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my aching back

 
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Anonymous
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:23 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: my aching back Reply with quote

I am relatively new to the sport of cycling. i am by nature a competitive swimmer but some overuse injuries (torn rotator cuffs) have forced my to find a new sport.

i started cycling about a month ago on a road bike and im told that my form looks good. but i pretty consistently get a pain in my lower back after about 15 miles. by the time i hit 20 miles i usually have a rather large amount of pain and i stop.

i stretch the same way that i used to stretch for swimming (which is pretty darn thourough) and im still feeling that pain.

after a few hours the pain goes away, but it still keeps coming back.

i really cant afford to have a chiropractor look at it right now, and my doctor says that it cant be related to my overtraining injuries.

please help....im trying to get good at this sport....

thanx
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strohls freely
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Joined: 11 Mar 2005
Posts: 117
Location: Austin

PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:50 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am no Doctor.
But, most all my back pains have been overcome by doing abdominal exercises.
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The Bike Doc
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Joined: 08 May 2003
Posts: 1398
Location: Corpus Christi and Warda, Texas

PostPosted: Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:56 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

cavsarge1872:

Take a look at your bike set up. Get with a good bike shop that has a "Fit Kit" to help you adjust your bike set up. Remember that you are not a young wipper snapper pro-rider and you will need to addapt the bike set up to your body, not to that recommended for a Tour de France winner. You likely will benefit from a shorter stem and a higher handle bar setting to take strain off the lower back. Do keep up the stretching and strengthening exercises, however, given your history of being a competitive swimmer, I would bet you have an excellent base of abdominal muscle strength already so bike fit will be crucial.

Now for the bad news/good news. The bad news first: for some individuals due to aging, the tolerance of the traditional bike position gets more and more difficult due to the changes to the skeletal system. You may not be able to find a truely comfortable fit or position on a traditional road bike. Good news: there are other road bike options for you to consider that will allow you to ride fast and comfortable. Check out this article I wrote on recumbent bicycles http://www.bikeroute.com/BentMedBenefits.html then hit the web sites http://www.bentrideronline.com/ and http://www.recumbentcyclistnews.com/faq.html to get some more enlightenment. Even though I have been long time bicyclist commuting to school and work by bicycle ever since grade school, I had to give up traditional road bicycle because of the changes of my aging body. The article explains what I was experiencing on my traditional road bicycle and the relief I have found going recumbent. There are many different models and styles of recumbents. Just like traditional bicycles some are best for touring, others for town bikes while others are wicked fast speed machines. However, there is no comparision of a recumbent with an off road mountain bike. MTBs rule in the dirt.

Thanks,
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Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc
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j-rocket
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Joined: 01 May 2003
Posts: 51
Location: Austin, Tx

PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:20 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have long wondered about why our backs ache after riding longer distances, more technically challenging trails, or periods spent off the bike. Is it because our bodies change with age regardless of our fitness level, or do we just get "lazy" (for lack of a better term) and want something to take the edge off and do the work for us. Isn't it possible to stay fit and strong enough to handle the rigors of riding a hard-tail? As technology evolves and more suspension options are available, the hard-tail bike with larger volume tires looks more and more appealing with it's simplicity.

Just curious...
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