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:

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.

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.

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!

[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.