Neck Pain While Cycling

Cycling Weekly

If you suffer from neck and back pain when cycling, then this is the video for you. We'll give you our tips and tricks for relief from discomfort, including cycling neck stretches, cycling neck pain exercises and bike fit recommendations.

Transcript

00:00Perhaps you've just started cycling and you've got some neck and back pain

00:03or you've bought a brand new bike and you're feeling a little worse for wear.

00:06Whatever your reason if you've got neck and back pain this is the video for you.

00:10So here are our top six ways to eliminate those aches and pains.

00:22We're all built differently and this does mean that a standard size bike

00:25probably won't fit our individual differences so you will require a few tweaks before you

00:29hit the road. This can be tweaked with a different length stem or a brand new set of handlebars

00:35but the best bang for your buck will probably come from getting a professional bike fit.

00:39This could be when you buy a new bike or after a few years as your fitness and flexibility adapts.

00:44Your technique is one of the key signs of injury and even though you may be focused on speed and

00:49hella comfort ensuring that you're comfortable on the bike is key to the longevity of your riding.

00:55However bike fits can prove costly and a quick fix with a precise change can be the best way forward.

01:02One of these could be your saddles being too high and causing you to reach the pedals and causing

01:07your pelvis to rock whilst pedalling. Remember that the saddle height can be affected from a number of

01:12different things such as the new saddle itself, the thickness of your bib shorts or the stack of the

01:17pedals. If you're feeling sore after a ride it's good to reflect on what may be causing these issues.

01:23Another key factor may be the reaching your handlebars. Having them too far away or too close can cause

01:30injuries in your shoulders and therefore adjusting accordingly with the stem length or rising them

01:35up or moving them closer can solve these issues.

01:43Ensuring yourself and your bike are correctly kitted out for the type of riding you're doing

01:47is another top tip to take on board. Gloves, warm weather items such as base layers are key to keep

01:54your back and neck warm and making sure especially during the winter months that your muscles don't

01:59contract due to the cold. The bike itself can also provide a little bit of extra support to your neck

02:04and back. This can be done by adding an extra layer of bar tape or running slightly wider tyres for that

02:09extra shock absorption which would otherwise go through your body when riding on rough roads.

02:20Looking after your body before and after a ride is almost as key as the ride itself.

02:24Activating key neck and back muscles before a ride and stretching after a ride is crucial to staying

02:30injury-free. Even though your lower back or your neck could be causing you issues this doesn't mean

02:35this is where the weakness lies in your body. Your hips, your hamstrings or somewhere else could be

02:40tight or weak itself and require regular strengthening and stretching. It's not just a one and done job

02:47either. Keep stretching when watching tv or first thing in the morning as this will not only benefit your

02:52body but also be really beneficial for your mental health as well.

02:55We aren't suggesting you should swap out your regular riding time for curling weights to the gym

03:06but implementing a few key core exercises can be crucial to increasing your stability and taking the

03:12load off your lower back. While squats and leg workouts can build your pedalling power, strengthening

03:18your core muscle can really help your pedalling technique and it also takes the load of smaller muscles

03:23which may be taking the strain otherwise.

03:31The way you ride on the bike can also have a knock-on effect to your body even though you may be riding

03:35the same amount of miles as someone else. Riding at low cadence but maintaining a high power output

03:41typically requires the body to put a lot of strain on its muscles and joints whereas shifting this onto your

03:48cardiovascular system and raising the cadence is a much more effective way of pedalling.

03:52aiming to ride at a cadence of 85 to 90 rpm is a nice balancing point but this doesn't mean you

03:58have to eliminate all low cadence riding. Just avoid prolonged stints grinding the gears

04:03and putting unnecessary strain on your joints and muscles.

04:06Lastly this is a tried and tested rule that's used across endurance sports. The 10% rule suggests you

04:18shouldn't increase your weekly mileage or your long training ride by more than 10% each week.

04:23This means if you ride 200 miles one week you shouldn't look to ride more than 220 miles the next.

04:30Slowly progressing your mileage will mean your body won't fatigue as dramatically

04:33and mean that your body won't be compensating for any aches and pains.

04:38Hopefully those tips will ensure you don't pick up any unwanted neck or back injuries but do let us

04:44know your top tips in the comments section below and if you've enjoyed this video don't forget to give

04:49it a like and subscribe to the Cycling Weekly channel and until next time we'll see you then.

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