Started getting really painful lower back pain after 45 mins or so of riding. It feels muscular, and almost as if the lower back muscles are trying to compensate for something else that has decided to give up. Feels like a deep burning and is ruining my rides. Any thoughts, experiences, abuse you can throw my way?

Stretch after rides. Hammys/quads hip flexors glutes etc. Do pilates/yoga on a regular basis. See a physio.

saddle angle. if mine isnt dead level it starts to hurt pretty quickly.

Cool, will check out the saddle angle thanks. As for all the other stuff, I will start stretching but I find it hard enough to get time to ride never mind Pilates and yoga 🙂

As for all the other stuff, I will start stretching but I find it hard enough to get time to ride never mind Pilates and yoga

In tht case your back pain isnt bad enough – toughen up princess.

Stretch, strengthen, core but key is to get to the root of the problem, has something changed?

Yeah you can stretch in front of the telly with a beer if you want and you only need 5/10 minutes couple of times a week to make a difference so no excuses.Pilates has made a massive difference for me to the point where i feel i sit on my bike in a better position which puts less stress on my back

Having similar issues myself and am giving this a go (on the recommendation of a cycling friend of similar advancing years!!):

Psoas Stretch

Apparently shortened hip flexors can cause lower back pain.

This backs up his experience:

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/cycling/lowbackpain.htm

I know – I should see a physio but will give this a go first.

Get stretching. And if you’ve put on weight recently, lose it.

There are many potential causes of back pain. In the situation you describe I would check the flexibility of your hip extensors (mainly glutes) and the strength of your abs (transversus & obliques), also check saddle height.
Try to keep a neutral position pedalling & don’t rock.
Short hip flexors are more likely to cause pain on standing upright.

http://pinkbike.com/news/short-yoga-routine-lower-back-pain-2015.html

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Backpain/Pages/low-back-pain-exercises.aspx

This happened to me, and it was seat angle. In my case, the seat was flat but actually needed to be tilted quite far forward. After I’d done that my back sorted itself out within a few months.

Once back in shape its all about the regular stretching to keep your body in shape. A great book is ‘Stretching’ by Bob Anderson. Couldn’t recommended this enough. Getting into stretching regularly has been a life changer for me…

also check if the saddle has slipped back on the rails at all or is the seat post lower or higher than it usually is perhaps, has your riding position changed at all?

In tht case your back pain isnt bad enough – toughen up princess.

Spot the NHS physio!!!!!

Don’t bother with the NHS for this; they are completely, absolutely useless and couldn’t care less about your quality of life.

Spot the NHS physio!!!!!

Wrong. Working solely in the private sector for now.

If the OP doesnt have time to sort his back out then it cant be bothering him that much.

Don’t bother with the NHS for this; they are completely, absolutely useless and couldn’t care less about your quality of life.

Well one thing is for sure I dont care about the quality of your life when you come out with pish like that.

In tht case your back pain isnt bad enough – toughen up princess.

😀 Very true.

I often struggle for motivation to keep up the stretches/core work but I try to remember having to crawl around the house for two days and barely being able to wipe my own arse. That usually does the trick.

I know – I should see a physio but will give this a go first.

Go see one now. I suffered with back niggles for a couple years before it went completely. Physio said if I’d gone to see him when it was just a niggle he could have nipped it in the bud very easily and saved me 6 months off the bike and an inordinate amount of pain.

Core strength.. Pilates,.. I had this pain for long time , now gone but i have to do 20x situps everyday and pilates stretching etc… About 15-20min everyday.. Good luck

Sorry I misunderstood’ I thought you meant going to a Pilates and yoga class. Didn’t think about doing it at home, that’s less of an issue.

Couple of things, first, thanks for all the advice, some links to try when I get home tomorrow. Secondly, quit your bickering 🙂

You can do pilates at home but i would go to a class first or even better some one to one sessions so someone teaches you about body positioning as its quite easy to look at pictures and try and replicate it,doing it correctly is completely different.

Funnily enough I was going to post a thread about lower back when cycling, until I saw this.

Personally mine comes and goes to some degree with fitness/whether I’ve got many cycling miles in my legs. Have you had an extended break from cycling and are just getting back into it per chance?

I also wear a camelbak and find if it sits too low on my back it starts to ache. I also changed to a slightly shorter stem, which didn’t seem to have any impact, but I’ve also now bought a Reverb which is inline, opposed to my previous layback seat post so I think that might have an impact. All things worth considering if you’re trying to identify what has changed.

Some good tips on stretching above too, will bookmark this thread for further reading.

Time to get to the physio. Its probably one of 2 things

The lower back muscles or the pelvic floor muscles, which is what is what it was in my case.

Either way Id go and see someone as it wont just go away

OP just seen this. Have been a long term sufferer. Get some exercises from a physio and do them at home every day starting slowly. I get lazy and stop when the pain stops but really should do them all the time. Physio is good but IME the most important bit is to get the diagnosis and excersize plan and then be disciplined to do them

BTW I’ve had to pull out of the QECP day-night enduro, have fun.

Well one thing is for sure I dont care about the quality of your life when you come out with pish like that.

Wounded by that razor sharp comment!

Careful that you dont put your back out.

Careful that you dont put your back out.

Don’t want to have to try and find a decent physio do I? We know how hard they are to come by.

if you lived in Sydney you could join our research study… we are in desperate need of people with low back pain!

Marp, I am happy to commute to Sydney if you pick up the plane fare 🙂

i’ll just check down the back of the sofa to see what change i’ve got hanging around back there 🙂

The comment about not being able to wipe your arse is the reason I make sure I do my exercises and stretches!

Pilates and Yoga 3 times a week for about 9 months now, about an hour each time – core is noticably stronger and have virtually no pain now even after a long day in the saddle – I did the Fred Whitton at the weekend and no pain at all afterwards (in my back that is, the legs on the other hand ….)

Hi OP , have you resolved this? I have been getting lower back pain when riding now . Am feeling fit at the moment but this pain is making me have to stop and get off the bike to stretch.

There are some very good YouTube videos for lower back pain. Yoga is the one that helps me then core strength and light dumbbell routines with correct form.
I do get a bit lazy sometimes but as soon as my back fires off a warning shot I don the yoga pants and get busy.

I know it’s old but, this is drivel

wrecker – Member

Don’t bother with the NHS for this; they are completely, absolutely useless and couldn’t care less about your quality of life.

Some GPs might not refer you well, some physios might not help you well, but NHS physio is why I can ride a bike.

That said, this does sound like a job for a private physio- just for speed as much as anything else. IMO backs are useful things and you only get one so yeah maybe you could amateur stretch it out, or do pilates or something, but it’d be a very good idea to get it properly checked out first to make sure you’re doing hte right thing.