Stretching

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by renoster
After a couple of years of injury free riding, I now often have to stay of the bike due to pain and stiffness in my lower back, hips and thighs. I do a bit of IT band stretching - can anybody suggest some good stretches that may help me avoid this problem in the future?

Always remember, rigidity is death flexibility is life. stretching for cycling is important not just for your lower back but for the entire body. stretching is like trying to increase you vo2 max it takes time. i personnally stretch twice a day before i ride and at night as i suffer watching emeril cook up a strom BAM BAM!

i start standing and work my neck to the front and i hold it about 20 to 30 sec and i move it to the rear for the same now i return to the front and i do the same but now with some pressure from my hands hold and to the rear. do the same for the sides. now rotate your head two to three time to each side. now work the sholders by pulling your arm over your head and to the back bending your elbow. rotate your arms doing circles several time to loosen your sholders.

now put your arms on your hips put your feet sholder width apart bend your knees and push your hips foward and hold keep your chin close to your chest. know push your hips toward the rear by keeping your back straight and your knees locked you should feel the stretch in the hamstrings. do the same to the sides. now to the floor. sitting put you legs to the front and try to grad your toes and hold. remember to breath deep and release and go to a point that you feel a stretch not PAIN. try to hold for more time in the leg department. now spread your legs and try to bend foward keep your head up and your back straight. now on your back pull you knees to your chest and hold this will work your lower back. to finish off knee and sit on your feet and then try to slowly lean back until you can lie down.

by this time your either very relaxed or very hungry from watching emeril

BAM

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by renoster
After a couple of years of injury free riding, I now often have to stay of the bike due to pain and stiffness in my lower back, hips and thighs. I do a bit of IT band stretching - can anybody suggest some good stretches that may help me avoid this problem in the future?

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There are three basic stretches to prevent tightness and lower back pain from biking I do every morning. First, sitting down, bend forward and place shoulders on knees, or "head between the knees" if you're able. You can even wrap your arms in back of your knees and pull down for added stretch. Hold for a full minute.

Second, again while seated, is to pull one knee up to the chest. Then after 30 seconds, pull the knee across your body with opposite arm (knee in crook of elbow) to stretch the outside of the hip (trocanter?) muscle. You can add an upper body twist now by turning your shoulders and head to look backwards.

Last is just bending over straight-legged and touching fingers/palms to the floor. Hold for one minute.

tips from yoga class

while seated extend( spread) both legs comfortably outward. Keeping the knee straight slowly extend hands and reach to the feet or simply the ground near the feet. Hold for 20 seconds and breath never bounce. Repeat with other leg.

Do above exercsice this time gripping the tips of your toes and gently pulling them toward you breat and hold for 20 sec (calf and hamstring)

Repeat the first exercise this time placing both hands dead ahed on the ground , use you fingers to crawl forward slowly to threshold, hold 20 sec, breathe and release.

Stand upright distancing feet comfortably apart reach toward the floor and touch floor. Can place palms on floor if possible, can also fold arms and let them increase weight applied on hamstring, again breathe and hold for 20 sec.

Sit like a Buddah place feet insole together. Gently use elbows to push down on knees (toward floor) , do not over stretch , breath and hold at threshhold.

problem is I cant even touch me toes with lots of wraming up. My hamstrings have always been VERY right. I got to a point last year where is I warmed up I could touch my toes from the standing position without bouncing, but I cant do that anymore.

Thanks for all your great tips. I look forward to extending my season thanks to your advice.

if you cant touch your toes just go as far as you can, dont bounce just stretch and breathe. Next time will be better

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by saso
tips from yoga class

while seated extend( spread) both legs comfortably outward. Keeping the knee straight slowly extend hands and reach to the feet or simply the ground near the feet. Hold for 20 seconds and breath never bounce. Repeat with other leg.

Do above exercsice this time gripping the tips of your toes and gently pulling them toward you breat and hold for 20 sec (calf and hamstring)

Repeat the first exercise this time placing both hands dead ahed on the ground , use you fingers to crawl forward slowly to threshold, hold 20 sec, breathe and release.

Stand upright distancing feet comfortably apart reach toward the floor and touch floor. Can place palms on floor if possible, can also fold arms and let them increase weight applied on hamstring, again breathe and hold for 20 sec.

Sit like a Buddah place feet insole together. Gently use elbows to push down on knees (toward floor) , do not over stretch , breath and hold at threshhold.

Got a good quad stretch? The old one is supposed to be bad for the knees...

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by renoster
After a couple of years of injury free riding, I now often have to stay of the bike due to pain and stiffness in my lower back, hips and thighs. I do a bit of IT band stretching - can anybody suggest some good stretches that may help me avoid this problem in the future?

Aside from stretching to relieve symptoms, I would investigate what if anything has changed which might be causing the back strain. For example,

- long commute in your car (slouched)(common)
- change in bike setup (seat height, handlebar etc.)
- new components on bike
- change in length of rides

If you think back to a couple of weeks before you started noticing the sore back you may find a contributing factor. If you rode for 2 years without any problems then my guess is that something changed and caused the onset of the strain.

Another more ominous possibility is a herniated disc. As the disc (usually lower back) bulges it presses on a nerve causing pain. Telltale sign is pain down the entire side of the leg to the little toe. Initially pain may only be in lower back and pelvic girdle. If you are fairly young this is unlikely the problem but your doctor can tell you for sure.

Interestingly, stretching helps most disc problems because as you stretch the nerve it gets slightly smaller (like pulling a rubber band). This reduces the pressure on it and the pain goes away. Unfortunately, I have first hand experience with this problem.