Does your back-pain stop you from Cycling?…………..here’s some thought provoking info….enjoy the ride!

Knees are not the most common cause of pain when cycling, studies show more people suffer with back pain.

So for the weekend warriors whom may not have thought to much about their bike set up – THIS IS KEY! it is important to have a bike that gives you adequate flexibility for the setup of your position, if incorrect — it will cause excess strain on our position as we stretch to adapt the body to reach the handle bars for example.

For the weekend warrior : Hunching forward on your bike and probably also at work, places recurrent buildup of strain on your spine, loading structures for prolonged periods of time.

This recurrent loading is probably what may also contribute to cyclists whom do it more often (all the way upto professional cyclists- whom cycle incredibly often). Research has shown that muscle fatigue may play a role. In a study – when scientists made cyclists pedal to exhaustion, their hamstrings and calf muscles fatigued quickly. Surprisingly however, undesirable changes in muscle activation in the LOWER BACK (more precisely the degree of low back bending and how far the knees reached out). Furthermore we can link this with other studies which shows that when the spine is bent forward for prolonged periods, the muscles on the back which help you lean back DO NOT ACTIVATE AS WELL (become less effective at generating the forces required to maintain ‘spinal stability’ and posture).

? This is an area where – if you are guilty of not moving your spine about every so often and if you tend to stay in prolonged positions — is imperative to make this change ?? Cat Camel — as your spine is bent forwards on the bike — curve the spine the opposite way (essentially your trying to do the opposite of the position you’ve kept yourself in for such a long time — sounds simple right?)

Backpain in cyclists is often due to mechanical factors, lack of flexibility and recurrent posture usually being the cause. (Motion is lotion – the more different variety of postures as we get ourselves into the better will be able to undertake and perform those postures without any issues at all — if we expose ourselves to these different things we learn, we are prepared, our body is prepared)

 

Check your bike fit – ?

Check inseam measurement – professional Bike fitters can work this out for you and help you pick the right seat height. Also another way – is to move the heel of your pedal down as low as it goes until you knee is locked straight – at this point check your bum is on the seat – if not then change accordingly. (However this does not take into account your feet length) — at the bottom of the pedal cycles stroke – we are looking for a ‘soft’ knee bend — roughly 150 degrees.

Cleats, saddle, bar position, — check https://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitness/lower-back-pain-dont-blame-the-bike-32094 — for more info on Geometry of your bike frame.

Saddle should be horizontal and handlebars should be neither too far (you having to stretch to reach them) nor too close.

We need adequate flexibility for the setup of our position. Remember if not then it will cause excess strain on our position as we stretch to adapt the body to reach the handle bars for example. We need to match up our bodies flexibility with the bikes charecteristics. Especially if we’re experiencing or have had lower back pain previously.

After all of this we need to build Strength ?? – this is how your bodies copes from the deals and back up from the road to your body when there is impact and contact.

Recovery – in between sessions as there may be recurrent build of strain and pain that you may ave not otherwise have had.

We need to have good preparedness. Preparedness is your bodies ability to take on the training loads, and cycling that you do without developing pain or injury (not necessarily damage!).

PAIN DOES NOT ALWAYS EQUAL DAMAGE!! Remember that

So if you’re a keen biker it’s important to work on flexibility, Bike-fit and technique to decrease chances of back pain.