Dr. J MTB: Biking with Low Back Pain. How to fix your own back.
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- čas přidán 25. 06. 2024
- Learn about the most common cause of lower back pain and stiffness caused by mountain biking, road biking and other activities. I explain how to address the pain through specific stretching exercises, and how to strengthen your back to prevent it from coming back or from ever happening.
We also discuss bike setup in relation to posture and back pain.
The tips in this video will help the majority of people having normal back pain and stiffness from cycling and other activities, but it won't help everyone. To get more individualized treatment and recommendations, consider a telehealth visit with me!
For a telehealth visit with me, go here: www.livingbetterpt.com/telehe...
I utilize Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (i.e. The McKenzie Method) as the baseline treatment for all of my patients. To find a certified provider near you, I highly recommend looking here: www.mckenzieinstituteusa.org (click the "Find a Provider" link at the top)
Hope this helps and please SUBSCRIBE for more content coming your way!
DISCLAIMER Seek a medical consultation prior to starting an exercise program if you have severe pain, radiating pain into your lower leg or foot, have weakness in your leg or foot or bowel or bladder dysfunction associated with your pain. or if any attempted exercise program program makes you lastingly worse. - Sport
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I was in pain, seriously thought biking was over! Now I’m riding like I was a 10 year old kid!!!
That's awesome! Keep it up!
instablaster.
Brother did you had building disc if so may i please know is it possible to reach pain free?
When you’re showing the posture example at 6.45 into the video, I thought the base of your treadmill in the background was a cool rack mounted to the back of your bike. Lol. 😅
Then you casually and magically adjusted your seat post height like a wizard...🤯
I had no idea that existed. Never seen that in my life. VERY awesome. When you dropped it, I realized your treadmill is not a cool bike rack and got distracted with that for a second.
Then you magically moved it back up and it blew my mind. 😂
I’m like, wait are we really just gonna not talk about how awesome that was for a second!? Nothing in the comments either. I’m gonna go look those up now. 💯
czcams.com/video/9MWoR49Ddcc/video.html
Thanks a bunch well done!!!
I can't wait to try this.
man where have you been all these time.. thank you!! more content like this thanks!!
Great info, thanks!
Thank you so much the stretches helped me alot.
Great explanation, thanks a lot
Excellent breakdown!
Great information!
Dude, thank you so much for this video, its pure GOLD.
Your video has been the most informative one I've found yet. Your simple explanations of the rounding of the spine while riding were spot on and the bike specific core exercises look simple and effective. Thanks so much
thank you! great video!
What a fantastic video. Thank you so much for your effort!
Great info! So much of my low back pain makes sense now
Great video
thank you for the great explanation !
This is super informative and awesome! stoked to give it a shot!
Thank you....
Truly quality content in your video and clearly experienced in bike pain issues. Very helpful, thank you!
Mate, I just discovered your channel and am loving every video! Super underrated channel. Subbed!
Brilliant video, very informative, thank you so much 👍
Just wanted to say thanks. That video helped me a lot and for the first time in my MTB Carrier I was riding without any issues in my lower bracket. Cheers from Austria.
Fantastic video. Thank you for posting.
So cool to see this explained in this way. Thank you for the information I will be moving a couple things around on my mtb!
Wonderful thanks so showing the back exercises
I really appreciate the input. I've dealt with lower back pain after biking for a few years.
Thank you for this video. Hopefully this will get me back on the bike this summer!
Thank you
Thank you!! My back so appreciates it
Very good 👍
Thank you SO MUCH! This is exactly what I was suspecting - my saddle to bar length is way too long (road bike) which makes me bend and my lower back hurts a lot after riding for longer, especially on the drops. Will consider changing my bike and/or getting a bike fit ASAP. Again, thanks a lot, very helpful advice!!
You've saved me. Thank you...my back pain was getting scary, but now much better
Great video. Thank you for sharing.
👊🏼👊🏼
thank you for the video .. i ride road bikes but still found this very helpful . I am finally getting some relief to my back pain after almost 6 weeks of pain .
Best video on the subject on the internet. Knocked it out of the park.
this will help me a lot. Thanks Doc!
👊🏼👊🏼
thank you, looking forward to learn more stretches and preventive posture workouts and learning about human anatomy cycling
Great to find this evidence based advice!
Thank you 👍
Excellent
Great advice Doc! Tilted saddle nose down several degrees, problem solved!
Just hit a sub! This video is a GEM! Thanks for this!
Great video. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much. I struggle with lower back pain from slouching at the computer for nearly ten years as a kid. Now that im in my 20s it is really scary to get episodes of back pain, especially since MTB has become very important to me. I will try your suggestions and exercises. Thank you so much!
Thank you!!! This explained my problem, the cause, how to fix, and how to alleviate pain, so throughly covered I have no questions. THIS WAS SO HELPFUL! THANK YOU THANK YOU
This has helped so much
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This is great - can you do another video on mountain bike fit ergonomics to prevent rounding? I feel like there are limited quality information like this available
Found this to be super helpful. Thanks for this Dr Harris.
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Thank you , 😊 very helpful!! I was already dreading 😕 not being on my bike much .. I'm going to try much of this training.. 😎
Great vid, thanks! Seat forward is having good results (I had surgery for herniated disc last year)
Hey, Love your videos and tips. ❤️ Yan
Great video. I slowly developed some issues until I hurt myself. I'll make these adjustments and keep that back flat like I should.
Thank you 🙏
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Great video. This is helping me already. Sciatica was really bad in July and August. This is helping.
👊🏼👊🏼
awesome stuff Doc. Im a chiro and was out riding around the neighborhood practicing bunny hops and jumping on and off curbs. No pain or discomfort whatsoever doing it or the rest of that day. Woke up the next day with excruciating back pain. Couldn't figure out why at first then it hit me that its from the compressive forces of landing over and over again and probably not doing it gracefully. Because i was just learning. But man, def don't wanna go through this again.
Amazing.
I'm worried the angle of my saddle will numb my bollock area. Have to find a happy medium though.
The explanation with the spine model is just class, helped me see a lot.
Doing the stretches from tomorrow morning.
I get numbness in my right thigh and sometimes burning.
I'm subscribed now, thanks for the advice. Nice bike!
Thanks
You've hit on everything I've discovered the hard way. I saw a motocross video where the ride coach could not stress enough the importance or rotating your hips forward so you maintain the proper and natural curve of your lower back (I remind myself of this on almost any ride when I get lazy and slouch) - it also allows you to move much more easily when reacting to blips and bumps you hit on trails. In addition to the good tip of dropping the nose of the saddle down a bit more than you think you should, buying a saddle where the tail kicks up a bit (Like the Ergon SM-E or SDG Bel-Air ) really helps relax the lower back and allow you to get that correct pelvic rotation forward for max comfort.
I've been to a lot of doctors and Kinesiologits and It didn't help at all... They told me to do crunches and stuff like that but they never told me what I was doing to have that injure... now I can prevent, train and enjoy riding. So thank you
Best video I ever watched that explains the issue in a simple and logical way, visualized the mechanism with great tips to tackle the issue.
Will definitely try and comment again with the result, thanks!
How it went?
This is good! I’m a PTA, and kinda had this figured out, but nice to hear a PT sign-off on it. My issue is my almost 30 y/o Giant ATX 890 is a size 20 and I need 18.5. The top tube has me so stretched when achieving correct position from hips to BB that I’m forced into excess LB flexion to reach the bars. I’ve already tossed the straight bar for riser, which did help, and got a short stem, but my 62 y/o LB still gets hot after only about 10 miles. I also have some SI issues and slight scoliosis which makes it even more challenging. Shopping new bikes now. Thanks again, good information!
Omg!! This video have saved my lower back from cycling. I’m pain free now. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge..
earned a sub with this clip! thank you Dr.
thanks and stay tuned!
I have lower back pain due to the Disc bulge , not on the saddle since the last 2 months, I'm positive after seeing your video. Thanks
Thanks for making this video! I look forward to seeing more. I've been seeing my physical therapist for sciatica and it can be frustrating when they don't have an understanding of the activities that I'm performing. I'm glad to see a physical therapist who is sending big gaps and clearing tables (and knows what that means!). Fortunately my PT is having me go through the McKenzie method, just like you.
👊🏼👊🏼 hope you're getting along ok!
Thank you so much cycling is so much better without the pain!
Awesome!
IM GONNA TRY THIS, i hope this fixes my lower back pain.
Ima try that out
This video has been a massive penny dropping for me. I have given up road biking 6 years ago which was heart breaking for me, i never realised once that it was my posture on the bike that could be a problem. I'm a massive sloucher, i always figured the bike was good for my back. My L5s1 exploded when i was 30 and the rest is history. Now that i think back of course my posture on the bike was terrible. I'm gonna try and get back into now, starting slowly of course
Thank u I'm a new cyclist I'm getting a Speciallized allez tomorrow a entry one but I have soft tissue injuries in my low back I've felt with a year I was in a lotta pain after test riding the bike today I will be sure to do this
thankkk uuu
Love it! As a cyclist with an old back injury, this is very helpful.
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i think u have nailed it. As if you were talking about me
WOW great content ! could you do a video explaining how bar roll would affect riding and body position ??
RAD distance ( reach and drop) measure center of bar grip to grip where center of hands are and 1cm lower toward stem using string. Measure from BB center to this mark and it should be slightly RAD- when compared to a measure of ( relaxed shoulders back and dropped) bottom of knuckles to ground in cm. I did this and found it gave me better agility on a MTB. I have a slightly + RAD and a large bike but actually ride to relieve back pain from military service trauma. Thanks for some great info
Thank you so much Doctor! I basically did it all wrong and always rode with a heavy back pack!
I have now adjusted my bike and started on those exercises!
Hope it helps!
💯... Have a 17mm L4-L5 and L5-S1 herniation and ride 250+ miles a week. A tilted downward (slight) saddle makes it painless.
This is why I've had a forward tilt to my saddle for many many years. This has increased my reach significantly, so I switched to the next largest frame size (XL or S5) and BAM! Problem solved. I was between sizes on bike frames (L & XL, S4 & S5). Went to XL frames and not only liberated my back issue but also enjoyed riding better. Now if I sit on a standard large frame (w/Specialized stumpjumper that's an S4) it feels like I'm riding a kids bike. My riding, riding skills, and endurance increased. Three riding friends took my advice about slightly raising bars, and slightly tilting saddle forward, and now they ride this way all the time.
~JSV
This is easily the best video out there on fixing back pain on the MTB, thank you! I wonder if you had any thoughts about shortening stem length?
Shortening stem length can definitely promote a more upright posture by decreasing forward trunk/pelvic tilt 👊🏼
What is the most common cause of low back pain due to cycling: 1:46
Bike fit and its effect on posture: 4:31
The stretches: 9:12
The strengthening exercises: 13:40
Thank you 🙏
You could put that in the description
Thank you for this movie. I had disc bulge/herniation several times. I came to similar conclusion regarding saddle tilt. There is no general method of fixing back pain as it can be very specific ad requires detailed assessment but in many cases it is exactly what you described - disc related issues. I suppose Mathieu Van der Poel who suffers from disc herniation should watch this movie. His position was far too bent - he looked like a turtle on the bike. Also many pro cyclists pick too small frames what often causes back injuries as they spend lot of time on drops.
Thank you so much for this video!!! I had a collision ( not my fault I promise) and am slowly rehabing - I have bought a bike trainer and will set it up with your advice on saddle position and bar height. I was diagnosed with DDD of the L4 and 5 at the time of the RTA, and more recently with bursitis.... I watched your hip pain video and was wondering whether I am going to exacerbate either/ both in the longer term? The exercises are already helping just generally :) much appreciated
Thanks for this great video, I found it incredibly helpful to help with my back pain!! Random question, what are those cool pants you're wearing? Thanks and be well...
Do you have a link for part 2? PS ..a hopeful video for me!
Amazing video, thanks so much!! What do you think the relation of lower back pain is when putting power through the pedals for an extended effort of 20 minutes or more? Riding easy for a long, it's fine, but when putting strong power through the pedals for a long time causes pain. Any ideas?
Thank you so much Doctor. When I sit on the sofa for an hour then I standing up I feel pain in this area, and now I started with the road bike and increased same pain, I will start on these exercises hoping that will be effective to me. All the best Doctor 💐🙏
Hope it helps!
Thanks for this info! Would love to hear about dealing with shoulder and neck pain caused by riding. I sit in front of a computer all day and suffer from chronic neck/shoulder stiffness. Long rides can magnify the stiffness and cause pain as well...
czcams.com/video/WiiCGYjWLVk/video.html. Try this and see if it helps!
Great video. Thanks for sharing this info.! Where, in KY, are you located?
Thanks! I'm in Somerset.
Curious if you've ever had a patient who patient come after a microdiscectomy and what the return to MTB was like. Thank you for this video!
Probably the best 17 minutes I've spent this year... at least for my body's sake. Thank you Dr. J for this awesome and concise video. One time watching it and it's changed my perspective. It was emotional figuring out/seeing exactly what the disc is doing, especially with 2 herniated disks.
@Dr. J MTB do you ever think the pain can subside for someone with a herniated L4 and L5 disc? (about a 5mm and 6mm protrusion respectively). Thanks for the video and information!
I'm glad you found the video then! And yes, discogenic pain can subside, especially if you take on the correct exercise program. Give the ones I outlined a try and give it a few weeks. I'd be willing to bet they'll help, but if they don't or it makes you worse, get in touch with a physical therapist near you that specializes in back pain. No reason you should just have to live with it.
@@DrJMTB Wow, thanks for the reply! I can't wait to try out the exercises for a few weeks before getting back on the bike. Also, huge thanks for the tips on changing seat angle and raising the handlebars, I can't wait to try that out - I can tell it will only help!
Great video, I wonder how to do this if the rounded hips are due to hip impingement i.e. with a straighter less curved back it is more likely to cause the pinching in the hip because of the sharper angle between the femur as the hip?
Awesome! Now do a video on wrist pain/dead hands, please.
by dead hands you mean numbness / weakness I'm assuming?
2 years ago I had some immense pain. I went to two different doctors and all they did was medicate it. My pain was directly due to Mountain biking. I think it was a combination of poor posture and hitting big chunk. This is amazing. Thank you. I’ll keep this in mind when bombing my local trail in CLT and Pisgah area.
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Did you continue to do MTB?
this is actually the reason why I don't ride road bikes because I have this problem as well I guess I'm just not comfortable of its geometry and I'm more comfortable riding my budget hardtail bike with jones bar
Tq so much Dr. Will try to tilt my saddle. Yesterday did 88km. After 50km,i had severe back pain and had stop several times and my friend had to massage my back. Hurts like hell lower back
Hope you're doing better!
Muscular pain and fatigue in the lower back is different from what you're describing and has different causes. Mostly rocking L to R on the saddle due to some problem with fit. Generally that would mean your saddle is a bit too high, but it could also be the result of hip impingement, leg length discrepancy, or asymmetrical flexibility.
Thanks for the video! I'm recovering from an L5/S1 herniation and your tips have helped with my recovery and confidence that I can get back to riding. Do you have any thoughts on riding Flat pedals vs clip less pedals? Someone recently mentioned that being clipped in may be better for less lower back strain
Great to hear! And I can't see how its going to make a significant difference either way. If anything, the ability to move around slightly on flat pedals would be better in my mind.
Very informative. Thank you. I'm disabled vet with sciatica and herniated disc, etc. I would like to get a bike too start riding but I'm kind of scared to aggravate my back. So many choices of bikes.
I would definitely consider a full suspension if your budget will allow it. I can definitely help decrease the force transmitted through your back.
@@DrJMTB not all of my riding will be trail a lot of road to start. Budget is an issue, so it's it they worst thing to get a Walmart bike too start and go from there? Will the full suspension be ok on the road?
Michael S especially if is has a lockout it will be ok. But you can certainly get by with a hard tail as long as you use good technique and try to be standing when going though rough sections.
Great video Dr.J! I'm actually PT student myself and i'm interested in the article(s) you were referencing, is it possible to reference the titles? thanks!
Sorry I just now saw your comment. I hope you're killing it in PT school. Let me know if you need anything 👊🏼. journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1941738116676260
bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/33/6/398.full.pdf
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1356689X12000422
Great tips thats how i have my bike set up years of Trial And error
I run an 1hr in the morning keeps me balance have no back pain and its loosens my quadriceps
I am a running coach so i work onmy running form to strengthen my legs.
Bikes are made wrong the top tube should be longer on all bikes
Ck out pole bikes the future is here
Running is definitely some great cross training for MTB. Instead of hunched over, relatively non-weight bearing cardio, its upright posture and weight bearing. Running actually has some weak evidence to suggest that it actually STRENGTHENS the intervertebral disc which, as I explained in the video, the oft injured area of the lower back.