helped me.

<center>Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinions at all.</center>
<center>My Pic's & Stuff</center>
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

So do you just do every one of those 23 exercises once a day then?

<hr noshade size="1">
Wrath '07
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I guess it depends on how much time you have. When i do them i mix them up - going for about 10.

TyMBR

- Support the UK bike industry -
"You don't get that at trail centres"

Anonymous · June 2007

and also what you have been advised to do in my case

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Lower back pain

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