Back pain is the most common problem among mountain bike riders, and both beginners and professional athletes complain about this issue. Dr. Edward Shang, an expert from Mountain Bike magazine, tells us how to avoid back pain and how to strengthen the back. Even professional athletes may have back pain issues. Regina Stiefl, a world-class downhill cyclist, recalled that every early spring when I underwent intensive training and rode frequently, my waist always hurt.
Beginners of mountain bikes often experience severe back pain after their first journey: intense neck and back pain, as well as pain in the lumbar spine. Does mountain biking bring joy? Is it healthy?" Newcomers often shake their heads in doubt and ask themselves.
Dr. Edward Shang, a fitness expert and experienced cyclist from Mountain Bike magazine, said, "Back pain and muscle tension in the shoulders and neck are the primary pains for cyclists." At least 50% of cyclists complain about back pain issues. However, in most cases, this pain can be avoided. There are two methods that are beneficial for the back:
Dr. Shang: "The correct seat cushion position and daily stretching exercises can have amazing effects
Back pain, like chain detachment, can be completely avoided. As long as the correct seat cushion posture, frame height, and upper pipe length that are suitable for the body type and riding style can be found, back pain can be prevented. As for knights who already have back pain problems, they can be treated with stretching exercises as introduced in the following text.
Pay attention to the correct posture of the seat cushion when buying a car. Many professional retailers often get the focus of the problem wrong. They will ask consumers, 'Are you a sporty or casual rider? Are you really cycling well, or do you want to relax like a Dutch cyclist?' Faced with such questions, every consumer will express that they want to ride a bicycle like an athlete. However, some people mistakenly believe that a sitting posture that stretches the upper body forward and downward as much as possible is a sports sitting posture. In fact, this sitting posture originated from the early development stage of mountain bikes, and today it seems that this sitting posture is completely untenable. The 'exercise posture' with the upper body flat is not a good sitting posture.
There are secrets to preventing back pain
The unanimous opinion among experts is that mountain biking is healthy. The problem only lies in how to adjust the height of the frame and the length of the upper pipe. As long as you can find the correct sitting posture and do regular muscle relaxation exercises, you don't have to avoid paths covered in tree roots.
Tip 1: Correct sitting posture = Cherish sitting posture on the back
For beginners and tourist riders who only want to relax their body and mind with a bicycle, the ideal seat cushion position is: a shorter upper tube; The difference in height between the seat cushion and the handle is minimal. Knights with back problems should also choose this sitting posture, as it can reduce the burden on the back muscles. After regular training, the handle height can be lowered. However, it should be noted that each change must be gradually adapted. The impact of a difference of half a centimeter is already significant. The back muscles of the trained rider's sitting posture are already able to adapt to the burden of cycling, and they should try a forward leaning sitting posture with their upper body flat. Longer upper pipe
The upper body must be extended forward, causing the center of gravity of the body to shift forward, resulting in a heavy burden on the shoulder muscles. The significant difference in height between the seat cushion and handle also forces the upper body downwards, increasing the burden on the back muscles. For beginners and knights with back problems, this sitting posture is not suitable. For sports car enthusiasts, this posture can reduce wind resistance.
Tip 2: Stretching Exercise
Shoulder rotation movement
The ideal warm-up exercise before each trip or during daily training sessions is to move your feet as wide as your hips and rotate your shoulders by moving one arm forward. This can relax the shoulder muscles and ensure smooth blood flow throughout the entire back. The other hand was easily placed on the hip bone.
Shoulder Movement
The exercise of stretching the scapular muscles. Move the bent arm backwards at the height of the throat, with the other hand near the elbow joint, compressing the arm to continue moving backwards until you feel tension between the shoulders. This can enhance the stretching effect. Caution: Do not twist your spine.
