Lower Back ache when doing hill training

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Jerryjan
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Location: Perth

Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby Jerryjan » Sun Jan 03, 2016 7:53 pm

Hi I am 62 and looking to do the 3 dams ride in Perth this year. It's about 140 kms obviously with hills. On Mondays when I am not working (I work part time) I do a 50 km ride with plenty of hills, I have been doing it for several months and my hill climbing Is definitely improving but I have also noted that I have mild back ache as well. Just over a year ago I suffered a problem with my right lower facet joint with was extremely painful and I was sure I wouldn't cycle again. It was fixed with a injection ( life changing). I ride about 180 kms a week at the moment. I do not want to go back to the problem I had but I with my back would really like to complete the 3 dams and I know I need to train for it including hills training and also longer rides. Any advice would be great.

TheWall
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby TheWall » Sun Jan 03, 2016 8:47 pm

From a completely non medical/scientific viewpoint....
1. Crosstrain
2. Yoga
3. Physio assessment

Not necessarily in that order...

Good luck!

macca33
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby macca33 » Sun Jan 03, 2016 9:48 pm

#dontridehills.. Hahaha. Honestly, it may be due to a little over-exertion. Perhaps a rest / easy day is in order?
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warthog1
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby warthog1 » Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:56 pm

Sit more upright when climbing seated, hands on the tops and with a light grip. Spin a lighter gear with a higher cadence.
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Jerryjan
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Location: Perth

Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby Jerryjan » Mon Jan 04, 2016 12:08 am

Thanks for the replies.
The wall
Sounds like very sound advice

Warhog1
I climb exactly as you describe, I was wondering if standing may actually help my back as it would a variation of the load on my back. But I don't stand as I don't feel safe.
Cheers

eeksll
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby eeksll » Mon Jan 04, 2016 1:16 am

I used to get a bit of back "pain" when I pulled up on the bars too much. I still have to do it sometimes but try to avoid it.

Calvin27
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby Calvin27 » Mon Jan 04, 2016 11:37 am

Same problem here when I first got into hill climb training.

My fix was a combination of things:

- Leg weights - I'm talking super heavy stuff.
- Back excercises - dead lift, back ups and whatever else
- Pilates for core.

The problem with this approach is it is very very hard to integrate this into the cycling regime as basically you are useless for days. I did this during winter because I don't like riding in the rain :P.
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warthog1
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby warthog1 » Mon Jan 04, 2016 1:15 pm

Jerryjan wrote:Thanks for the replies.
The wall
Sounds like very sound advice

Warhog1
I climb exactly as you describe, I was wondering if standing may actually help my back as it would a variation of the load on my back. But I don't stand as I don't feel safe.
Cheers
That's about all the advice I have sorry mate.
I have had back pain when I've had my hands forward on the bars pushing a bigger gear.
As someone else has said I think I was pulling on the bars fighting the gear.
You can stand for shorter steep pinches and to mix it up, it may help your back also.
IME sitting upright and spinning is the quickest way up a long climb with short periods of standing on steeper bits.
I am no pro cyclist. That is just what works for me.
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Sweeper59
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby Sweeper59 » Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:04 pm

I used to get lower back pain after increasing my training, and it turned out to be caused by tight hamstrings. The more I trained, the larger (and shorter) my leg muscles became. The result was a compaction of the lower back muscles. I saw a couple of doctors, who had little idea and sent me for X-Rays and other tests. But a physio diagnosed the problem fairly quickly, and an hour session with him left me with sore hamstrings, but cured of all back issues. I now stretch regularly, and haven't had any repeats of the problem.
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Jerryjan
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Location: Perth

Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby Jerryjan » Mon Jan 04, 2016 3:47 pm

Thanks everybody for your info.
I do get tight hamstrings, i am sure i need to do lots of stretching.
I think i need to strenghten the core as well.

Cheers Jerry

brendo169
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby brendo169 » Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:04 pm

Ever considered seeing a chiropractor to sort your back troubles out?

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outnabike
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby outnabike » Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:22 pm

I was thinking hamstrings as well. I had an accident once and crushed my heel. The cure the physio put me on was to stand on a thick phone book with my toes (front half of the feet) and simply go up and down till the heels touch the floor. It together with cycling and exercise bike fixed it up.
Then I went back into cycling.

The next thought was your seat might be to low causing you to push with your back and poor posture. Many posture problems stem from a loss of lordosis and can be due to a lot of sitting.
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MCHammer
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby MCHammer » Mon Feb 01, 2016 10:41 am

I suffered from back pain on long rides and climbing for a few years, which sometimes was so bad I could hardly get off the bike at the end of of a long hills ride.
I now ride totally pain free after doing the following
1 - A proper bike fit
2 - stretching
3 - regular core exercises
4 - having my back sorted by a good chiropractor experienced in treating cyclists - Nathalie at Hay St Chiropractic
5 - physio and massage to loosen muscles

The advantage to strengthening your core and having all the other potential biomechanical issues sorted is that I am now able to train harder, ride bigger gears on the hills and as a result go a lot faster with less fatigue.

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rusty842
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby rusty842 » Wed Feb 03, 2016 10:55 pm

Don't go to a physio.

Since I did for my back pain.

I now have many exercises to do and also have found out that I need surgery as my acl is torn.

On other news. Go see someone and get your body fixed including a bike fit

dave3210go
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby dave3210go » Sat Feb 20, 2016 12:00 pm

OP is 62?

I had a 7.7mm kidney stone lasered just 2-3 weeks ago. There was significant relief from backpain immediately.

If it is kidney stones: you feel pain just beneath the bottom of your ribcage slightly to one side ..this nub 'drifts' slowly, so when you check the sore spot again an hour later, "huh, I think it's moved?"

The ureter passes smaller stones into the bladder, bigger stones won't pass. Stones above 2mm will cause pain.

The single best advice to avoid large stones is hydrate till you 'pee clear'.

There's another thread full of good advice about hydration: read newierider's "Cramping advice needed".

Adductor stretches can be performed at warm down after long rides, and knee lunges for the quads (did karate for a while). Do not stretch cold, before workouts, warm up.

Stretch out the legs after rides, still warm: warm down.

Hydrated urine is not dark or yellowy it is clear. Dehydration will cause kidney stones - by simple concentration of electrolytes/minerals filtered from body fluids - through insufficient dilution in the kidneys.

Kidney stones can occur at ANY age but more often occur to males by a huge margin.

Jerryjan
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Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 12:15 am
Location: Perth

Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby Jerryjan » Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:20 pm

I have done a ten week course in Pilates, it has done wonders for me. I and friends have been training for 160 km ride in the Perth Hills which we will be doing on 20 April.

BugsBunny
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Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby BugsBunny » Tue Apr 19, 2016 6:21 pm

I have a similar problem.

Couple of pointers that has worked for me:

- Ensure your bike gearing is suitable for the climb such that you are spinning higher cadence as opposed to grinding at low cadence.
- Frequently get out of the saddle. The operative word is *frequently*. It doesn't have to be long - maybe for just 15 seconds or so, and you don't need to power hard... I usually do this whenver there is a slight pitch. For example, if its a climb that takes 10 min, I would get out of the saddle probably twice or thrice.

Ofcourse, the other advice on a good bike fit is a also recommended.

Jerryjan
Posts: 109
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 12:15 am
Location: Perth

Re: Lower Back ache when doing hill training

Postby Jerryjan » Tue May 10, 2016 11:02 pm

Just thought I let you all know 3 dams ride went well, we all finished. 6 hrs 11 mins. Oldest rider 68 youngest 59.Just about to go away on holiday, when I come back will continue with Pilates I think they are very good foe me. Thanks to all for the advice.

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