Lower back pain.

Onan · November 2008

I ride around a hilly path regularly on my hybrid. Not long distances. I'm just trying to improve my fitness before my road bike arrives. I usually do around 20 kilometers.

Unfortunately, I'm getting some serious pain in my lower back. I think it's muscular rather than spinal, since it's usually focused on my left side.

Any idea what I might be doing wrong? Saddle too low or high? Seat too far forward? Poor technique? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I don't want to have to stop cycling.

BUICK · November 2008

In my experience, saddle height and exact angle can make an enormous difference - and to a lesser degree the stem length to your handlebars. I was suffering with back problems and through gradual experimentation had reduced it to mild discomfort, then with a couple of minute adjustments to the saddle tilt (I mean half turns front and back) have got rid of it altogether. I had to really think about what I was doing and make small adjustments and ride to see what the effect was. Not an easy answer, and it might not be the same for you! Have you any history of back trouble that could make a doctors visit beneficial? Or bypass the GP and see a physio?

Onan · November 2008

BUICK wrote:

In my experience, saddle height and exact angle can make an enormous difference - and to a lesser degree the stem length to your handlebars. I was suffering with back problems and through gradual experimentation had reduced it to mild discomfort, then with a couple of minute adjustments to the saddle tilt (I mean half turns front and back) have got rid of it altogether. I had to really think about what I was doing and make small adjustments and ride to see what the effect was. Not an easy answer, and it might not be the same for you! Have you any history of back trouble that could make a doctors visit beneficial? Or bypass the GP and see a physio?

I suppose I do have a history of mild back problems. Never thrown a disk, or had it go entirely, but always plagued by twinges, and chronic aching. Sleeping on my front doesn't help. I have to prop a pillow under my torso, and rest my head directly on the mattress.

I used to lift weights, but the course of heavy deadlifts I did made no difference either way. My back got stronger, but still ached after every session.

Nick6891 · November 2008

i did get this problem but i have been trying to strengthen my back and adjusted sear hight a little, it doesnt bother me much now, and if it does still start to bother you just stop for a min or 2 to give you back a stretch

Onan · November 2008

I think I'm going to try moving my seat up and back a touch. But inevitably, any tinkering will have to be done anew in a week or two anyway, when i will be rididng an entirely different type of bike.

doog442 · November 2008

prolapsed disc sufferer here...just got back on the bike in the last week or so...found flipping the bars,lowering saddle slightly and moving saddle forward has meant i can cycle without pain for at least 10 miles before it returns...when im sorted i will slowly move it all back

Having read a bit on back pain ,quite a few cyclists who suffer back pain do the same.

Onan · November 2008

doog442 wrote:

prolapsed disc sufferer here...just got back on the bike in the last week or so...found flipping the bars,lowering saddle slightly and moving saddle forward has meant i can cycle without pain for at least 10 miles before it returns...when im sorted i will slowly move it all back

Having read a bit on back pain ,quite a few cyclists who suffer back pain do the same.

I don't think lowering sadlle height on my hybrid will be an option. It's probably technically already too low for me.

brownbosh · November 2008

Err this is all treating the symptoms! Get bike correctly set up - yes but also srtetch hamstrings, glutes, aductors and peraformis muscles PLUS spinal mobilisation exercises. Plus look at core stability and breathing exercises and keep a grip of back pain for life. There is no reason back issues should hold you back. (i have fractured my neck and lower back have a number of prolapses and a genetically narrowed spinal column plus suffer from sciatic pain. These steps assist in management. I am a sufferer but still have done 7,000 miles in the last 10.5 months.) If you dont know the exercises invest ina couple of sessions with a physio or chiropractor and take asdvice from a pro. Good luck

feel · November 2008

Very important to stretch hamstrings before riding as cycling tends to shorten them and cause uneven pulling on the pelvis leading to lower back pain. Can you touch your toes easily ? If not this could be a major cause factor for you. In addition to physio's and chiropractors as brownbosh recommends can i also suggest that an osteopath could well be very useful.

biffopristinus · November 2008

Onan - I've just taken delivery of a new bike recently and suffered quite severe muscular lower back pain during a 25 mile ride. I had never experienced this effect on my old tourer. After researching the cause and checking measurements between the two bikes, I discovered that this problem was due, as you might expect, to bad posture, the saddle on the new bike being too far back and also too high. The result was that my back was insufficiently supported, it was stretched too far forward. The aim should be to have the back arched, like a bridge, not drooping forward between the hips and the shoulders. The two articles which I found useful were by Sheldon "Ouch!" Brown

at: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/pain.html and also Peter White's very detailed treatise on bike fitting at: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm These cerainly worked for me.

Lower back pain.

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