G'day. I have suffered from a condition known as Spondilolysthesis (I think that's how to spell it) for a while. It maens that one of my lumbar vertebrae has moved relative to the others. Symptoms are a lack of lower back flexibility and, when riding, substantial pain and tightness on either side of the spine which can migrate to the ITB and quads occasionally. I know that stretching is a good thing and I have been stretching every day for a while. My hamstrings and upper back have had to take up the slack in terms of mobility but the back pain is a major obstacle. As yet I havent found a stretch/exercise which easily relieves the tension. Anyone with stretching/strengthening ideas for hip flexors/extensors and other lower torso muscles?
Originally posted by tafi G'day. I have suffered from a condition known as Spondilolysthesis (I think that's how to spell it) for a while. It maens that one of my lumbar vertebrae has moved relative to the others. Symptoms are a lack of lower back flexibility and, when riding, substantial pain and tightness on either side of the spine which can migrate to the ITB and quads occasionally. I know that stretching is a good thing and I have been stretching every day for a while. My hamstrings and upper back have had to take up the slack in terms of mobility but the back pain is a major obstacle. As yet I havent found a stretch/exercise which easily relieves the tension. Anyone with stretching/strengthening ideas for hip flexors/extensors and other lower torso muscles?
Cheers
You do not state when your condition started, before or after taking up cycling. All serious back pain in cycling is caused by the natural pedaling style which places the lower back under continuous strain. With the correct and safe pedaling technique, it is guaranteed that if you can walk free from lower back pain, there is no reason why lower back pain should effect you when cycling. Linear pedaling ( Anquetil's style) is the answer to all "on the bike" lower back pain.
I doubt that this is the case. The pain has generally occured on the bike (however it is not restricted to this activity) but the condition, Spondylolisthesis has resulted from earlier activities (ie: playing front row rugby union), and predates cycling. Spondylolysthesis is generally not the result of cycling since it involves the fracture of at least one vertebrae (unlikely to have occured on the bike).
You might well thinkI am an old codger (I assume this from the Anquetil reference) however I am 22 years old and thus have no idea what you mean by linear pedaling (the pedals move in circles anyway). I have tried pedaling in the most natural way for me and I have also tried pedaling in as full circles as possible but neither has made a difference to how I ride.
There are of course days during which I may ride for a few hours without any pain at all. Yet there are other days when the pain comes on within half an hour and I will have to literally stop and stretch up to four times in six hours because the pain is too much.
To me the idea of being able to ride without pain simply because i can walk without it sound strange to me since the actions are different.
Originally posted by tafi I doubt that this is the case. The pain has generally occured on the bike (however it is not restricted to this activity) but the condition, Spondylolisthesis has resulted from earlier activities (ie: playing front row rugby union), and predates cycling. Spondylolysthesis is generally not the result of cycling since it involves the fracture of at least one vertebrae (unlikely to have occured on the bike).
You might well thinkI am an old codger (I assume this from the Anquetil reference) however I am 22 years old and thus have no idea what you mean by linear pedaling (the pedals move in circles anyway). I have tried pedaling in the most natural way for me and I have also tried pedaling in as full circles as possible but neither has made a difference to how I ride.
There are of course days during which I may ride for a few hours without any pain at all. Yet there are other days when the pain comes on within half an hour and I will have to literally stop and stretch up to four times in six hours because the pain is too much.
To me the idea of being able to ride without pain simply because i can walk without it sound strange to me since the actions are different.
That you can ride some days without any pain seems to indicate that what you do during the intervals when you are not riding could be having an effect on your lower back. As for walking and pedaling having different actions, with Anquetil's style, pedaling has the same harmless effect on the knees as walking, while on the lower back it has a similar but more beneficial effect than walking because it is a smoother technique.
When I am not riding I am not doubled over on a bike. The benefits of "Anquteil's action" are all very well but you haven't explained how it is different to any other pedaling action.
