I’m a swimmer and I have decently strong shoulder and neck. But recently I went out for a couple of rides and during my ride my neck and lats have been killing me from being in aero position. Anyone have any suggestions to what it can be.
Poor fit. Tim
It most likely has to do with your bike position. It’s possible that you’re too stretched out which will effect your neck and traps area. If so try a shorter stem or aero bar length and see if it makes a difference.
You could also be set up in the most perfect position and still get neck pain. I always got neck pain on my tri bikes after an hour or so even though my position was theoretically ideal. This is often seen in people who have a hypolordotic cervical curvature, meaning that instead of the normal C shaped curve, they may have a strait or even reversed curvature. These folks often have restricted extension in their neck and find riding in a low in the front position uncomfortable.
There are neck exercises for flexibility/strength and a chiro may be able to help, but for now try raising your handle bars and see how it helps.
“Pain is weakness leaving the body”
By coincidence, I was reading Dan’s Bike Fit articles today and noticed your symptoms in this article http://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/F.I.S.T._Tri_bike_fit_system/Cockpit_length_22.html . Definitely worth a read to give you some extensive background. It was for me at least!
If you are using the same bike with the same fit that you used before but have been off the tri bike for awhile then logic would suggest that you just need to recondition the neck muscles. The neck muscles aren’t really meant to hold our heads up in a steep riding posture. Too much weight on muscles that rarely experience that kind of strain unless you are on a tri bike. The steeper you are riding the more strain will be placed on your neck. Your muscles will need time to adapt. I’m not an expert but I just switched to a steeper position and have been experiencing neck strain that has gradually decreased as I have adapted. I would give it a few weeks if it is the same bike/position you were in last year and see if the adaptation comes back before messing with the fit (assuming you were already properly fit).
http://www.prowriststraps.com/inc/sdetail/15214
I don’t recommend the actual load he’s using, but the harness works like a champ!