Neck/shoulder pain.

[CorsairMac]

Well, my first and last name combined give me a whopping eight letters. If I add in my middle name it rockets up to seventeen. I think Corsair MacManyletters (that is your real name, right? ) wins.

well heck ya!! someone used my real name on here once......I read the post over several times before I realized it was ME they were talking to!! LOL

[Helen]

well heck ya!! someone used my real name on here once......I read the post over several times before I realized it was ME they were talking to!! LOL

ha ha ha ... LOL ... that's really funny ... So girls, if you have a short name go see a doctor and ignore this method ...

[mtbdarby]

Great suggestions on this! One thing I haven't read here as a possible cause is your spine. I was having an aweful time with neck pain and realized it was coming from my neck - I have no curve in my neck! I knew that but it never caused me problems until I started biking. Besides holding up my melon, I had the weight of the helmut and glasses too. Now I'm doing simple exercises to put the curve back into my neck so it shouldn't be a problem next summer. And I have a hybrid bike so I sit up a little taller. I couldn't imagine how my neck would feel if my bars were below my seat level.

I also started doing pilates again too to strengthen my core. Every little bit helps and I feel like biking has made me so much more aware of my body and my posture.

[notsportygirl]

Hey, I have the same problem with my neck. I went to a chiropractor for awhile, and I don't think it did anything at all. I feel fine most of the time, but any strain, stress, or trauma and I start having problems. One chiropractor wanted me to buy this really expensive traction machine. What kind of simple exercises are you doing? My first really long ride has put me in a world of pain. I'd hate it if my neck issues kept me from riding...

[SnappyPix]

A few months back I was getting chronic neck pain, waking up every morning with a cricked neck. Ouch.
It got so bad that I went to see a physio and had a few sessions. Basically mine stemmed from really poor posture, poor core stability, shoulder droop, forward lean - the lot.
After a few massage sessions (oh my, how I hated those! ) and some exercises from the physio, it's all but cleared up.
She confirmed that riding on a road bike was only exacerbating the problem more.
I've learned to really pull my shoulders back, tighten my abs and pull back my head so it's all in line. I've also found that bringing in my abs more is making things 100% better.
Everyone bangs on about core stability, but it really is the key - you learn to use your abs to do things that you previously used your neck and shoulders to do. When standing up, for instance - don't lift up from your shoulders and neck - use your legs and glutes and abs to get you from the sitting position. Sounds obvious - but have a go at doing it naturally, which muscles do you honestly recruit to stand from a sitting position? It should never be your neck/shoulders, they're just along for the ride! Full marks to those who do it correctly btw!
Here's a link to a great website I found, which includes some simple exercises:
http://www.drbookspan.com/NeckPainArticle.html

Hope this helps - sorry, I rambled!

[SnappyPix]

Forgot to mention - I do the double chin exercise on the website, which was the one the physio prescribed.
It's REALLY unattractive (don't ever do it in front of a mirror, I discovered I could make it to about 7 chins! ), but it's very effective. I was told to imagine that my head is a drawer, and i'm sliding it slowly backwards, back into the dresser. Keep everything in line - shoulders back, abs tight, head upright - the only thing moving is your neck slowly going backwards.

I'll shut up now!

[Helen]

Now I'm doing simple exercises to put the curve back into my neck so it shouldn't be a problem next summer.

Someone posted on this forum a great link regarding neck streching exercises but somehow I can't find it right now.
What kind of exercises are you doing mtbdarby?