Below, we explore some of the reasons why you might experience lower-back pain from cycling, and we\u2019ll share some suggestions \u2013 as recommended by the experts \u2013 on how to reduce the symptoms.<\/p>\n
- What causes lower back pain from cycling?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Bike fit and back pain<\/a><\/li>\n
- Spinal movement and back pain<\/a><\/li>\n
- Tips to prevent back pain<\/a><\/li>\n
- Exercises to avoid back pain<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
What causes lower-back pain from cycling?<\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Back muscles need to be strong to support the delicate lumbar spine area.<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n Sport and exercise scientist, Paul Hough, explains how the lower back comprises a mass of muscles, tendons and ligaments. These form a cylinder of musculature around the lumbar spine, which is referred to as the core<\/a>.<\/p>\n
These soft tissues work together to support the spine, maintain posture and initiate movement.<\/p>\n
Hough explains that cycling causes \u201cstatic flexion\u201d of the lower back when we bend forwards to hold the handlebar.<\/p>\n
Riding in an aggressive road bike position in the drops exacerbates the bend in the spine, he says.<\/p>\n
Hough also states that desk jobs can exacerbate lower-back pain. You should stand up and move every half an hour when working in the office or from your desk at home.<\/p>\n
Riders prone to lower-back pain should also be wary of cycling early in the morning, when vertebral column discs are at greater risk of injury, he says.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>The spine is vulnerable to injury in a flexed position.<\/span><\/figcaption> Dario Belingheri\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n Physio and bike fitter Phil Burt explains how flexing our lower back while cycling puts the spine into an open joint position, where we are slightly more vulnerable to injury.<\/p>\n
But the back is somewhat supported because we are seated in the saddle. However,\u00a0Phil goes on to say: \u201cThis seat can nevertheless transfer a significant amount of vibration into the pelvis and lower back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over time, this leads to pain in your back muscles, which become fatigued and stiff due to the effort of trying to absorb the shock. Then the nerves in your vertebrae take the brunt of the impact.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Hough explains how poor hip flexor<\/a> and hamstring<\/a> flexibility can also contribute to lower-back pain.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s the issue of bike fit \u2013 for example, incorrect road bike sizing <\/a>or road bike position<\/a>.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re experiencing back pain from mountain biking, our guides to mountain bike sizing<\/a> and mountain bike setup<\/a> should help you find the right position and minimise the chance of back pain.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Cycling builds big quads, just don\u2019t forget about your back.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n Dr Michael Lanning, a chiropractor who specialises in cycling-related joint and spine injuries, says a cyclist\u2019s back muscles are usually their weakest link.<\/p>\n
\u201cCyclists have huge leg muscles but don\u2019t have the torso strength to support and resist the tremendous forces that the legs can generate,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the torso is weak\u00a0that force doesn\u2019t go into the pedals but is dissipated in \ufb02exing of the abdomen.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at tired riders \u2013 every stroke generates an \u2018S\u2019 curve in the back, causing fatigue and muscle spasm.\u201d<\/p>\n
No rider will ever develop a suf\ufb01ciently strong torso through riding alone, he claims.<\/p>\n
\u201cRiding with undeveloped abs is something like riding a bike with a cracked frame \u2013 all the energy gets dissipated in \ufb02exion, and doesn\u2019t get you down the road.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Get checked out by a physio after a crash.<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n Joy Potts, an osteopath and sports injury specialist, believes some riders\u2019 back pain traces back to crashes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see so many riders who spend hours and hundreds of pounds sorting out their bikes after a crash, but don\u2019t think twice about their bodies,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout you realising, it can cause the pelvis to become twisted and make your legs different lengths \u2013 issues that create muscle imbalances and put huge pressure on your lumbar spine as you twist your abdomen for power.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlways, always get a professional once-over after any crash. Leave it too late and it can result in months of pain,\u201d she advises.<\/p>\n
Weakness in other areas can force the lower-back muscles to overwork, leading to fatigue and back pain.<\/p>\n
The obliques stabilise the torso when you climb out of the saddle. But if they are too feeble to do so, your climbing power will diminish and your back muscles take up the load.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>The glute medius is a small, but vital muscle.<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n The glute medius is a muscle that can cause lower-back pain from cycling. We rarely use it day to day, but cycling requires more of this muscle found on the outside of the buttocks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt literally holds your pelvis in place so you get an ef\ufb01cient transfer of power in the lumbar region,\u201d says Paul Massey, a British Olympic Association physio.<\/p>\n
A weak glute medius tires quickly and leaves more of the work supporting your pedal-stroke to the back muscles.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Tight leg muscles pull your pelvis either too far back or forwards when cycling.<\/span><\/figcaption> Luc Claessen\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n Poor pelvic position can also lead to back pain from cycling, Potts adds. \u201cTight quads will tilt the pelvis forward, while tight hamstrings will tilt it back.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn both cases, your lower back will overarch and start to take the strain when it should be your much bigger muscles in the core,\u201d says the osteopath.<\/p>\n
Low cycling cadence<\/a> is another potential cause. So be careful if you\u2019re training to become a hill climbing star<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Pushing bigger gears or overdoing your hill sets can overly fatigue the glutes and hamstrings, again leading to pain.<\/p>\n
What about upper-back pain?<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Riding in the drops hyperextends the neck and back muscles.<\/span><\/figcaption> Luc Claessen\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n Upper-back pain and neck pain<\/a> are most often caused and exacerbated by riding position and technique, explains elite cycling coach Andy Wadsworth.<\/p>\n
Riding in drop handlebars for long periods will not only increase the load on the arms and shoulders, it will also hyperextend the neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cProlonged hyperextension leads to \u2018trigger points\u2019, small rubbery knots that form in muscle and adjacent fascia muscle sheaths, which send pain signals to the brain and contribute to a pain-spasm-pain cycle,\u201d says Wadsworth.<\/p>\n
If the virtual top-tube length (top tube plus stem length) is too long for the rider, or if aero bars are used, hyperextension is a near certainty, he claims.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s especially common in the early season when riders are increasing both their mileage and the time they spend in the saddle.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Avoid slumping at a desk if you\u2019re prone to back pain.<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n The other common causes of upper-back pain are simple problems in the muscles, says GP Andy Ward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis can be due to poor posture, prolonged sitting at a computer, weakness of the muscles, using a backpack, repetitive strain or minor injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cA more serious cause might be suggested by pain after a heavy crash, a history of osteoporosis, age at onset less than 20 or over 50 years, previous cancer, fever, weight loss, night pain, prolonged symptoms or numbness, pins and needles or weakness in the arms and legs,\u201d he continues.<\/p>\n
DrWard warns against carrying heavy loads in a backpack on the bike and suggests using a rack and pannier bags<\/a> instead.<\/p>\n
But if you do wear a cycling backpack<\/a>, Dr Ward says you should pack it carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amount of weight carried is more important than bag design, and a stable, symmetrical load is associated with fewer muscle problems,\u201d he advises.<\/p>\n
Bike fit and back pain<\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>If your saddle\u2019s too high, you\u2019ll move side to side and your pelvis will suffer.<\/span><\/figcaption> Kaden Gardener \/ Our Media <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n Bike fit plays a big role in ensuring you are comfortable on the bike and safe from injury.<\/p>\n
Potts says getting your bike saddle height<\/a> right is crucial for reducing the chances of back pain when cycling.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your saddle is too high, you\u2019ll rock side to side, causing the muscles between your pelvis and lower back to spasm,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cPut your heel on the pedal at the six o\u2019clock position and sit on the saddle \u2013 your leg should be almost straight and you shouldn\u2019t have to rock your hips to reach down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy Wadsworth says if you suffer from neck pain you should also inspect the setup and \ufb01t of your bicycle.<\/p>\n
You might \ufb01nd you have to raise the handlebar<\/a> or change to a bar with a shallower drop or greater rise, if you\u2019re using a flat mountain bike handlebar<\/a>. You could also reduce the virtual top-tube length with a shorter bike stem<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoving the saddle forward should also reduce virtual top-tube length, but be careful as a poor saddle position can lead to knee issues, which are just as hard to sort when they set in,\u201d Wadsworth cautions.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Unless your back and hamstrings are flexible, choose a handlebar with minimal drop.<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon Bromley \/ Immediate Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n Bike fitter Phil Cavell says your position on the bike depends on a variety of factors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe optimal distance and drop of the bar from the saddle depends on your body\u2019s capabilities, specifically hamstring length, lower-back flexibility and functional core,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n
As a result, the less core strength and flexibility you have, the closer and higher the bar needs to be.<\/p>\n
Read our ultimate guide to bike geometry and handling <\/a>to find out more.<\/p>\n
Matt Bottrill, former British national time-trial champion and coach, argues a professional bike fit <\/a>can ward off back pain while cycling.<\/p>\n
He says: \u201cImproved glute activation and back comfort comes with saddle set back and angled, and enhanced lower back and shoulder comfort comes with stem length and bar height.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of these things will improve your efficiency on the bike and reduce the accompanying risk of injury.\u201d<\/p>
Spinal movement and back pain<\/h2>\n
- Bike fit and back pain<\/a><\/li>\n
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