Hi all,

Don't normally get this, but after yesterdays race my lower back is in pieces! does anyone else get this after a hard ride, and are there any pointers/stretches to stop it? (pain is lower back, mainly to one side)

Cheers

I get this on long rides, I'm not sure why it happens but I try to relax on the bike a bit and ride through it. I do have a very good acupuncturist who does an oriental massage (don't know what it is called) which is a bit uncomfortable but it does loosen the muscles off which helps

It's from overworking the muscles in your back, usually in a position that's quite hunched over – eg racing, in a big gear.

Best ways to avoid are to work on your flexibility (this only works up to a point though) and to learn to spin more which is actaully more effective even if it doesn't feel like it initially.

Did you not have it whilst racing? usually mashing a big gear causes numb back pain if you're not used to it.
What race/type of race where you doing?

try higher your seat a bit more, my back used to hurt all the time but now i don't know if its just because Ive just got used to it or it was the seat hiring, give it time and your back will hopefully get used to it and stop, mine did 🙂

You may have slipped a disc if it's really that bad.

Try the following though:

1.) Lie on the floor face down with your arms out as though you were going to do a press-up

2.) Slowly pressup with your arms while keeping your groin FIRMLY on the floor so your back is arched.

3.) Hold the pose for a few seconds and then release.

4.) Repeat for a few minutes or until you get tired.

5.) If it's specifically on one side, try and move your groin slightly to one side (as in out of allignment…think of your body as the axles and BB of your bike. Your head is the front axle, your feet are the rear axle and your groin is the BB. When doing this normally all are in allignment….try raising or lowering the BB toward the side of the pain) and do the same process. It's a little harder and I wouldn't do this straight away.

Try not to sit at a desk for more than 30 mins as your muscles will knit.

Do you ride full suss?

On my old full suss i used to get the same back pain when i was being over enthusiastic on the trails. Turns out i had the rebound set too fast. I would go over things quicker than normal and find i was using my back muscles to keep myself down. Slowed the rebound and it sorted it.

Obviously not an all encompassing answer, just a suggestion that worked for me.

FYI (since this applies to me and to a greater/lesser extent, most people), the pain being on one side suggests one leg being longer than the other or at least, one leg being markedly stronger/being used more than the other. Worth checking out.

What do you do for a job?

Drive alot?
Sit at a desk alot?

my problems with my back were caused by work but showed themselves when I was riding……get it checked out.

I must offer a comment which is completely the opposite of an earlier bit of advice – if you are riding with your saddle too high you may be rocking your hips down to achieve the bottom of each stroke. This causes stress to your lower spine. You can see it very easily if you ever ride behind someone set up in this way.

So, to summarise, it could be one of many things ranging from wonky legs, saddle too high/low, driving a desk too much, etc 🙂

Having spent a couple of months off the bike with chronic lower back pain over the winter and now just done my back in again (picking up a laptop, how depressingly appropriate), I'd suggest looking into Pilates to strengthen your core.

Bending over at 45 degrees and putting power down through your legs stresses back muscles a lot – I'm sure I've torn or strained ligaments in my back that are now permanently weakened (muscle pain is to one or both sides of the back). If a muscle has been damaged, the others around it will tighten up and may spasm. A bit of warmth (a wheat bag, hot water bottle) may help.

Of course, it may be just be the result of two hours of juddering on an ageing spine!

If the pain is really incapacitating I take ibuprofen and valium.

That's it corroded lets get him hooked on over the counter meds and really finish him off.
😉

Thanks chaps – it was the southern XC round 2 at pippingford – fairly technical, short course XC race. It was also the first time i've done this type of racing, so I suspect that may have have something to do with it.

I drive a desk, but spend at least a couple of days a week walking/riding round london or stood up talking to people.

saddle was set a little lower than I would normally to allow for the more techy bits of the course.

Pain is definately muscular, but I reckon the cure is probably a large dose of MTFU!

Will look for some stretching exercises…..

jim

I get this when I'm racing or just trying to chase down faster riders than me. Find I'm hunching up as I ride.

As mentioned above just relaxing my back and concentrating on spinning smooth circles helps

2 ways to cure – full sus and core muscle strength building.

get him hooked on over the counter meds

He did say he was racing!

As DezB says, core stability is the drug-free answer. Google 'the plank exercise' for starters.

All things like this require individual diagnosis, but my own similar sounding problems were from sitting too much during the day, especially after a pressing commute – everything seizes up in a desk position and when you stand/go to ride again it gets pulled out of whack. Stretches and core exercises seem to do the trick but it still gets me at times.

Get thee to a sports physio who understands biking. Not worth aggravating. Don't think MTFU is the best approach tbh, unless you want a chronic injury.

The physio should help diagnose and cure + you could also ask them for core strength and flexibility exercises for ongoing conditioning. You'll be amazed how much more efficient your effort can be

You have a weak core. Do core work.

To confirm this try doing a couple of straight leg raises when you're lying on your back. If you struggle at all to hold it for 30secs then its a core problem.

I suffer quite dreadful lower back pain on most rides, some rides worse than others and particularly uphill. I did some research and found a large contributing factor is too short a top tube. My latest bike is long and low but hasn't made any difference!!

I have tried everything going and have just accepted it. I believe the main cause is my job as an airline pilot, ie sitting in the same position for hours on end and days filled with hardly any bodily movement. Then riding my bike on days off, the day job catches up with me.

Chiropractor?

It's expensive but worth it. I've had a long term back problem courtesy of a really bad skiing accident (nearly broke my neck/back!) when I was 16. I've been using my chiropractor since January and it's changed my life significantly (and I'm only 21 😥 ).

In my experience, saddle too high = back pain (due to rolling hips), saddle too low = knee pain.

Have a look at this

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/fitness/article/health-protect-your-back-24568