Back hurting

[CyclingSAM]

When i do a 2 mile + cycle my back seems to start hurting, i think this is because im not sitting in the right postion my back is usually straight. And somehow it still hurts is there any site that tells you the correct postion?

Or any tips to stop it from hurting?

 

[MacB]

Sam, the advice I got on here, which helped me, was to sort out saddle height and reach:-

Saddle height - when sat on the saddle, with a pedal in the 6o'clock, position, your heel should just touch that pedal, without having to reach. This got me a saddle a lot higher than I expected, I can't touch ground either side. It isn't perfect but will give a close approximation. To tweak further I used the idea, pain/ache in front of knee, saddle too low, in back of knee, saddle too high.

Reach - this was harder for me to work out, you need to get your saddle in the correct position on the rails. Then you can tweak bars via length of stem, spacers on steerer tube and angle of stem. I found this trial and error and needed Aperitif on a ride to actually sort rails bit with me. The rest I've just kept tweaking til it felt good.

Point to note, measure/mark all positions before adjusting, so that you can get things back and also know how much you've moved stuff.

 

[montage]

Or any tips to stop it from hurting?

Sit under an apple tree.

 

[montage]

good advice from MacB, also if you have the option of raising/tilting the stem, this can relieve back pain.

It could just be you getting used to longer rides, but you say after two miles? I would guess it is to do with saddle reach - try moving the saddle forward a little as MacB suggests.

It could be that you have extremely weak lower back muscles, simple to correct, just google lower back/core excersizes and you are away.

my back is usually straight.

My understanding is that you should arch your back forwards (i.e. roll shoulders forwards) which cycling.

 

[CyclingSAM]

Ill do this 3 times a week - it says beginners to do 1-2 but ill do 3

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYJ1XVNi46Q

 

[Joe24]

Is your saddle level?

 

[Young Un]

be warned about that exercise - the plank (which is what it is known as round here) absolutely kills the first times you do it.

 

[Joe24]

be warned about that exercise - the plank (which is what it is known as round here) absolutely kills the first times you do it.

I am amazing at the plank
It only hurt me abit when i was doing it, not after though

 

[Hont]

Definitely check saddle height. If your saddle is too high, your hips might be rolling which is bad for the lower back.

A straight back is not actually a bad thing - bending forward is actually bad for the back, but because your legs are forward of your hips when cycling the strain is reduced.

 

[zacklaws]

Moving the seat back or forward can make a big difference as I have just found out for a bad back. Having read this thread earlier I thought I would move my seat forward as I had set it right back so that when my knee was bent at 90dgs my centre of my knee would be over the centre of the pedal which sorted out my aching knee's but started leaving me with a back ache, probably caused by over stretching.

Today I moved the seat forward by just half an inch, did not think it would make much difference that small amount, but straight away noticed more of my weight was supported by my arms and apart from after a very hard climb up a hill, I never suffered any backache over a 50 mile run..

Only problem was my knees ached like hell again right from the word go till I almost finished.

My next strategy will be to move my seat back quarter of an inch and if that does not sort my knee's out and still stop me from getting backache, maybe to move the saddle fully back again and raise the handlebars, but then I will be overstretching again but my back may not be so bent over.

Its a vicious circle

 

[Hont]

@Zacklaws - might be worth trying the seat back but lower. Moving the seat forward generally puts you closer to the pedals so it might be the reduced stretch that was helping your back.

 

[zacklaws]

I have thought of that but I find with my seat lower I get an ache in the top of my thighs which runs up from my knee upwards for about 8 inches.

But I will give it another go, I'm slowly getting there, just a bit more tweaking I believe.

 

[Bodhbh]

Moving the seat back or forward can make a big difference as I have just found out for a bad back. Having read this thread earlier I thought I would move my seat forward as I had set it right back so that when my knee was bent at 90dgs my centre of my knee would be over the centre of the pedal which sorted out my aching knee's but started leaving me with a back ache, probably caused by over stretching.

Today I moved the seat forward by just half an inch, did not think it would make much difference that small amount, but straight away noticed more of my weight was supported by my arms and apart from after a very hard climb up a hill, I never suffered any backache over a 50 mile run..

Only problem was my knees ached like hell again right from the word go till I almost finished....

Its a vicious circle

I recently lowered the bars on my tourer - I'd not used it much recently and got used to the more head down position on my work bike (which I'd done several 70+ mile rides on no problem).

It felt okay, but caused me no end of backache after 30 miles or so and sitting around after a ride. Last month been trying slightly different stem lengths, angles, skirting around the exact position I'm on on the workbike, then giving it a good run for the weekend in each setup to give it a chance - same, backache.

By iteration, got a more or less comfy postion, but noticed the real root of the problem today after riding the work bike 20miles and then hoping on the tourer for the same route - the frigging seat angle!

I tilted the Brooks saddle very slightly nose-up on the tourer to give me some purchase when it was new (otherwise it's like sliding around on a dinner plate). This is fine in an upright position, but when you're lent forward it presses into the front of the groin and you arch your back to accomadate it without even releasing - hence backache. On the workbike with a 100% level saddle (Bioflex Sport) it's a non-issue. The tilt on the Brooks must have only been 5 degrees or somesuch, but enuff.

Anyhow rant over, non-issue now, just back from the pub and glad I've solved something.

 

[zacklaws]

Well I dropped my seat, but only half the distance that I had raised it and after a 20 mile run, from the word go as predicted top of my thighs started to hurt along with my knees, but no back pain. That was yesterday.

Today, moved my seat back now half the distance that I had moved it forward and no pains anywhere during a 50 mile run. Only problem was I run out of steam as I seem to be putting a bit more effort into pedalling now being slightly lower and my legs being slightly benter. But not too worried about that at moment as it could have been more energy related and not enough to eat prior to ride. Will find out at weekend.

 

[CyclingSAM]

Lowerd seat, so my feet are about an inch off the floor and back is still hurting.

My leg is about 25 degrees when my pedal is at 6'o Clock.

Any other tips?