Lower back pain,old subject i know.

[davdandy]

I know this is a common topic but i thought i would make one anyways.

On a ride of about 30 miles i am fine,but if i do more,say 40-60 miles i have pain in my lower right side of my back.Now i do have a history of back problems in the past,due to my work in the building industry (thanks for that) so i know i will never be fully free of it but what do you guys do to help,exercises maybe and if so in what form do you do it.

After these miles i tend to sit upright for a hundred yards or so to relieve the pain and push my pelvic forwards just to ease it.It looks barmey i don't doubt if you saw me but these little things help,if only short term.

 

[Crackle]

If it's muscular you should be able to cure it yourself with 'regular' stretching. Either, see a physio to get some assessment and exercises or get yourself a good book about stretching, something like, The Anatomy of Stretching. It won't take much to sort it, I did the same last year and my back is competely ache free now but it was just muscular.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Consider if you need to see your GP.

Spend a little money go see an Osteopath and a Sports Massage Therapist. One will check out your skeleton to see if there's anything needing unkinking and the other will go through your muscles looking for similar. Do the massage first but give them at least a few days apart. I have back issues from an RTA in the early 90's every couple of years it starts to get worse and after I've endured it for a little too long I remember to go and see the Osteo. This will give me a few more years without the pain. I do massage therapy every 5-6 weeks or so just to keep everything stretched out and working. Physiotherapy will give you some stretching options which could also work, worth it if it is muscle related but they can't replicate the work of an Osteo.

 

[vickster]

I have a similar issue on my left hand side which my physio has identified as sacro-iliac (SIJ) pain (v common among cyclists, mine is compounded by a dodgy left leg and knee). Googling should find you appropriate back stretches, but a physio session or two could,be of benefit. I have a whole raft of stretches for my many ails!

 

[davdandy]

I saw an Osteo and a Physio a few years ago when my back went completely.I was laid out for a week.Since then it has improved but never fully healed,which i put down to my job which is completely physical and so lifting things is an everyday occurrence sadly.Even though i try to use the knees bent back straight principle it is not always easy to do,especially when handling things on my own and in tight spaces.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Warning - I could bore for hours on back stuff.
I spent over a year walking with a stick thanks to back pain and tried lots of things. You should have a local pain clinic, talk your GP in to getting you a referral. There are a lot of drugs to try including some (like gabapentin) that aren't obvious back pain stuff. Part of the problem is that the back is the weak link in the body, we've evolved with this as something the body knows so we have twice the number of nerve receptors in the back to check for injury. The problem is when there is some you get much worse pain, because there are twice the number of alarms telling you. Mine was finally cured by injections in to the nerve endings under X-ray. This numbed them for a number of months which allowed the cycle (back hurts, body sends chemicals to fix, back irritated by fixing, back hurts...) to be broken. It was supposed to be a test and if it worked for a while the nerve endings were to be burnt out by laser (lasts a few years) but I didn't need it. Of course my back issue is unlikely to be your back issue. There is probably a solution somewhere though.

 

[vickster]

I saw an Osteo and a Physio a few years ago when my back went completely.I was laid out for a week.Since then it has improved but never fully healed,which i put down to my job which is completely physical and so lifting things is an everyday occurrence sadly.Even though i try to use the knees bent back straight principle it is not always easy to do,especially when handling things on my own and in tight spaces.

I'd go back to the osteo or physio. My preference personally is for a good private sports physio. They need to look at whole spine and legs. Posture is really important, not just lifting. Sit supported and don't slouch

Pain management seems a tad extreme for now if it's a cycling issue

 

[davdandy]

I get pain in the mornings as i get up but nothing bad,more twinges if anything.I get them at work which is to be expected and have grown to live with it.But the cycling seems worse,maybe it because i am in a fixed position for long times on the road and the body doesn't really move that much on the bike,unless i get off that is but i don't really want to keep doing that.

 

[vickster]

Is the bike correctly set up and sized?

There are plenty of good back stretches to do, but best get checked out first

I hassle a discectomy 20 years ago and although I don't generally suffer with it, my physio is sure there's a latent weakness the which has just come to the fore with the other injuries

 

[Cold]

I get pain in the mornings as i get up but nothing bad,more twinges if anything.I get them at work which is to be expected and have grown to live with it.But the cycling seems worse,maybe it because i am in a fixed position for long times on the road and the body doesn't really move that much on the bike,unless i get off that is but i don't really want to keep doing that.

I used to get a lot of back pain and went to physio, chiropractor and while they worked for a while it wasn't until I started doing squats and back exercises at the gym that the pain eventually eased up to the point that I rarely get anything now.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Strengthening your core is always worthwhile. You can sort a lot of stuff by just having decent core muscles.

 

[vickster]

Yes, that's quite a lot of my issue, I don't seem to have one under the flabby bits!

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I apparently impressed my bike fit person with how strong mine was. Considering what it's hidden by it was a smug moment. Quickly followed by 'I bet they tell everyone that' doubt, naturally.

 

[Crankarm]

Crunches, chin ups and running will greatly help strengthen your core muscles and sort out your back.

 

[Albert]

Anatomy of Stretching is a great book. It has helped me with my periodic episode of back trouble (when I become over confident) no end. Pelvic Tilts are also very good. I also do an hour of fairly easy weight training in the gym once a week - using various machines.