Owie! My poor back!

[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. 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.

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

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

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.