Lately our massage business has had an increase of bicyclist who are experiencing back and neck pain from cycling. So I thought I would share with you what I have been finding and treatment plans for these individuals.

Much like computer users who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome and other ergonomic related issues, cyclist are suffering from being in a “static position” for prolonged periods of time. And unlike their computer counterparts who may not be getting much enjoyment from their invested time, bicyclists love the time spent going on 100 plus mile rides and never miss an opportunity to get out, when the weather is nice.

I will address only the two most common pain symptoms associated with cycling which are neck and back pain and poor posture. I would suggest to do further research if you are suffering from wrist, shoulder or knee pain, or if I receive enough comments on these issues I will write another blog post.

Neck

Poor cycling posture is the main factor for both neck and back pain among most cyclists, but equipment fittings and bike ergonomics also have a big role. A helmet that is too far forward on your head will cause you to extend or tilt your neck more upward putting the neck in extension in order to keep your visibility from being block. Riders with a more aggressive riding position need to wear their helmets farther back, than those who sit more upright.

Sunglasses that are also poorly fitted will impact your visibility and cause you to tilt your head upward as well to keep your sunglasses from falling forward down on the bridge of your nose. So be sure to get sunglasses that fit properly not only when you purchase your glasses but also consider how they will fit when you begin to sweat.

Back

Jolts that result from road irregularities and rough terrain associated with mountain biking cause most of the back pain.

When riding a bicycle, the back should be arched, like a bridge, not drooping forward between the hips and the shoulders. If the back is properly arched, bumps will cause it to flex slightly in the direction of the arch; acting as a “shock absorber” this is harmless. If you ride swaybacked (your back rounded off), bumps will cause the back to bow even farther in the forward direction, which can lead to severe lumbar pain.

Some back-pain sufferers modify their bicycles with extra-high handlebars so that they can sit more upright, with their spines straight. This is actually counterproductive in most cases, because a straight spine has no way to “give” when the bike hits bumps. Road irregularities will jam the vertebrae together, often aggravating existing back problems.

Posture

Many inexperienced cyclists adopt a posture which allows their upper bodies to be supported entirely by their bones. This has the advantage that it requires no muscular effort, but can lead to discomfort or injury when road conditions are transmitted through the rigid bones. The elbows should be slightly bent, not straight and locked. This allows the arm muscles to act as shock absorbers. The shoulders should be pushed forward so that the muscles in the front of the chest help carry the weight of the upper body. Many cyclists make the error of letting their upper spine dangle forward, held up by the collar bones.

Your ability to adopt a good posture on a given bicycle will depend on correct fitting and adjustment of the bicycle. See this resource on frame sizing for more on this.

So how does massage therapy help?

• Massage therapists will quickly analysis the condition of your muscle tone and make a determination on what muscles are tight and weak.

• Break up any muscle adhesions and scar tissue that may be influencing your muscle pain.

• Help flush your body of metabolic waste and lactic acid from tired and fatigued muscles.

What else can I do?

Or course as with any form of exercise proper warm up prior to riding is important, but also after your ride properly cooling down is also critical. Stretching is essential for both the warm up and cooling down phases.

Strengthening is also very important here most likely you will want to strengthen the muscle of the upper-back and neck area. And stretch the Pectoralis muscle (chest), when this muscle is tight from being in a riding position it will pull on its opposite muscles and make them weak.

• Rotator cuff (shoulder-blade muscles) strengthening with either a dumbbells or thera-bands will increase muscle tone and help to “balance out” the pull to the front.

• Reverse Flies (intra scapula muscles) either lying on a ball or standing, basically the important thing here with this exercise is you want to squeeze your shoulder blades together for maximum benefit. If possible to increase intensity hold each contraction for a count of 2- 4 seconds.

• Seated Rows-again the important thing here is to use proper form keep your elbows close to your body and squeeze your back muscles with each repetition.

• Shoulder shrugs-this exercise can do done also with a thera-band or dumbbells, with your arms by your sides and elbows straight throughout the movement slowly lift your shoulders towards your ears and squeeze the muscles at the top before returning to the starting position.

• Doorway stretch or corner stretch- this is so important as it will not make any difference how much strengthening that you do without releasing your pectoralis (chest) muscles these muscle will always continue to pull your upper-back and neck muscles.

• Adjust your frame to fit your riding style

*On each exercise listed above I would use a weight that allows for you to do at least 3 sets of 12 -18 repetitions.

Get a massage from an experienced massage therapist, have them evaluate your body, what I have outlined for you today is only a basic assessment and everyone will be different. And remember you should never stop what you love doing even if your doctors advises you to, get a second opinion.

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