Back Problems

[Alastair]

Hey guys

I get major back pains that only occur after i have been on my bike, the pain is middle back around the spine, i dunno what to do, my options are to take a break from biking because it could be Repetative Strain injury as i ride on my street everyday, my other option is debateable, i could change my technique because im thinking how you backhop could be a major factor, and differant styles could put differant amounts of strain on my back.

Any advice or help would be greatly recived.

Al

[Guest]

Do you warm up/down before and after riding?

What sort of bike are you riding? What height are you? what's your bar/stem set-up? If your bike's too long/short for you it might cause pain, more so if it's too short.

[Alastair]

Do you warm up/down before and after riding?

What sort of bike are you riding? What height are you? what's your bar/stem set-up? If your bike's too long/short for you it might cause pain, more so if it's too short.

naa i dont really warm up, i do cycle to the places that we ride if that counts.

Im riding the old ashton justice, im 5" 10, Azonic Double Walls and FSA stem, not sure wat length my stem is, what do you think, u thnk the bikes to short, i think the old ashton length is like 1030, but not too sure.

thanks for the inquiry

[MasterOfGussets]

My suggestion is head to your GP.

Back when I was about 15 I was riding for hours every day. After a while I began to get a lot of backache and chest pains that felt like an anxiety attack on steroids while a fat guy was sitting on me.

I eventually went to my doctor and my back healed but I still get chest pains. Very rarely, but they really can hurt. The Doctor put it down to massive amounts of slouched riding and not warming up for it. He claimed it would have been better if I'd gone to him earlier.

So that's my suggestion: see your GP sooner rather than later. It could help in the long run.

[zoof]

i think you are just getting old mate.

think the bike might be too small or set up wrong

zoof

[Becki_x]

I'd go to the doctors as soon as you can to get it sorted. I'm getting back pain a lot recently (mines not because of my bike) and it is killing me =(. At the moment I'm just having to take standard over the counter pain killers which is helping until my doctor does something. What ever you do don't overdose on them though =P

[Krisboats]

naa i dont really warm up, i do cycle to the places that we ride if that counts.

Im riding the old ashton justice, im 5" 10, Azonic Double Walls and FSA stem, not sure wat length my stem is, what do you think, u thnk the bikes to short, i think the old ashton length is like 1030, but not too sure.

thanks for the inquiry

I don't reckon the bike is too short for you and i think the old ashtons were a 1040 wheelbase. Unless you have a silly small stem that has the bars practically touching the steerer tube it'll be fine.. I have a similar length bike and i'm 6 foot 5. Thing is i think the majority of us got back pains when we first started out because the muscles that are tensed up on the rear wheel aren't really used for anything in everday life... as the muscles strengthen though the pain goes away. I still get mid-back pains occasionally after massive riding sessions but they're always muscular.

If it is anything other than muscular go and see your doctor.

[grantham]

Ive had back problems for the last 3 months, rest it to start with mate, and see your gp, im off to see a specialist in leicester tomorrow, but im paying for that,also do you have an e-mail? as im sure si lord would help, he's been helping me.

[Ra964]

i had those to, i went to a medic, and solved the problem, you should stretch before and after riding, especialy for your back i found this on biketrials.com http://biketrials.com/fun/bikestretch.jpg

[Fishy]

I had terrible back pains when I started. When I went to see the doc, he said it was the muscle strtching more than usual, if you rest and ride, then your back will get fine.

Also, if you don't drink enough, it can cause bad back ache. Not sure how this works, but my local GP said if I didn't drink enough it would also make my back sore.

[spode@thinkbikes]

A lot of this depends on if your pain is muscular or spinal... But if you're seriously worried I would go to a GP.

When I was around 15, I got some serious neck pain when riding. I eventually went to the doctor because it hurt so much. They x-rayed it, said it was a sprain and sent me packing. So I just swallowed a shit load of pills and kept riding.

A week later they phoned me up saying they had x-rayed the wrong part of my neck. It turned out I had chipped off a corner of one of my vertebrae. This particular section was not fully-formed bone because of my age, hence it wanting to fall off. But it was basically a form of whip lash. It was fine after a while, but I think with trials you get used to aches and pains and sometimes shrug them off all too easily.

I used to get seriously bad lower back pain, where I used to reguarly trap a nerve at the base of my spine. An osteopath I was seeing felt it was genetic and gave me some excercises to strengthen the muscles that hold my spine together. A combination of that, a new bed and new chair solved it. Although occasionally it does come back.

Then not too long ago I had a prolapsed disc in the middle of my back. That's basically what people call a slipped disc (although I think there is a minor difference). It was HORRIBLE. One of the worst things I've ever been though. It popped out again 2 or 3 times after it initially healed and I still get a lot of problems with it now, especially after a long ride. I'm going to get this looked at a bit more as I have a feeling something needs to be done about it, but the doctors are currently concentrating on my stomach issues - I didn't want to cloud the issue

Not doing too badly for a 22 year old

But erm, anyway. Look after your body as much as you look after your bike.

[lee220]

i get it all the time its so anoyin, i think rest is the cure though

[Alastair]

thanks for all the help guys, i think i am gonna give it some rest for a couple of weeks, and then see where that takes me, if i still get problems after that i guess i should go see my GP, better late than never ey...

Al

[chris mac]

i woulnt worry to much ive had back pain off riding for years,off riding too much but i carry on regardless but ill probibly pay for it in the long run

Edited April 27, 2006 by chris mac

[Alun Goch]

I had some back pain, and found out it was when I landed gaps, sounds weird, but I used to bend my back when I landed, not bending my legs as much. Now I use my legs more, helped the pain, and Im smoother now too!

Alun

[Alastair]

they say that extensive riding can lead to Arthritis in your spine/back, which i certainly dont want!!!

AL

[kev kazama]

Do you warm up/down before and after riding?

What sort of bike are you riding? What height are you? what's your bar/stem set-up? If your bike's too long/short for you it might cause pain, more so if it's too short.???????????????????????????

:$ ive never done a warm up in me life since i started riding :$

Guess i must have a perfect set up

[grantham]

my specialist has sent me for blood test to make sure its not spyrosis, and im going for an mri scan next week, had 4 choices

NHS wait 3 months

Leicester £850

Nuffield £500

Cheltenham £200

so i chose cheltenham obvioulsy although its alot futher from my house, £200 next week and i should now whats going on hopefully

[Alex.loves.boys]

I used to get this

its gone now

comes back every so often

have you changed your forks or stem recnetly?

made your front end lower?

well i bought a zoo stem and i stated to get back pain i got really worried and thought id f**ked it but its fine now like i said

just rest for a few days

then ride one

rest e.t.c

build up if the pain continues

see your g.p