I’m not riding anywhere near as much as I used to due to health problems

I did get out yesterday for an hour, quite a long climb up the Snake Pass

Yesterday night and today my back is very stiff and painful if I move too quickly

I’ve not changed anything on the bike and I didn’t used to get this problem when I was out 3 times a week

I don’t know if riding more will help or make things worse. Could it be due to muscles not being as strong?

Yip.

Stretch! Back pain is sometimes caused by tight hip flexors, mine was. Also make sure you stretch the hamstrings, quads, glutes and calves And do pilates, it’s ace.

Pilates is a surprisingly good answer. My GP actually recommended Pilates after I’d undergone scans/x-rays on my back and they found nothing (you should also get yourself checked out by an expert of course). I thought it was a right cop-out of a suggestion, but I thought I’d give it a go none-the-less. The improvement was noticeable after only one session. 3 or 4 more and my back problems were a dwindling memory

+1 to the above. Lower back pain is almost never anything to do with problems with your back.

I’d been suffering with lower back pain putting it down to trials riding not thinking that MTBing had contributed.

Anyway stopped trials riding and other things I thought might have caused it. Was about to eliminate MTBing as the pain was putting me off riding. I happened to read in MBUK of a East European XC racer who had his saddle at a crazy sloped angle due to back pain. I tried angling my seat nose down a bit and went for a ride, pain was less. Then tried angling it further and went for another ride…no pain at all!

So if your saddle is horizontal at the moment it might be worth a go?

Have since visited physio who has recommended pilates type stuff and ‘core’ strengthening. But he seems to think saddle angle could well have contributed a great deal to original complaint.

Hope this helps.

Stretch! Back pain is sometimes caused by tight hip flexors, mine was. Also make sure you stretch the hamstrings, quads, glutes and calves And do pilates, it’s ace

yep, stretches are the key.

after riding my road bike I would get pain and spasms in my lower back.

I now do lower limb stretches before and after rides and am completely cured but if I skip a couple of stretching sessions I feel it coming back.

There are right and wrong ways of stretching though, so its well worth getting some advice from a physio but after that its something you can do on your own.

As I get older stretches seem to be getting more and more important

Have a read of this…quite interesting way of looking at it
http://betterride.net/blog/2012/mountain-biking-and-back-pain-how-to-prevent-it-and-cure-it/

I had a really sore back recently after a big ride. I had been messing about with my seat height as my reverb is sinking a little (probably needs bled but it’s a stealth and a PITA to bleed). Couple of days later I pulled a muscle in my lower back due to it already being sore. Anyways, long story short, I moved the seat post down literally about 1cm, if that, and next ride the back was absolutely fine. I also find if my camelbak is not sitting correctly on my back I can get a sore back later in the day. I can certainly endorse the Pilates/yoga thing, makes a big difference if your core muscles are stronger and more flexible.

If you ignore the fact that the you tube video was made for Lance Armstrong, the Founder might be good exercise. I was recommended it by my chiropractor and it has really helped me. Try searching for – the founder lower back exercise on you tube. 12 minutes of back strength and hip flexor stretching pleasure/pain.

Stretch hip flexors

I have long term back trouble, creak out of bed every morning, do stretches then 15 minutes on the bike before breakfast by the time i come in I am all suppled up. If i miss the bike ride then i cease up by mid morning. The bike ride keeps me mobile all day.

Would say regularity is the key to strengthening the muscles rather than an occasional intense thrash an the bike….saying that one thing i have learned about bad backs is no two people are the same and what works for one won’t for another, you need to find what works for you.

Psoas stretch! google it, its the cause of most cyclists back problems.
Done properly it will (in conjunction) with hip and hamstring stretches alieviate most back pain.
Tip: hold stretches for at least a minute or longer if you can, dont bounce, treat it like relaxing yoga