I was getting a lot of lower back pain on the second half of my laps on Saturday’s BigDog, enough that it spoiled the fun a little. It’s happened before when racing but I don’t usually get it on general rides. It’s a muscle strain type pain, central, just above the base of the spine. It stops when I stop riding.

Is that just a case of DogTFU, or is there likely to be something specific I can change such as seat height, lower gearing etc? Thoughts appreciated, it’s a bit of an issue for me with racing.

I ride a couple of times a week, plenty of hills and some SS, not at plod pace, so it’s not a “total lack of fitness” issue. My body’s used to riding.

Core strength and poor flexibility. Do some core work and some stretching, focusing on the hamstrings.

£50 please 🙂

Although as you say it’s no lack of fitness you might benefit from exercises that strengthen those muscles, core muscles. I used to get the same pain years ago until our physio’s at work put me on a lower back strengthening regime. Never had any issues since.

woody beat me to it

thx chaps

Not wanting to scare you or anything, but I had that for the last couple of years, especially after particularly long races or multi-day events. Six weeks ago my back gave out completely with a prolapsed disc and I’m now off MTB for at least six months while it recovers.

Not saying yours is the same, hopefully not, but it may be worth having it checked out by a doc anyways…

Lower the nose of your saddle very slightly – only needs 1 or 2 degrees.

This helps rotate the pelvis forward slightly and relieves the strain on the lower spine.

You’re more likely to get this during prolonged periods of ‘pressing on’, so it’s quite typical that you’ll experience it during racing but not so much during pleasure rides.

I was getting lower back pain a couple of years ago when I was on long rides. I was told that it could be from stretching too far out when on the bike so I got a shorter stem etc and that sorted it.

ta

I’m going to start with

(poor) Core strength and poor flexibility

Flexibility has never been my strong point, and I’m not great at touch-my-toes. Presumably, if my hamstrings are short, then my lower back is having to compensate and do extra when I extending the leg to push down hard.

I would have thought my core would be OK, I ride SS on hills quiet happily, but perhaps I’m just good at compensating.

This is a good place to start I think.

@perthmtb gws

Sit-ups, back extensions, side raises etc….

Repeat x lots

GB

Yoga, sounds a bit, but it worked a treat for me.