How do you relieve low back tension/pain? The first thing that gives out on me is low back. Not legs, not arms, not general fatigue, just the low back. I think I have pretty good flexibility (palms flat on the floor with the standing stretch.)
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
I’m not a bike god but my guess would be a fitting issue.
Calf raises, leg presses, leg curls, crunches, back extensions. All one-legged. My back pain is caused by disc degeneration and stenosis. These drills help make the pain manageable. That, and Advil.
Im not really a bike god either, but compared to paulo, I probably am. For me, I have found that lots of pain is relieved from doing some basic strength training.
Serious back stretching both before, during and after a ride. A custom bike helps too.
This is all based on my experience from a 12 hour last year!
Slow down.
You may be too stretched out. I’m no bike God but my back got a lot better by shortening up the distance from seat to bar. I think Slowman calls this “reach”.
Beam bike.
Worked for me.
Is it pain or fatigue in your low back?
You could well be bent too far or rounding too much in the low back area. Or, you could be bent too sharply at the low back. Only you can figure that out, and with the help of a fitter.
For me, rounding = fatigue, and a sharp bend at the hips = pain. There’s a sweet spot in between.
as others noted, it’s probably fit. you may have gasp too few spacers under your stem, and/or gasp your seat may be too high. does it hurt on both high and low intensity rides?
I have good flexibility just like you, but that doesn’t mean my handle/aero bars are as low as they can go.
side note on yoga: it has helped me w/ lower back issues I used to have. from everyone else I know that does yoga, they either have tight hamstrings or tight hips (me). try doing some hip openers, since your hips/glutes/lower back are all connected.
More time in the saddle! You need a stronger back. Build those back muscles.
Thanks to all for the responses.
I don’t think it is a fit issue as I have been riding the same set up for more than a year and the problem is more recent. I have lost a small truckload of weight in the last few months. Could that negatively impact position? (Is it conceivable that I have been getting back support from my fat gut?)
When I think about what I have done differently recently, the answer is I ramped up my mileage by about a third instantly and then started to push the time.
I have since backed off the mileage and started adding core exercise and am adding back the mileage a bit more slowly.
I was hoping for a magic bullet to fix this issue. Still plenty of time to get fixed by race time.
How are your abs? If you are suffering from a muscle imbalance between your abs and back, that could result in back pain as well.
How are your abs? If you are suffering from a muscle imbalance between your abs and back, that could result in back pain as well.
Bingo!!! Id say work on the core strength(front and back,)" and stretching.
Not sure why I forgot about this one, but check your cadence. Low cadence can often be contributory in back pain I find.
You will get your answer from this forum just like I did. Your problem may be accelerated by bike fit… It is also driven by how hard you ride, your back strength, many many factors. The solution can be found in Robin McKenzie’s book (you will find it on Amazon for about $10) Treat Your Own Back (don’t be fooled by the simplistic approach). After several bike fits, visits to the doctor, bottles of pills, chiropractors, stretching (all kinds), and almost 15,000 miles of conditioning, my back was taking me off the bike.
Read this book; it will all make sense. The solution is fairly simple (restoring the natural curvature of the lower spine), but takes time and patience. You CAN heal your back, and ride pain free and I mean tomorrow…
Here are a couple of things to also consider. Poor bike posture as mentioned above, this is pretty common for bigger guys because you do not rotate your pelvis enough. By sitting back on your butt cheeks more, usually to relieve crotch pressure, it agrivates the spinal curve issues. Work on pelvic rotation by practicing sticking your butt out and relaxing the diaphragm muscles. Another very common issue is Prostate irration, this causes a big aching pain right at the waist, saddle issues are the cause. Not an ad but the adamo is good for this.
Weight or weight loss can often effect bike fit. If you were fit on your bike +/- a year ago, but have lost a substantial amount since then, it would be a good idea to have your position re-checked. As you well know, flexibility, strength, and a number of other factors can change drastically with weight loss. I wouldn’t be supprised if this is contributing to your back pain… That being said, I don’t think it is the only cause. Back pain is often due to a variety of reasons and difficult to diagnose. Stretching, back specific excercises, message, more miles, and a re-fit are my best suggestions.
When I think about what I have done differently recently, the answer is I ramped up my mileage by about a third instantly and then started to push the time.
Yeah, it could be saddle, poor fit, etc… etc… etc…
Or it could be the above in quotes.