Back pain and mountain biking
by: Admin
Posted on: Thursday, January 3rd, 2008 at 12:18 pm by: Admin
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Cycling is a great way to get out and get some exercise. Unfortunately for many avid cyclists, back pain and mountain biking go hand in hand. Some cyclists experience either constant or sporadic back pain while cycling. However, there is no reason for you to endure chronic back pain while riding and, what’s more, riding for extended periods of time with back pain could ultimately result in more serious injury. Some trainers might tell you “no pain, no gain” but this is not the kind of pain that they’re talking about.
One of the most common causes of back pain while mountain biking is a badly fitted bike. This leads to bad biking posture and, ultimately, back pain. When you first get on your bike, do you experience any mild irritations? If, say, the handlebars feel like a little bit of a stretch (but you can ignore it!) when you first get on, you’ll end up putting an unnecessary amount of pressure on your upper arms and shoulders after you’ve been cycling for a good hour. It can’t be overstressed that both short distance and long distance mountain bikers need to take the time to properly adjust their bikes in order to avoid back pain or possible injuries.
When you first get on your bike, check for hyperextension. If the frame is too large and you find yourself straining your neck and arms at any time during a few test pedals, you could end up experiencing back pain further down the line. Drop handle bars are another common cause of hyperextension since they put more weight on a rider’s arms and shoulders.
One quick fix for cycling back pain is to raise or lower the handlebars. Tweak the handlebar height until you feel no need to stretch (hyperextend) your neck or shoulders at any point while riding. Some people recommend tilting the seat slightly forward, giving the cyclist more support and a better trajectory when beginning the cycling motion.
Another possible cause for back pain while mountain biking is stress. Complaints of cycling neck and back pain are all more common at the start of any given cycling season when riders are pushing themselves for the first time in a long time. If you haven’t spent any time in the saddle for a couple months, you’ll probably find that you experience lower back pain, especially after you try to be ambitious and really push yourself. Trainers recommend only increasing mileage and ride length approximately 10% per week in order to ease into a cycling routine if you haven’t been on a mountain bike for two months or more.
