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What causes lower back pain for cyclists? In this video expert bike fitter – Neill Stanbury – will share what causes cycling lower back pain while providing an overview of the touch points on the bike that can be improved to support any pain you may be experiencing while cycling.
#cycling #back #pain
Another great video and awesome content from Neil.
Cheers Gavin
You guys are killing it! Awesome content!
Another excellent video gents – Neill’s bike fitting videos are the best thing on YouTube 👍👍👍
Once more the importance of a propper bikefit !! Cheers for the interesting topics !!
Good video and interesting comments from Neil as always.
He mentioned moving both your saddle height down and your cleats further back, is something i did a while ago. Did gradual small changes over a period of time. I found it had a positive effect and did make a difference.
But something i’ve been doing for a long time also, is stretching my hamstrings as well. This for me has had a positive effect on eliminating lower back discomfort too.
Really appreciate all the great content! Keep it going 😊
Would love to see Neil go through a core strengthening routine aimed at cycling!
+1
I’ve just told Neill to put in on his list for the next round. Cam
We will add it to the list! – neill
@Road Cycling Academy Awesome guys
Great video, finding a saddle that suits also is key. Fizik bull rotates your pelvis due to poor flexibility. I had a serious back injury 36 years ago and that saddle saved me. Massive game changer.
Neill, can I ask a back related question? I’ve just had a bike fit, which showed that my pelvis doesn’t rotate forwards more than 10-15 degrees from vertical, despite having good hamstring flexibility (I’m able to raise my leg to 80 degrees when lying on my back), and use SQ Lab and SMP saddles on my bikes. I’ve been switched to a more curved saddle to support this more upright pelvic position, but recognise that it’s not an ideal posture for my spine. In your experience, are there reasons why this might be, and can you recommend anything I can do, our any muscles I can target which will enable me to rotate my pelvis further forwards please? Thanks
My problem is what you described in the first minute. I have either QL or Glute issue. I have shimmed my left leg due to right LBP. It helped but then my knee hurt just a little bit as though i was too shimmed. Only 2-3 mm. I took out 2 mm. Will see how this works…
Thank you- Used some pedal washers to resolve my back pain. Couldn’t ride more than 2 hrs and suffered for almost a year. Already had footbeds and cleats all the way back so it was a process of elimination.
I’ve watched all his videos with Neil featured . I feel like I should send him money for having Neil explaining bike fit information. I’ve tried everything thing he has recommended and it has helped tremendously.
Awesome feedback, thanks for sharing Mark.
💯💯💯
This bike fitting series is the best thing on the Internet. I work with a lot of clients who have had hip or knee replacements, range of motion at the top of the pedal stroke is a major concern when it comes to lower back pain. As a fitter, one thing that frustrates me to no end is how the bike industry offers one Q-factor for everybody. Every Ultegra crank has the same Q-factor, same with every Look pedal. Yeh, Speedplay offers more lateral adjustment and different spindle lengths, but so few bike fitters have studied FAI, so nobody stocks them.
Not many people get that. Most saddles (and their marketing) are based on sit bone location, assuming good flexibility starting at L4/L5. Those who lack that never get their sit bones to the back of the saddle, they use the surface area on the sides of the saddle to locate themselves. Good to hear that you figured it out and are still on the bike!
Im a licensed physio from the philippines and im trying to study up about bike fitting to make it a sideline job, any good sources for discussions like this where kinematics and theory is really used rather than just random rules of thumb? Great vid btw, learned alot
Check out Steve Hoggs website also.
This series is amazing! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge Neil!
I have a question:
Can low cadence (due to low gearing) impact on this? I suffer from back pain when climbing, but i feel it’s because I’m doing it on 36(front) 28 (back) and sometimes 60rpm cadence or even low, for long periods (but for me, 10min are enough to start suffering)
Can this be related?
Thanks!
Regards from Portugal!
Hey Diogo, definitely lower cadence will cause more muscular fatigue, including the lower back. But over time this should minimise with conditioning. So if you experience the issue longer term I would say it’s a fit related problem. Cam
@Road Cycling Academy thank you for the response! 👌👏
It has only been 2 days since I started cycling and I cant even do 30 minutes straight because of this sharp stabbing back pain only on one side and it goes away when I get off the cycle. I’m so glad I found an explanation! This video helps a lot! Thank you! Might need to tilt the seat a bit to help with fixing my posture too.
Loved all of these videos with Neill; very informative. My lower back pain seems to be in reverse. When riding there is no pain but when finished, not long after, then there is back pain
Hey Andrew, thanks for the comment.
Having back pain after cycling can definitely be triggered from the exercise you are doing previously. Making sure your bike is setup correctly for you would be a great start as this will limit and triggers your body puts in place to stop it from hurting itself!
-RCA Team
@Road Cycling Academy Thanks for the tips.
Haven’t had a bike fit yet. New to road cycling, always been a mountain biker. Only used the road bike on a smart trainer with Zwift so far. I want to upgrade my shoes and get cleats before I pay out for a bike fit.
In the mean time, I’ve been experimenting with my riding position; saddle fore/aft, handlebar height, and it feels more comfortable if not perfect. Also been keeping a mental note of the way I am sitting when working or relaxing, or certain weight exercises that may be triggering the pain.
Thanks for this video.
I have lots of lower backpain when mountainbiking. I really noticed a wobble in my hip when riding probably caused by my thud buster (seat suspension) so maybe I have to get rid of it.
But in the end you mention a hip impingement. I recently been diagnosed with a fairy large labrum tear. And although it won’t hurt when riding a bike it can cause stability issues.
Now I am really working on my core but what are the best options when riding with an impingement?
Hey Maurice,
I would look into some of the other bike fitting videos we have done as you will get some great tips from them. Especially the saddle setback and crank length videos as these are two of the best changes you can make for hip impingement.
-RCA Team
Hi Neil, I struggled with lower back pain for the last several years when riding at high outputs mainly due do the a severely compressed/herniated disc at L5S1. I watched this video and your review of of the SQLab saddle. I went with both the SQLab 512 XL pedal and the 612 saddle and my pain is essentially gone. I’m 6’6”, size 49 shoe, btw, and ride a Specialized Roubaix. Both changes are contributed to increased comfort. Since I did them both at the same time, hard to tell which contributed more. Anyway thanks for the insights, I’m a big fan.
We’re glad you got more comfortable on the bike from learning from us!
-RCA Team
Hi Neill, really nice video and info. One question, is it possible that low back pain is being caused by excessive saddle tilt? I am using a -3degre nose down angle. Tks in advance.
Your PE teacher would be proud