plumberroy

1+
my back doesn't bother near as much when I ride every day

jay1680

Brooks Champion Flyer- The springs add about a pound but the saddle is the most back friendly for those in the L4-L5 club.

lhbernhardt

Avoid pushing big gears, especially up hills. Whenever possible, stand to climb. I used to have really severe lower back pain. I stopped going to the gym and doing leg presses, and the pain disappeared substantially.

I've always had a curve to my back, but I sometimes straighten it while I'm riding.

I find rolling on my back each morning also helps.

L.

stringbreaker

I've really had some issues with my back this summer. I finally went to the doctor and he referred me to the PT department. The therapist had me do a bunch of movements and told me it didn't appear I have any disc issues so she gave me some really simple stretches to do. I try to do them about every two hours or so and they really have helped. Although the wife and I did a 30 miler today which is the longest I have ridden since this started and my back is a bit sore tonight but I have been stretching and I'm sure it will be fine tomorrow (I hope) we'll see how easy it is to get out of bed in the morning. But really the stretching does help.

Tony (Michigan)

I always avoid big gears unless I am going down hill and don't put much pressure on the pedal.
As for climbing hills I always sit and get as close to the granny gear as possible and just spin. Maybe I should stand instead?

My back has been feeling tons better! No pain. But I've been off the bike about three weeks. This weekend I might do some short distance riding.

The Swiss Ball with Adam Ford is working good so far. And stretchig out my spine while sitting and lying has helped tremendously according to Esther Gokhale (8 Steps to a Pain Free Back).

stringbreaker

If you didn't read my post from yesterday I had no trouble getting out of bed this A.M. and decided to put some time in the yard so i did a bunch of weeding and edging, mowing you know the drill and about an hour ago as I was walking through the door of a local grocery store I took a step and the right side of my back started to tighten up and every step felt like a hot knife in the back *&^%$# so I hobbled home and got on the floor ( that was a good trick) and started my stretching excercises. I'm now sitting as straight as I can with the proper posture according to the PT and its doing better but man that spasm hit me like a tone of bricks. Hopefully I'll be ok tomorrow we were supposed to go hiking.

Pamestique 

Avoid pushing big gears is excellent advice but want to add something... watch standing on climbs. The sudden pull up can send a bad back into spasms (as it did with me causing a hospitalization). I will stand on climbs but back sure when I pulled up it's fluid and not sudden.

If you hadn't thought is also get into yoga classes (has anyone suggested that yet?). Not only does it add with flexity but it's excellent for core strengthening.

I still have bad back problems, sometimes not being able to sleep unless in a chair. Yesterday doing yard work I was toasted but cycling, that's never a problem and I always feel good after. Get a good fitting on your bike, don't be afraid of proper positioning (bent forward). You will be surprised how well you feel.

qcpmsame 

L4-L5 and L5-S1 fused with plates, cages and screws. I ride as straight as possible and made sure my bike fits properly.

Bill

Pegasus

Bill, by straight...do you mean upright, or just as in no curve?

LAWMAN

I'm just a kid, only 49, but I have dealt w/back & neck pain for years. here's what works for me:

1. bike fit, as others have said. for me, this ultimately meant a custom frame. it was pricey but worth it.
2. an adjustable stem will help to fine-tune this.
3. core exercises
4. deal with speicific physical problems you have; in my case, this turns out to be piriformis syndrome--a fancy word for "tight butt muscles", which is aggravated by bike riding, but relieved by exercises I was taught by a physical therapist who knew what he was doing.
5. pain shouldn't stop you from exercising, it's the other way around, IMO. pain should make you stretch & exercise the back all the more.

bobkat

I've probably had more back troubles than everyone else here added together, and have probably tried even more things. I won't name them all though......
Try a LWB bent. I've only seen one rider that wasn't helped and had his/her pain totally eliminated by a recumbent. Nope, I'm not a bent salesman, although sometimes I sound like one. Most of every other type of aches and pains will go away, too. Neck, hand numbness, etc.

atlrdr86

im not 50 but i just found this thread and it related to what i experienced today, i just test rode my first bike today, a fuji absolute 2.0 23 in. it felt really good and i enjoyed the ride very much! want a bicycle so bad. it didnt bother me at all when i was riding it but when i got off and on the drive home my low back started to flare up. i have a issue with it, dont think its bulged or herniated just wore out or something i dont know. im thinking this was from sitting on the seat and all the pressure being put up through my spine?? i dont want to make my situation any worse, would i expect it to just keep getting worse and worse with each ride? i really love riding and goin around but i definitely dont wanna do something thats gonna injure me and cause me permanent injury/misery. it doesnt bother me at all right now, i stay in shape with resistance training and like i said i dont wanna do something thats gonna cause me harm,what do u guys think? stay away from it?

jeromephone

I wonder if the bike fitters take into consideration a person's age and general fitness. I have had 2 bikes fitted in the last couple of years one had the bars just about an inch below the saddle height and the other fit had the bars 3 or more inches below the saddle. both road bikes

dbg

I might challenge that. I've had issues for 35 years and have successfully avoided surgery despite MANY recommendations for it over the years --all would have been wrong. There are sooo many different kinds of back problems that advice is hard to give and should not be taken as gospel when received. I had facet problems that were aggravated when I arched backwards and lumbar disc issues aggravated when I bent forward. It took me years to figure out the two existed independently --and no doctor figured it out. It was my own research. Numerous facet rhyzotomies fixed one problem. And I can now stretch my back into an arched position to alleviate L4-L5 problems. I have to occasionally arch my back during long rides. I can sit up no handed and do this, but I also added in line levers to the top of my drops so I could more easily arch while maneuvering. Too much sitting (at a desk, in a car, social dinners, conferences, etc) really aggravates my lower back, but no sciatic pain --which counter indicates surgery. My most successful avenues have been chiropractic, physical therapy, core exercises, pain management injections (to find exact problem and for temporary relief). I suspect Yoga may be of significant benefit and plan to try it soon.

MikeD1

FWIW, Yoga has been HUGE for me in helping back issues that I've had for 40+ years. When I've stuck to twice a week Yoga classes over the last year, my back has been the best ever. When I've spent too much time sitting or driving and missed a couple of classes or let up on daily stretching, the pain is back pretty much instantly. I'm currently most comfy on a road bike with 3" plus drop from seat to bars.

osco53

I Herniated two disks a good while back, L3 and L4,,

Healed them with water and exercise, never a single pain killer, I hate drugs.

I am back on my passion, my Mountain bike, and am tearing it up with riders 20 years younger than me.

This got me there,, no pain of any kind anywhere in my body on this bike. But then again I don't feel the need to blend In to the herd


When I'm cold and dead My Family has strict Instructions to disassemble this bike and pack It Into my coffin.......