Owie! My poor back!

[sundial]

I just finished riding 27 miles and the last 5 miles my lower back (the small of the back) was really hurting. I did stop and take a 3 minute break at the half-way point, and I felt pretty good. My saddle is level so that shouldn't be the culprit, right?

I try to stretch my arms on the bike and I change hand positions frequently. I stand in the saddle and my butt was ok, but my poor back......owie!

Since I'm relatively new to the distance riding, is this normal?

[Fredwina]

No, it's not. Not sure how to advise you.

[chort]

That's never happened to me.. Do you usually have back problems? I do and I really don't get any problems from riding, though. Make sure you stretch out your back while you're riding. I like to stop every 10-15 miles and do some back stretches.

[Starfish]

I don't think it is common or normal once you get used to the bike, but I know that at the beginning of the season, especially when I start climbing on my bike rides, if I haven't been doing my ab work and lower back extensions, I get a sore back. Then, as I get stronger with more climbing, ab work, and back extensions in the gym, my back pain disappears for the season.

I don't have any history of back injury or chronic soreness, and I can do a lot of lifting, moving and so forth and consider my back pretty strong. But...

Abs and lower back muscles are among those muscles that we need for bike riding, but that bike riding does not develop. I don't know you or your history, but for me, doing abs and back extensions in the gym takes care of back pain on the bike. If I don't do them, my back can start hurting. It is predictable for me.

[KnottedYet]

Try visiting your library and check out "Treat Your Own Back" by Robin McKenzie. It's got some nice simple back stretches and explains a lot of back mechanics.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Some people experience lower back pain when they ride a bike with the handlebars a lot lower than the seat....a typical "racing" position which is often not comfortable over longer distances.

[yellow]

I had some pretty excruciating back pain last year. The culprit for me was Q factor. Once I moved the cleats on my shoes all the way out, viola, the back pain disappeared. It was an instant relief.

It could be any number of things. If you've had your bike professionally fit, then it could be something as simple as core strength or body position. But if you haven't had a professional fit, then you may want to invest in one.

Pain sucks, and it can really, really ruin your ride. I was reduced to tears several times last year not only because of the pain but because we couldn't fix it after multiple fittings, shims, and tons of core exercises (and I already had a strong core to begin with).

This, on Q factor, from Sheldon Brown (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cranks.html#tread):

Tread ("Q Factor")

The tread, or "Q factor" of a crank set is the horizontal width of the cranks, measured from where the pedals screw in. The wider the tread, the farther apart your feet will be. It is generally considered a good idea to keep the tread fairly narrow. There are three main reasons for this:

* The hip joint is optimized for walking, and in normal walking the footsteps are pretty much in line, with little or no "tread."

* For standing pedaling, the farther out the pedals are from the centerline, the harder you have to pull on the handlbar to counterbalance the tendency of the pedaling force to tip the bike sideways.

* The wider the tread, the higher the bottom bracket needs to be to prevent clipping a pedal while pedaling through a turn.

Older bikes were generally designed to keep tread to a minimum, but starting in the late 1970s there has been a trend to wider tread, for a variety of reasons:

* The popularity of triple-chainwheel cranksets has moved the right side outward.

* Front derailers designed for triple-chainwheels have a more 3-dimensional shape to the derailer cage, which requires more clearance between the large chainring and the right crank.

* Mountain bikes have wider-spaced chainstays for tire clearance, which requires moving the chainwheels outward so they won't hit the chainstays.

* Newer bikes with more sprockets in back move the chainline outboard.

[sundial]

Thanks guys for the tips. I rode just under 20 miles the last time and didn't have any back pain. This time is was almost tortuous. Ow! I was thinking about my cleats and I have some Speedplay Frogs on order that hopefully will help. I hope.

I don't have a history of back pain so this is new to me. :eek:

I am very flexible and practice yoga specifically for cycling. I also try to keep my tummy tucked in while I ride.

I am happy to report I don't have any knee pain but I felt a little twinge of discomfort on the left hip as well as the pain in the lower back this time. Also, is it possible I had back pain because I didn't rest enough? I did a long ride Sunday and then another Tuesday. Did I push it too hard?

[roamingcyclist]

When I first started riding last year, my lower back hurt when I went on long rides, though it got stronger and hurt less as I got in better shape. This year, I discovered that my aching back was due to a bad fit on a bike that was too big for me - my back and upper body were too stretched out horizontally, too much "reach". I don't know if you've been properly fitted, but you may want to experiment with moving your saddle forward or using a shorter stem. Hope that helps.

[KnottedYet]

Thanks guys for the tips. I rode just under 20 miles the last time and didn't have any back pain. This time is was almost tortuous. Ow! I was thinking about my cleats and I have some Speedplay Frogs on order that hopefully will help. I hope.

I don't have a history of back pain so this is new to me. :eek:

I am very flexible and practice yoga specifically for cycling. I also try to keep my tummy tucked in while I ride.

I am happy to report I don't have any knee pain but I felt a little twinge of discomfort on the left hip as well as the pain in the lower back this time. Also, is it possible I had back pain because I didn't rest enough? I did a long ride Sunday and then another Tuesday. Did I push it too hard?

Get the McKenzie book. Look at the info about disc bulges, and how disc pain radiates into the hip/butt/leg. If that sounds like your back, please call your doc.

Are you accidentally rounding your back out when you try to "tuck" your tummy? You want to keep the nice arch (where your back goes in) in the lumbar spine while on your bike. Your back should look the same standing on the ground and riding on the bike. (Flex at the hips, not the lumbar spine!)

I sincerely doubt that changing to Frogs (much as I love them and sing their praises) will cure your back pain.

[snapdragen]

My chiropractor says a lot of her bike riding patients have lower back pain because their hamstrings are super tight. Stretch those babies out! :p

[alpinerabbit]

Long distance girls, please correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't something always hurt at the end of a long ride?

I would say it is normal. Unless it is sharp pain.
Happens when you exceed your usual riding distance.
Everytime you ride a bit longer, it will get easier, in a bit you will feel comfy at 27 miles and start hurting at 50.

I get it when climbing a lot - the sheer exertion of all your gluteal area ends up tightening everything.
I get some relief standing up in the saddle and rocking my hips, but at the end of a hard day, it just hurts.

Stretch, rest, have a bath.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

See if you can raise your handlebars at all- ask your bike shop if they can put in spacers to raise it up.

Ride 15 or 20 mile rides more frequently to try to build up your core muscles.

[alpinerabbit]

Or instead of spacers, as posted previously, a headset with a steeper angle (not a shorter headset, as my LBS mechanic explained)....

good luck

[sundial]

I have good flexibility but I've had to lay off this week because of pain between the small of the back and my hip. I've been to the chiropractor and massage therapist this week. I did a short ride yesterday but I just couldn't get it together.

I am hoping to go on a long ride either Saturday or Sunday. I'm hoping it works out.

[Fredwina]

Long distance girls, please correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't something always hurt at the end of a long ride?
.
in a sense, yes. Although i usually wind up with numb hands after about 250K

[smilingcat]

OKAY I GIVE.... MY back is still messed up. Haven't been on the bike since 07-07-07. Tucky tripple "7" day. LUCK---KK--YYY DAAAYYY INDEED.

So how am I going to ride the holstein 100 ride. I've signed up, got a place to stay... My back is really bothering me. I've been going to the chiro, gyro classes, exercising my back, and the sharp pain in my small of my back is still there.

Yes snap. My ham string is wayy too tight. so is my calf, glutes, and quads. Oh can't forget about ITband and soaz either.

I am determined to go after no show at Cinderella ride. I wanted to the 100 easy mile but at this point I'll settle on a metric century.

Yes lower back pain is common among serious riders.:mad: :mad:

smilingcat

[snapdragen]

Here's the stretch I usually do for hams.

Hamstring Stretch

Lie down with one leg straight up in the air, the other bent with foot flat on the ground. Loop a towel over the arch of the lifted foot, and gently pull on the towel as you push against it with your foot. Push only to the point where your muscles contract. Stretch both legs.

[luv'nAustin]

Smilingcat, I could've written your reply myself...those are the exact pains that I have along with the lower back. Hmmmm, wonder what else we have in common? Perhaps you also spend too much time in the gym, on the trails, in the pool, and so on and so on....:)

[Dogmama]

Are you accidentally rounding your back out when you try to "tuck" your tummy? You want to keep the nice arch (where your back goes in) in the lumbar spine while on your bike. Your back should look the same standing on the ground and riding on the bike. (Flex at the hips, not the lumbar spine!)


I agree 100%.

Additionally, if you concentrate on keeping that nice arch, you'll find that you push with your upper hams/lower glutes (you know - where the little butt sag begins? Or is that reserved for us over 50 crowd?) Otherwise, you might be using your lower back to push.

Don't push big gears. Get a cadence monitor & keep your cadence above 85 - preferably 90 - unless you're going up a steep hill. Pushing hard will always kill my back. If you're dipping forward with each pedal stroke, you need to change to an easier gear.

Here are a couple of heavenly stretches:

Sit in a low chair. Put your left ankle on top of your right knee. Bend forward. Great glute stretch. Switch.

Sit on the floor and put the soles of your feet together. Your legs should make a diamond shape. Lean forward. This is a nice lower back stretch.

If you still have problems, you might want to see an orthopedic surgeon, preferably a doc who specializes in spines, to rule out any curvature or disk problems. My spine doc who fused my neck said that lower back problems are common in cyclists. My physical therapist agreed. Both are cyclists.

BTW, I saw a chiro for my neck & he made it MUCH worse. I'm sure there are some good chiro's, but if you're really serious about riding, I'd see a regular MD. X-rays cannot pick up a lot of spine problems. Even MRI's miss some problems (it didn't show my disk implanting itself into my spinal cord - yikes!)
During the whole neck ordeal, I kept telling anybody who would listen that I only need to turn my neck to the left so that I can see oncoming traffic. :p Yes, I was the one who rode two weeks post surgery with the cervical collar still on. Not a good idea. But the cars really avoided me! :D

[sundial]

After my second visit to the chiro, I figured I would probably use the massage therapist in the future. She does a great job with my piriformis when it flares up and she also massages my lower back well.

I think the first time I had back pain it was due to tucking the tummy in too much as Dogmama suggested. This week I had a weird pain located somewhere between my low back and hip. :confused: Again, I tried stretching but it didn't seem to help it. I took ibuprofen for the inflammation and it helped. Well, that and some of my Rxs left over from oral surgery. :rolleyes:;)

What I have to battle is I am 3-4 mm shorter on the right side because I am lacking some cartilege in the knee. This causes my pelvic area to pull up and forward and my massage therapist has to work it back into place.

There are a couple of young ortho docs who are cyclists and I am prepared to go see them if my pain continues. So far today, after my long ride, I feel pretty good. I try to stretch after the ride and so far so good.

Thanks again for the tips. You guys have given me excellent advice. :)

[smilingcat]

Not derailing the back problem:

I used to do lot of pottery on potters wheel. Nearly all of us potters have had major back problems. Hunched over the wheel as we threw the pots. Just like the cyclists, we sit on a level seat. stool, board, chair, upside down bucket... The back problem is in the same location as the cyclists. They have a solution but it may not be common knowledge.

When I thought of their posture, lower back, upper back... it is exactly the same as the cyclist who round out their back. The muscles needed for pottery work is the core muscles, back and legs to hold us steady.

The solution to alleviate the back problem for the potters were to tilt the seat forward by about 5 degrees. I used to take a short ware board, laid it on my seat with wedge behind it to tilt the board forward (1/2 inch tall kiln posts). This effectively tilted my seat forward. This kept our lower back from arching over.

So I just adjusted my bike seat on the trainer with a small tilt forward. Granted, its not the right thing to do, but I need to protect my lower back from the shortened ham string. Maybe I'll try to get on te trainer today and see how it goes.

And yes I do exercised to strech out my ham, glutes and all but I need more.

And no I don't push my 53 chainring on hill climbs anymore. I just huff and puff on 39 chainring with 20+ cogs. snail pace.

smilingcat

BTW, I can't make a living as a potter so it's just my hobby when I get around to it. With bakery stuff, I can make a little more money but still not enough to make a living in sothern cailfornia so I do something else.

[smilingcat]

moving the seat forward and tilting down forward about 5 degrees.

Muy Bueno :D

On the trainer for an hour at 75% rate. My lower back didn't give me that shooting pain up my back.

Seat position isn't the most ideal but it helps with my back until it recovers. so :cool: :cool: :D :D

Maybe I can still do the metric century in two weeks.

Smilingcat

[sundial]

That's encouraging, smilingcat. I hope you and your back are up to the metric century. I'll try the saddle trick if my back starts getting tight and cranky again.

Wish my insurance would pay for a hot tub. :p