Back pain

[bentbike33]

@streetsmarts 165448 wrote:

So after a year plus of mostly regular riding, I get back pain. Anyone else deal with this? Recently, the doc prescribed some PT and -lo and behold- I need to spend some time doing core work. I’ve been doing it. Not every day but a few days a week.

I guess an especially strenuous ride exacerbates it? It didn’t hurt,for ex., after my long 50 (almost) states ride last week. But then today I rode 5 miles, including a tough hill, and then my back really hurt.

Keep working on the core? Go back for another bike fit? (First one was on another bike so I haven’t had this bike tweaked to those specs.

Or is it just…old age??!!

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Yes, it’s probably old age, but continuing to do core strengthening will help. Eventually, all your non-ride workout time becomes PT, basically. I would recommend 4 to 5 times a week for core. Also, getting the bike fit checked would be a good idea. Small tweaks can make a big difference.

[wheelswings]

@bentbike33 165449 wrote:

Yes, it’s probably old age

That is ridiculous. Men and women of all ages get back injuries…as do young gymnasts and other athletes. In my mind it’s a question of finding a doctor or PT smart enough to properly diagnose the situation and identify the needed treatment. Truly brilliant docs are rare and back injuries are especially tricky. Some people keep their back pain under control by riding MORE rather than less – and yours did not hurt after 50 States, so worth considering. Happy to discuss offline.

But give me a break with the old age bs. I had a debilitating ankle injury in my 20s and was told I was too old for the hard-core running and racing I was doing. When I finally found an astute ankle doctor who was a cyclist and runner herself, she fixed me virtually overnight.

So my suggestion is, don’t listen to the ageist remarks but rather keep up the core work, make a pain-and-exercise log, try some seat variations (or stand on your pedals), and meanwhile keep on the lookout for a brilliant doc.

Warm wishes,
w&w

[Nadine]

There’s something important about keeping your back straight when you ride, and also tightening your core while riding. When you remember. Maybe you can use your back pain to help you remember.

This isn’t instead of the other stuff, but it oughtta help. It might help some on the spot….i hope.

Good luck.

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[Emm]

Core strenghtening really does help. Its solved 99% of my back issues. I used to have back aches on my bike after 25 miles. Now its closer to 90-100 for me to feel pain, if I even do on a ride. Also when your back hurts, see if you can stop for a minute and stretch out. That can help solve the immediate problem.

Keep in mind if you stick to a good core routine, you still may wait a few weeks to see results. So dont give up. Be patient, and hopepully it’ll get better soon.

[Judd]

Probably time to get a recumbent.

[n18]

What’s your weight and height?

What type of seat do you use? Does it have any padding at all? Do you use padded shorts or regular cloths?

I used to have back pain because I though having 2″ memory foam was a good idea. After throwing it away and using a smaller one, my back thanked me. I am 5’4′ and weighing around 195 lbs. Some people who gain some weight twist and turn the wrong way in bed. They push down with their hand to rotate the other way, but do it too fast, so the torso turns, without the legs, causing back pain, not immediately, but later, like a day or two later, so they never think that twisting and turning in bed was the cause. The solution in my case is to do it very slowly. No back pain anymore for me.

[streetsmarts]

@Judd 165454 wrote:

Probably time to get a recumbent.

I just bought this bike and I’m just getting used to riding!. I’m not ready to switch. Maybe one day. But thanks.

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[streetsmarts]

Thanks everyone.
I’m gonna work on my core and look at Bike fit again. Biggest change after moving back to town a few years ago was much reduced working out (boot camp type, plus yoga, strength work, etc). Wasn’t every day but a few times a week. Just never had back pain so I’m very surprised by it.

Hard to fit it in. Maybe a shorter commute to work (coming up) will help.

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[vern]

@Emm 165453 wrote:

Core strenghtening really does help. Its solved 99% of my back issues. I used to have back aches on my bike after 25 miles. Now its closer to 90-100 for me to feel pain, if I even do on a ride. Also when your back hurts, see if you can stop for a minute and stretch out. That can help solve the immediate problem.

Keep in mind if you stick to a good core routine, you still may wait a few weeks to see results. So dont give up. Be patient, and hopepully it’ll get better soon.

I wholeheartedly endorse the stop and stretch idea. For me, 20 seconds of stretching makes fairly intense pain disappear. I can usually do this at a stoplight and not have to otherwise interrupt my ride.

[LeprosyStudyGroup]

Riding 50 states this year on my new bike made my back pretty sore. It got worse and worse until wednesday my back was seized up and I couldnt move. Doc says Sacroiliac joint inflamation, put me on anti inflammation med and I’ll start doing PT this week too. I got nothing to say about it besides that it sucks and I hope we both find ways to make it not happen anymore!

[huskerdont]

@LeprosyStudyGroup 165467 wrote:

Riding 50 states this year on my new bike made my back pretty sore. It got worse and worse until wednesday my back was seized up and I couldnt move. Doc says Sacroiliac joint inflamation, put me on anti inflammation med and I’ll start doing PT this week too. I got nothing to say about it besides that it sucks and I hope we both find ways to make it not happen anymore!

I wondered why your Strava feed had gone quiet.

Only other thing I’d add is that, for me, changing riding position helps. I get out of the saddle more than many just to give the back (and tail) a break. Seems to help.

[semperiden]

I used to get back pain all the time. Specially if my ride was hilly. I decided to start tweaking my saddle height and now the back pain is gone. Even a quarter of an inch can make a huge difference.

[Judd]

The other thing to do is follow the tradition of generations of men in the Lumberjack family, by taking ibuprofen, never going to a doctor, hoping it goes away and then just suffering for years until a significant other forces you to go to the doctor.

[dkel]

@Judd 165478 wrote:

The other thing to do is follow the tradition of generations of men in the Lumberjack family, by taking ibuprofen, never going to a doctor, hoping it goes away and then just suffering for years until a significant other forces you to go to the doctor.

NSAID pills make for an excellent bowl of cereal each morning. Makes that old adage about breakfast being the most important meal of the day seem all the more true!

[EasyRider]

Might it be time to raise your handlebars?

Agree with the PT recommendation. Riding a bike is fun but doesn’t do much for building core strength. I’ve had a bulging disc in my lower back for at least 10 years. PT helped immensely. I would ride there on my bike in pain, and ride away feeling GREAT.

[Author]

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