Tony (Michigan)

This is for guys with the standard bicycle that requires a bent over position, not a comfort bike or a recumbant . . .
Guys with lower back pain . . . how do you ride?

Is your lower back arched upward? or do you ride kind of sway back where your back arches down?
Or is your back straight from tailbone to neck?

Have you changed the way you ride with your back humped or swaybacked or straight so as to not have lower back pain?

The reason I ask is I am trying to discover if it was the way I rode which caused my lower back problem.

Thanks for any responses.

dharleyd

first and most important make sure the bike fits in the proper riding postion. anyway that is what has helped me for the last 25 years of riding
thanks

oilman_15106

Both these books have a wealth of info on cycling and medical problems with suggested solutions:

https://www.amazon.com/Pruitts-Comple...8551323&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Bike-Life-How-...8551420&sr=1-1

I really like the Ride to 100 book for the advice. Stretching related to specific cycling problems. The only thing lacking is pictures of the specific stretches.

Good luck.

Long deKlein

You might want to try lowering your saddle by a cm or so--sometimes in the course of fit tweaking and component swaps I'll end up with the saddle too high, although initially it feels fine. By the end of a 20 mile ride, though, my lower back will let me know that I, as Maxwell Smart used to say, missed it by that much. I had a couple of herniated discs (L4 and L5) back in my 20's that don't really bother me any more, except for these saddle-too-high moments.

CACycling

I had lower back issues for decades. When I returned to riding last year, it was on an MTB. When I got to where I was riding consistently, I realized my back pain and stiffness was all but gone. Moved to a road bike earlier this year and can ride on the hoods or in the drops for miles with no problem. Key is having a bike that fits and building up core muscle strength. And your back should be arched slightly and never "sway backed".

bac

The single thing that helped my lower back pain was ................... I started doing some core body stuff. This has eliminated my lower back pain totally. Think crunches, back extensions, push ups, etc.

It was the cure for me. Good luck!

... Brad

xgi

I agree.... Keep your core in shape helps a lot. I do stretching as well. Another thing is I added those long bars to the front of my road bike. I can lean out on them and it take the stress off my back.

Good luck to you....... Back pain stinks

Rob P.

My back is wasted and I can hurt it easily just lifting 10 lbs the wrong way or at the wrong time. I ride my road bike on the drops, aero pads, and on the hoods without any problems.

If your back hurts you have a fit issue. Either your saddle is too far back, is too high, or both.

Too far back and you're in the "wrong" position that they show on those "how to lift things" diagrams.

Too high and you're over extending your spine/pelvic connection (whatever that's called).

Your back should be arched or tending towards flat. NEVER "sway backed" as that could cause injury if you hit a pothole or bump.

stapfam

When I went road fronm MTB- I got the saddle up level with the bars for comfort. Still never got down into the drops and it took 6 months before I decided that I ought to be using them. Reason for not using the drops? Lower Back Pain. Trained myself into the position and it was acceptable.

Next bike and the LBS set it up for me. Bars 3" below the saddle- And a bit further forward. They reckoned that would be my correct riding position but I was dubious. They were right. That stretched out position from the OCR worked.

Mind you- The core work on the back must have helped. So don't want to put it all on the lower riding position- but for some of us- comfort will come from being more stretched out.

Attachments are of the two bikes and that lower position worked for me.

Widsith

I ride most of the time with my hands on the top of the curve of the bars, just short of touching the hoods, or in the drops. My back is straight or slightly arched in the higher position, and arched more in the drop position. Not only has it not given me any new back pain, but it's helped relieve the lower back pain I already had before I started riding again.

BluesDawg

When I learned that my lower back pain was caused by a herniated lumbar disc, I started doing exercises prescribed by my PT to push it back into position and to increase my core strength. I also started paying a lot more attention to my posture, making sure not to allow my back to slump forward, pushing the disc out of place. Your "swayback" description sounds extreme, but my back's natural position is to curve slightly toward my belly in the lumbar region. This is why good chairs offer a lumbar support to fill that curve. So I do strive to maintain that good posture on the bike as I lean forward to the handlebars. I definitely don't want let that area slump forward, opening the gaps on the back of my spine.

With this good posture, my back is happy for hours on end in the forward leaning drop bar position on the hoods and occasionally in the drops. I get more back pain while riding in an upright seating position because road shock travels straight up my spine rather than rolling over it.

Metric Man

By increasing the distance I ride slowly I have finally reached the point where my back doesn't bother me. One other thing that I added to my regimen is an inversion table. Using the table several times a week for 5-8 minutes has made huge advances in my back comfort. I too have herniated L4 and L5. As usual YMMV and check with your doctor before using the table.

Pamestique 

I actually have spinal stenosis (at L4 - S1). the pain is fairly constant. The only thing that actually helps is riding. I ride in a fairly agressive position - bent over and stretched out. The doctor told me that's great to help with pain and flexiblity. I believe sitting upright causes more damage and pain then being bent forward. If riding my cruiser bike, every little bump causes me some pain. I look forward to getting out on my road bike and getting a good stretch in.

late

There have been some good suggestions, especially strengthening your midesction
with exercises. This might be another piece of the puzzle...

Raise Dat Stem!

by Bob Gordon

A flat back is one of the hallmarks of an experienced cyclist, particularly a racer, and over the years I have seen the prevailing attitudes towards rider positioning devolve to the point where if you don't cycle with your back parallel to the ground, you're cast off as a beginner.

But like many other concepts recreational riders adopt, the low back originated in the professional ranks after extensive research in aerodynamics proved this would help the fast go faster. Competitive athletes routinely sacrifice both their short and long term health for the express purpose of winning, but you may have a different agenda.

Lower back disc problems peak the ages of 30 and 50. There are many causes, but if your back pain is exacerbated by riding, it's a good bet the cause is bouncing around on your bike while your lower spine is extensively flexed (loss of lower back arch). A low, forward torso causes the inner portion of the disc (the nucleus purposes) to press back against the outer restraining fibers (the annulus fibroses). This pressure eventually causes the disc to bulge or herniate. The nearby nerves get squeezed, and the next thing you know, someone like me is telling you you have sciatica.

Cycling mitigates some of the problems of a habitually flexed lumbar spine because of the "bridge effect" that's created by resting some of your weight on your hands. But the lumbar region and its soft tissues are still at risk just by being continuously hyper flexed, and if you sit all day at your job, the danger is compounded.

On the flip side, cycling entirely upright does not solve the problem either. True, the inter-vertebral discs and spinal ligaments are in a more neutral position and absorb shock better, but the load is now transmitted axially, which is fatiguing and jarring. Also, in a bolt-upright position you can't use your gluteus or hamstrings to great advantage, which means your thighs (quadriceps) get overworked, you lose a lot of power, the unused hamstrings and gluteal muscles go flabby, and you catch all that wind. It's hard to be happy about all that, racer or no.

There is, however, a position that allows good performance while minimizing risk of lower back injury. I like a stem height and length that puts your back about 50 degrees from horizontal, while your arms and legs bend slightly at the elbows, as shown in figure 2 up there. To achieve this, you'll probably have to raise your bars, and assuming you want to keep the same bar style (as opposed to riding with stingray bars or something), that usually means getting another stem, one with a taller quill or a steep rise to it. If you hit the sweet spot, a photo of you from the side will reveal a nice pyramid composed of top tube, torso and arms.'

bkaapcke

A long wheelbase recumbent and a rowing machine took care of the problem. The rower toned up everything, and the recumbent doesn't aggravate it at all. bk

RoMad

kayaking, before you think I'm nuts, I am agreeing with those above. When you paddle a kayak correctly you rotate your torso side to side instead of doing it all with your arms. Great for building up your core muscles and fun too. I have arthritis in my lower back and stay in the drops 90% of the time with no back problems. If I stand on concrete more than a minute or two or lift much more than two gallons of milk my back hurts.

Jet Travis

In addition to the other good advice:

In my case, back pain was so bad, I could barely walk. I decided to take a multi-pronged approach, which included raising my stem, a GOOD chiropractor, who gave me stretching exercises to do and a physical therapist, who gave me core conditioning exercises. When I got back on the bike, I rode very gently for awhile, stopping to stretch every few miles.

Long story short: After following this plan for a number of months, I was able to ride metric centuries and eventually full centuries without pain.

Hope something like this can work for you.

ModeratedUser150120149

Long and Short:

Exercise for muscle fitness: See a good personal trainer for a regimen that will strengthen core, upper body and legs.
Modify bike for fit: Make sure your bike is set up by someone who knows what proper position looks like and is able to move things around so your body is in the proper position. Give your body a chance to adapt to the proper postion before changing anything.
NSAIDs: Lots of evidence to support the idea that keeping inflamation down will aid in overall comfort and longer term fitness.

In this regard riding isn't for muscle fitness, exercise is. Riding is for cardio and fun.

Tony (Michigan)

Wow! I appreciate all your help.
I am working on my posture at work, while walking and driving my car and even sleeping.

Yesterday I finally got my Swiss Ball and Adam Ford's basic core workout for stomach and back.
So I plan on strengthening my core. I don't know if I should wait until my back pain has completely gone away. That might be wise and just do stretching exercises first.

O.K. Here is a picture I drew. Would you say that this is still too low for me?
This is my position on the horns. When on the curves or on the flats nearer the stem I am more upright.

I might get an adjustable stem to raise and lower the handlebars to suite my style.

ModeratedUser150120149

To amplify:
Get the core strength first. Best I know most pain is not an excuse to lay off the exercise. It is a reason to modify it some. There are some exercises that need no equipment that can do wonders for back pain. One, for example, lying supine bring alternate knees to your chest while keeping the other one extended. Take the time to visit a good personal trainer, or a physical therapist.

There just isn't any shortcut or magic piece of equipment that I know of. There are a lot of books and equipment that are bringing their sellers lots of money. All of us who have back pain, most of the adult population, have a choice. Either take the time and effort to learn the simple, back saving and strengthening exercise that you will do for the rest of your life, or keep chasing the myth of some quick fix gizmo.

Then you won't have to ask of your posture on your bike is correct. You will know.

Pegasus

This is exciting to hear!

Stenosis at those levels helped by a "road stance/posture", is exactly opposite of what I'd of guess...and the Up-right riding posture would have been the better one, I'd of guessed.

I'm just getting to experimenting with what works in biking with a 55yr-old back surgically repaired more than once at those levels. I must remain open.

It is great to hear others with actual experience rather than the "kids" generally in the LBS.

10 Wheels

Yep, Bent over is the way to ride. As your back muscles get stronger the pain will go away.

Longfemur

Let me tell you, for serious riding, with many hours in the saddle spinning at decent speeds, there's something to be said for the tried-and-true road bike position as it would have been before the craziness of the latter 80's, 90's and now. It was gradually arrived at over the first century of bicycle riding for good reason -- because it works.

KOPS or in some cases a touch more forward so your back isn't bent too sharply at the waist and a neutral pedalling position that is good for all conditions, handlebars about an inch or an inch and a half below the top of the saddle (but with appropriate reach), saddle not too high, but high enough so that you aren't too bent in relation to how high your thighs come up when pedaling, a reasonable reach so that you are neither bunched up or stretched out. It may take a bit of adaptation, but anything else usually ends up in a fruitless, perennial search for the best handlebar height and the best saddle.

The biggest mistake is raising the bars, because for most people, everything about the back is better when it's properly arched on the bike and you have good weight distribution. Bars saddle level is Ok as long as you end up with proper reach and not too upright. It's Ok if you're only going on level ground, not much wind, and you will never be pedalling with much force such as when you have to go uphill. But anything else is murder on longer rides, because you're just not at the right angle for the proper transfer of power from your body to the bike, and it's the back that takes a beating. Now, it may be different if you have a specific medical problem with your back, but if you can't handle a moderate road bike position and you want to ride longer, maybe you would be a good candidate for a recumbent or other human-powered vehicle.

jwh

I have to say that my story is the same as most others here.
My back started hurting last winter worse than it ever did before. I was convinced that I would live the rest of my life in pain.
When the weather started to break (and we moved to a house 1 block from miles of bike paths) I forced myself to start riding my bikes again.
Almost instantly my back pain disappeared. It has still not returned (knock on wood)!

DnvrFox

When I have back pain - I ride my road bike. It stretches everything out and the pain goes away.

You have gotten some great advice in this thread. Maybe it should be a sticky?