Until February I was regularly cycling 100 miles a week with two different clubs. I did a 900 miles tour of Netherlands last October and I thought I was fit to keep going for many more years despite being 62. In February I had a back accident. I won't go into details but I had about 6 weeks of excruciating back pain before the back started to relax and come out of the spasm. Now I am 90% healed but it is the last 10% which is proving difficult. I can take short easy rides of a couple of miles at most around town to get from A to B, but when I try to do more and up the miles the pain in the lower back flares up again. I am told by an osteopath and a physiotherapist that this is because the movement of the pelvis is aggravating the stiff and sore soft tissues in the lower back. After 4 months I am getting in despair about when I'll be able to get out on a decent ride again. Of the two specialists I have mentioned, one is doubtful it will clear up and wants to give me cortisone injections, and the other is confident that in time and with lots of stretching daily I will eventually recover. In the meantime I am going stir crazy.
I have thought of getting a handcycle and tried a few out and researched prices etc. They are great and a lot of fun to ride but I guess it will take some time to build up the strength in my upper body before I can do serious miles again, though plenty of people I have met do the serious miles on them. Some one mentioned to me that a leg driven recumbent is also good for bad backs.
Questions: is there anyone out there who has had similar problems? Has anyone tried moving from "ordinary" bikes to handcycles and how did that go? Does anyone have a view on recumbents being good for bad backs? Does anyone know of a way I can get to try out a recumbent to see how my back reacts to it? Thanks in advance.
Back pain
Re: Back pain
I've been prone to back problems since my thirties I'm now in the sixties. Working with sheep was never kind to my back.
If I went to the doctor or the osteopath for attention I can honestly say the Osteopath was always right and I would never ask a doctor for advise on backs.
Ive had times of despair and sometimes it does take a long time to come right. I did go over to the dark side briefly to see if it helped my back. It made my legs ache so much I doubt I ever felt my back. Think it was deferred pain lol.
Worth a try though if you can find someone local willing to let you try it.
If I went to the doctor or the osteopath for attention I can honestly say the Osteopath was always right and I would never ask a doctor for advise on backs.
Ive had times of despair and sometimes it does take a long time to come right. I did go over to the dark side briefly to see if it helped my back. It made my legs ache so much I doubt I ever felt my back. Think it was deferred pain lol.
Worth a try though if you can find someone local willing to let you try it.
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life
https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
Re: Back pain
Your pelvis should hardly move at all when riding.
A barely-perceptible sway is OK.....the sort of thing which is concealed by winter clothing.
If you are dropping your hips in order to reach the pedal at the bottom, the remedy is self-evident.....drop the saddle.
My back at 68 is OK, but years ago when I looked down a microscope at work for hours every day, I got some "postural" backache, and recently 2 days crawling about on my daughter's floor fixing heating pipes made me stiff for days. I have always found that a ride sorts my back out, I guess due to the rhythmic tensing/relaxing of the muscles each side with pedalling.......could this set your back off?
guidance on saddle height here....http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=92633&start=15
A barely-perceptible sway is OK.....the sort of thing which is concealed by winter clothing.
If you are dropping your hips in order to reach the pedal at the bottom, the remedy is self-evident.....drop the saddle.
My back at 68 is OK, but years ago when I looked down a microscope at work for hours every day, I got some "postural" backache, and recently 2 days crawling about on my daughter's floor fixing heating pipes made me stiff for days. I have always found that a ride sorts my back out, I guess due to the rhythmic tensing/relaxing of the muscles each side with pedalling.......could this set your back off?
guidance on saddle height here....http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=92633&start=15
Bike fitting D.I.Y. .....http://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/upl ... -2017a.pdf
Tracks in the Dales etc...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52358536@N06/collections/
Remember, anything you do (or don't do) to your bike can have safety implications
Tracks in the Dales etc...http://www.flickr.com/photos/52358536@N06/collections/
Remember, anything you do (or don't do) to your bike can have safety implications
Re: Back pain
martin113 wrote:Does anyone have a view on recumbents being good for bad backs?
IME, the right one (for me, an HPV Grasshopper with bodylink seat) is positively theraputic
martin113 wrote:Does anyone know of a way I can get to try out a recumbent to see how my back reacts to it?
Depends where you are. Ask the question in the recumbents section with a rough idea of where you live
"42"
Re: Back pain
I had lower back problems for quite a long time. I eventually started Pilates classes at my Gym. No more back problems. One of the instructors is a very keen cyclist and she insists the classes are very good for your position on the bike. I was quite impressed with the other 70year old instructor who could stand with one leg raised up over her head. Chance for me yet. 