Lower-back pain from cycling can be caused by a number of factors, including poor bike fit, improper riding technique, muscle imbalances, and underlying medical conditions. In this article, we’ll explore all cycling problems that cause lower-back pain to cyclists, specifically:
- 8 most popular cycling mistakes that cause lower-back pain
- 7 cycling postures that cause lower-back pain
- 6 pedalling techniques that cause lower-back pain
- 8 bike fit mistakes that cause lower-back pain
- 7 saddle mistakes that will cause lower-back pain
8 most popular cycling mistakes that cause lower-back pain
1. Poor Bike Fit
If your bike is not properly adjusted to your body measurements, it can lead to strain on your lower back. This includes saddle height, saddle position, handlebar height, and reach.
2. Improper Riding Technique
Maintaining the wrong posture while cycling, such as rounding your back, can strain your lower back muscles. Also, cycling in a high gear and pushing a big gear can strain the lower back. We will discuss further about cycling techniques that cause lower-back pain later in this article.
3. Muscle Imbalances
Weak core muscles and tight hamstrings can contribute to lower back pain. The core muscles play a vital role in stabilizing your spine while riding. If they are weak, your lower back muscles have to work harder, leading to pain and discomfort.
4. Overuse or Repetitive Strain
Cycling for long periods without proper rest can lead to overuse injuries, including lower back pain. The repetitive motion can strain the muscles and ligaments in the lower back.
5. Spinal Issues
Conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or other spinal abnormalities can cause lower back pain while cycling. These conditions can be exacerbated by the bending and hunching over during cycling.
6. Inadequate Warm-up or Stretching
Failing to warm up properly or not stretching before and after cycling can make your muscles more prone to injuries, including lower back strain. Warm-up is necessary in any physical activity, not exclusively for cycling.
7. Poor Riding Surface
Cycling on uneven or rough surfaces can jolt your spine and lead to lower back pain over time. Therefore, when planning for your next ride, factor in the type of terrain if you have some back pain condition.
8. Medical Conditions
Conditions like arthritis, sciatica, or spondylolisthesis can cause chronic lower back pain, which can be aggravated by cycling. Consult your doctor before participating in any physical exercise when you have a medical condition, such as one of the above.
How to avoid lower-back pain from cycling?
The below are a number of things that you can review and fix to avoid lower-back pain and make your road cycling more enjoyable.
1. Check Your Bike Fit
- Saddle Position: Ensure your saddle is at the right height. Your leg should be almost straight with a slight bend in the knee when the pedal is at the lowest point.
- Saddle Tilt: A slight upward tilt of the saddle might relieve pressure on the lower back.
- Handlebar Height: Experiment with handlebar height. Higher handlebars can reduce strain on the lower back.
- Reach: Adjust the reach to the handlebars. If it’s too far, it can strain your back. A shorter stem might be necessary.
2. Improve Your Riding Technique
- Maintain Proper Posture: Keep your back straight and avoid rounding or excessive arching.
- Engage Core Muscles: Use your core muscles to support your back and maintain proper posture.
- Relax Shoulders: Avoid tensing up your shoulders; keep them relaxed.
- Pedal Efficiently: Use a cadence that allows smooth pedalling without straining your back. Shift gears to maintain a comfortable cadence.
3. Work on Your Core Strength
- Core Exercises: Incorporate core-strengthening exercises into your routine, such as planks, bridges, and rotational exercises.
- Lower Back Exercises: Strengthen your lower back muscles with exercises like superman core exercise and lower back extensions.
4. Improve Flexibility
- Stretch Regularly: Focus on stretching your hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower back before and after rides.
- Yoga or Pilates: These activities can improve overall flexibility and core strength, which can alleviate back pain.
5. Warm-Up and Cool Down
- Warm-Up: Spend 5-10 minutes doing light cardio and dynamic stretches to warm up your muscles before cycling.
- Cool Down: After your ride, spend time doing static stretches to maintain flexibility and reduce muscle tension.
6. Use Proper Riding Gear
- Quality Shorts: Invest in good-quality cycling shorts with padding to provide cushioning and reduce pressure on sensitive areas.
- Footwear: Wear proper cycling shoes that provide support and help with efficient pedalling.
7. Regular Massage and Physiotherapy:
- Massage: Regular massages can help relax tight muscles and improve circulation.
- Physiotherapy: A physiotherapist can provide targeted exercises and techniques to relieve back pain.
Above are the 8 most popular cycling mistakes that cause lower-back pain to cyclists and how to fix them. Next, we will dive deeper into cycling problems related to postures, pedalling techniques, bike fit, and saddle fit that lead to lower-back pain.
7 cycling postures that cause lower-back pain
Cycling postures can contribute to lower back pain if not maintained correctly. Here are a few common culprits:
1. Rounding the Back
One of the most significant contributors to lower back pain in cycling is rounding the back. This posture can happen if your bike is not properly fitted, causing you to stretch too far to reach the handlebars. When your back is rounded, it strains the muscles and puts pressure on the spine, leading to discomfort and pain.
2. Arching the Back Excessively
On the opposite end, arching your back excessively can also lead to lower back pain. Hyperextension of the spine can strain the muscles and ligaments in the lower back, especially during long rides.
3. Overreaching for Handlebars
If your bike’s reach is too long, you might be overreaching for the handlebars. This posture can cause excessive strain on the lower back muscles, leading to pain and discomfort.
4. Hunching Shoulders
Hunching your shoulders while cycling can lead to poor spinal alignment, causing strain on the lower back. It also restricts your chest expansion, making it harder to breathe properly, which can contribute to fatigue and back pain.
5. High Saddle Position
If your saddle is positioned too high, it can cause your hips to rock side to side as you pedal. This rocking motion can strain the lower back muscles.
6. Low Handlebars
Extremely low handlebars might force you into a more aerodynamic position, but if your body isn’t conditioned for it, it can lead to excessive strain on the lower back and hamstrings.
7. Incorrect Pedaling Technique
Pedalling with improper technique, such as using a gear that’s too high, can put excessive strain on your back. Pushing a hard gear can lead to fatigue and stress on the lower back muscles.
Here are what you can do to prevent lower back pain due to poor cycling postures:
1. Get a Professional Bike Fit
A professional fitting ensures that your bike is adjusted to your body’s proportions, reducing the risk of poor posture-related pain.
2. Maintain Proper Form
Focus on keeping your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Engage your core muscles to support your spine. Your arms should have a slight bend, not locked straight.
3. Regularly Strengthen Your Core Muscles
Strong core muscles provide essential support for your lower back. Incorporate core-strengthening exercises into your fitness routine.
4. Listen to Your Body
If you experience discomfort or pain, adjust your posture, take breaks, and consult a professional if the pain persists.
Remember, everyone is different, so what works for one cyclist might not work for another. It’s crucial to find a posture that is comfortable for you and doesn’t cause pain or strain.
6 pedalling techniques that cause lower-back pain?
Wrong pedalling techniques can cause lower back pain. Here are some common pedalling mistakes and techniques that can contribute to discomfort and pain in the lower back:
1. Mashing on the Pedals
Applying excessive force on the pedals in a “mashing” motion, especially in high gears, can strain your lower back muscles. This technique can cause jolts of force to travel up your legs and into your back, leading to pain and discomfort.
2. Using Too High or Too Low Gears
Using gears that are too high (hard to pedal) or too low (spinning too fast) for your fitness level can lead to lower back strain. High gears can cause you to push excessively, while low gears might cause your legs to spin too fast, both of which can stress your lower back.
3. Inefficient Pedal Stroke
Failing to maintain a smooth, circular pedal stroke can lead to uneven pressure on your legs and back. Jerky or uneven pedal strokes can cause your body to sway side to side, putting strain on your lower back.
4. Limited Range of Motion
If your pedal stroke doesn’t utilize your full range of motion, it can cause muscle imbalances and strain. For instance, not fully extending your legs at the bottom of the pedal stroke or not pulling up with your hamstrings can lead to problems.
5. Incorrect Saddle Position
If your saddle is too high or too low, it can affect your pedalling technique and put stress on your lower back. A saddle that’s too high can lead to rocking hips, while a saddle that’s too low can cause your knees to come up too high, both of which can strain your lower back.
6. Neglecting Core Engagement
Your core muscles play a crucial role in stabilizing your body while pedalling. If you’re not actively engaging your core, your lower back may bear more weight and strain.
How to improve pedalling techniques to avoid lower-back pain?
A number of things that you can do to improve your pedalling techniques to prevent lower back pain, as follows:
1. Maintain a Smooth Pedal Stroke
Focus on maintaining a smooth and circular pedal stroke. This involves pushing over the top, pulling through the bottom, and lifting at the back of the stroke.
2. Use Appropriate Gears
Select gears that allow you to pedal comfortably at a cadence of around 80-100 revolutions per minute (RPM). This cadence is generally easier on the joints and muscles.
3. Ensure Proper Saddle Height
Adjust your saddle height so that your legs are almost fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke, with a slight bend in your knees.
4. Engage Your Core Muscles
Actively engage your core muscles to stabilize your body and support your lower back.
8 bike fit mistakes that cause lower-back pain
An improper bike fit can significantly contribute to lower back pain. Several factors related to bike fit can cause or exacerbate lower back pain, as following:
1. Incorrect Saddle Height
If your saddle is too high or too low, it can cause your hips to rock side to side as you pedal. This rocking motion can strain the lower back muscles, leading to pain and discomfort.
2. Wrong Saddle Position
The horizontal position of your saddle matters. If it’s too far forward or too far back, it can affect your posture, leading to lower back strain. A saddle that is too far forward might cause you to lean too much, while a saddle that’s too far back might force you to overreach.
3. Handlebar Height and Reach
If your handlebars are too low, it can lead to a hunched-over posture, causing strain on the lower back. Similarly, if the reach to the handlebars is too long, it can force you to overreach, putting stress on your back muscles.
4. Incorrect Handlebar Width
If your handlebars are too wide or too narrow, it can affect your shoulder position, leading to discomfort in the lower back.
5. Inadequate Cleat Position
If your cleats are not positioned correctly on your cycling shoes, it can affect your pedal stroke, leading to an uneven distribution of force and strain on your lower back.
6. Poor Suspension Setup (for mountain bikes)
For mountain bikers, having improper suspension settings, such as too stiff or too soft, can lead to jolts and vibrations that are transmitted to your spine, causing lower back pain.
Riding a bike that is too large or too small for your body can cause a range of issues, including lower back pain. It affects your ability to reach the handlebars comfortably and maintain a proper riding posture. Therefore, choosing a bike frame size that fits you is critical.
8. Incorrect Stem Length
The length of the stem (the component that connects the handlebars to the fork) can affect your riding position. A stem that is too long can cause you to stretch too far, putting strain on your lower back.
Saddle is an important factor in cycling. We’ll look more carefully at saddle problems that cause cyclists lower-back pain.
7 Bike Seat Mistakes that Cause Cyclists Lower-back Pain
The type of bike seat (saddle) you choose can indeed influence lower-back pain. An inappropriate saddle can cause discomfort and pain in the lower back, especially during long rides. Here are some factors related to bike seats that can contribute to lower-back pain:
1. Inadequate Padding
A saddle with insufficient padding can cause discomfort, especially on bumpy roads. Without proper cushioning, the pressure on your lower back and spine increases, leading to pain.
2. Excessive Padding
While too little padding can be uncomfortable, an excessively padded saddle can also cause problems. It can create pressure points and reduce blood circulation, leading to numbness and discomfort in the lower back and surrounding areas.
3. Narrow Saddle
A saddle that is too narrow might not support your sit bones properly. When your sit bones lack support, your pelvis can tilt backward, leading to strain on the lower back.
4. Wide Saddle
On the contrary, a saddle that is too wide might cause excessive friction and chafing on the inner thighs. This discomfort can cause you to constantly shift your position, leading to strain in the lower back.
5. Wrong Shape
Saddle shape matters. Some riders might find relief in a saddle with a center cutout or a depression in the middle to reduce pressure on the perineum. Choosing a saddle that matches your anatomy and riding style is crucial.
6. Improper Tilt
The tilt of the saddle can influence your riding posture. If the nose of the saddle is tilted too far upward or downward, it can lead to discomfort in the lower back.
7. Lack of Flexibility
Some saddles are rigid and do not provide any flexibility. A little flexibility can help absorb shocks and adapt to your body’s movements, reducing strain on your lower back.
How To Find A Bike Seat That Reduces Risk of Lower Back Pain?
1. Try Different Saddles
Every rider is different, and what works for one person might not work for another. Try different saddles to find the one that provides adequate support and comfort for your sit bones.
2. Factor In Your Riding Style
Your riding position and style influence the type of saddle you need. For example, a more upright riding position might require a different type of saddle compared to a forward-leaning, aggressive riding position.
3. Get a Professional Fitting
If you’re experiencing persistent lower-back pain, consider getting a professional bike fitting. A trained expert can assess your riding position and recommend a suitable saddle based on your body’s proportions and riding style.
4. Wear Proper Padded Shorts
Investing in good-quality padded cycling shorts can also alleviate pressure and provide additional comfort, reducing the strain on your lower back.
5. Regularly Check Your Saddle Position
Sometimes, minor adjustments in the tilt or height of the saddle can make a significant difference. Regularly check and fine-tune your saddle position based on your comfort level and riding experience.
By paying attention to the type of saddle you use and making necessary adjustments, you can reduce the risk of lower-back pain and enhance your overall cycling experience.
Remember that everyone’s body is different, so what works for one person may not work for another. If you’re experiencing chronic or severe lower back pain, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and tailored treatment plan. Happy riding!
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