Ive been getting some severe neck pain from riding recently; specifically, some soreness in the lower neck, between my shoulder blades, and it feels like its bone, cart or nerve rather than muscular.
I get it after any trip lasting more than 1 hour. I would imagine its due in no small part to a badly fitted bike and poor posture. I am getting a new frame very soon and will match it up with the right length stem etc so the fit will be correct, plus it has carbon forks which should absorb a bit more of the road but in the meantime I cant ride because my neck is so sore and I dont want to make it worse.
Has anyone had similar problems and if so what did they do about it? Am considering phisio too. I really dont want to take more than a week or two off riding if I can help it - especially with my shiny new frame on the way.
Deep Heet and ibuprofen are getting boring!
I ride a normal road bike with drop bars by the way.
"Turkey Tickler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Ive been getting some severe neck pain from riding recently; specifically, some soreness in the lower neck, between my shoulder blades, and it feels like its bone, cart or nerve rather than muscular.
I get it after any trip lasting more than 1 hour. I would imagine its due in no small part to a badly fitted bike and poor posture. I am getting a new frame very soon and will match it up with the right length stem etc so the fit will be correct, plus it has carbon forks which should absorb a
bit
Quoted message said:
more of the road but in the meantime I cant ride because my neck is so
sore
Quoted message said:
and I dont want to make it worse.
Has anyone had similar problems and if so what did they do about it? Am considering phisio too. I really dont want to take more than a week or
two
Quoted message said:
off riding if I can help it - especially with my shiny new frame on the
way.
Quoted message said:
Deep Heet and ibuprofen are getting boring!
I ride a normal road bike with drop bars by the way.THERE'S YOUR PROBLEM,
Ive been getting some severe neck pain from riding recently;
Do you wear glasses/shades? It's not the main cause of course, but anything obstructing the top of vision (like frame of glasses or a cap/helmet peak) will cause you to tilt head up more than you would otherwise. Try doing without the glasses for some of the time if possible.
Has anyone had similar problems and if so what did they do about it?
I read an article on a web site which really helped me sort out a good test for how well postured I was on any given bike. I can't rememeber the URL, but the gist of it was like this.
Sit on the bike leaning very gently against a wall for support. Try raising your derriere and your hands simultaneously by pushing down on the pedals. If your hands lift first/easiest, move the saddle forwards, if you rear comes up first, move the saddle backwards. Repeat until you get a balance. I found this to be a good way to get the weight off my hands which I had previously thought was a given with riding a bike, and tended to make my shoulders ache (especially on a road bike). It does assume you've already got saddle height sorted.
The other thing I found I was prone to many years ago was resting too much weight on the bars in such a way that my shoulders were concave at the back. It took a while to figure out how to push my shoulders down and forward and remain relaxed without slouching back into the same position aftger a while. Once I'd got the hang of this, there was no problem with riding a bike for seven hours when the handlebars were six inches below the saddle. That was a long time ago, though.
I do wear shades and they are not cycling specific design so it might be worth a try - thanks for that I never would have thought of it!
Cheers
Chris "Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Turkey Tickler said:
Ive been getting some severe neck pain from riding recently;
Do you wear glasses/shades? It's not the main cause of course, but anything obstructing the top of vision (like frame of glasses or a cap/helmet peak) will cause you to tilt head up more than you would otherwise. Try doing without the glasses for some of the time if possible.
Thanks will give that a try once I am mobile again!
Cheers
Chris "Jim Price" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Turkey Tickler said:
Has anyone had similar problems and if so what did they do about it?
I read an article on a web site which really helped me sort out a good test for how well postured I was on any given bike. I can't rememeber the URL, but the gist of it was like this.
Sit on the bike leaning very gently against a wall for support. Try raising your derriere and your hands simultaneously by pushing down on the pedals. If your hands lift first/easiest, move the saddle forwards, if you rear comes up first, move the saddle backwards. Repeat until you get a balance. I found this to be a good way to get the weight off my hands which I had previously thought was a given with riding a bike, and tended to make my shoulders ache (especially on a road bike). It does assume you've already got saddle height sorted.
The other thing I found I was prone to many years ago was resting too much weight on the bars in such a way that my shoulders were concave at the back. It took a while to figure out how to push my shoulders down and forward and remain relaxed without slouching back into the same position aftger a while. Once I'd got the hang of this, there was no problem with riding a bike for seven hours when the handlebars were six inches below the saddle. That was a long time ago, though.
"Turkey Tickler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Ive been getting some severe neck pain from riding recently; specifically, some soreness in the lower neck, between my shoulder blades, and it feels like its bone, cart or nerve rather than muscular.
I get it after any trip lasting more than 1 hour. I would imagine its due in no small part to a badly fitted bike and poor posture. I am getting a new frame very soon and will match it up with the right length stem etc so the fit will be correct, plus it has carbon forks which should absorb a
bit
Quoted message said:
more of the road but in the meantime I cant ride because my neck is so
sore
Quoted message said:
and I dont want to make it worse.
Has anyone had similar problems and if so what did they do about it? Am considering phisio too. I really dont want to take more than a week or
two
Quoted message said:
off riding if I can help it - especially with my shiny new frame on the
way.
Quoted message said:
Deep Heet and ibuprofen are getting boring!
I ride a normal road bike with drop bars by the way.
Cheers
Chris
If it's off to one side you may find a bit of maniputation (Sports physio of your choice) of your spine will fix it . The boring bit is the exercises to stop it recurring....
"Turkey Tickler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Ive been getting some severe neck pain from riding recently; specifically, some soreness in the lower neck, between my shoulder blades, and it feels like its bone, cart or nerve rather than muscular.
I get it after any trip lasting more than 1 hour. I would imagine its due in no small part to a badly fitted bike and poor posture. I am getting a new frame very soon and will match it up with the right length stem etc so the fit will be correct, plus it has carbon forks which should absorb a
bit
Quoted message said:
more of the road but in the meantime I cant ride because my neck is so
sore
Quoted message said:
and I dont want to make it worse.
Has anyone had similar problems and if so what did they do about it? Am considering phisio too. I really dont want to take more than a week or
two
Quoted message said:
off riding if I can help it - especially with my shiny new frame on the
way.
Quoted message said:
Deep Heet and ibuprofen are getting boring!
I ride a normal road bike with drop bars by the way.
Cheers
Chris
If it's off to one side you may find a bit of maniputation (Sports physio of your choice) of your spine will fix it . The boring bit is the exercises to stop it recurring....
Julia
Succumb to the dark side. We have no neck ache here.
