Managing biker's pains

Wheels of Happiness

Angono, Rizal, Philippines   |   December 30, 2013

 

One of the biggest problems of athletes exercise loving citizens is management of post exercise pain.  As a long distance aficionada before, as a biker, I had my shares of pains.

Mr. Willy Cunanan cant bike because of pain in the knees which even started while in the ship.  He had to bear the pain for 10 months.  He cant bike for a distance because the pain gets worse.

Mr. Jess Verches on the other hand complain of back pain after the Kaybiang tunnel Ternate, Cavite ride.

Here are my thoughts on the said complaints:





1.  On Jess Verches complaint:

     His complaint is a common biker's pain:  over strain, fatigue, and cold getting into the system.  We have back pain because of weakness in the core muscles:  Solution:

     1.   First to remove the pain:

           1.  Apply topical heat, remove the cold by applying liniment consisting of coconut oil with yellow ginger (tumeric) soaked into it, putting plastic or leaf over it, and when there is moisture remove the leaf or plastic, and replace with dry cloth bandage.

          2.  Stretching exercise:

          1.  Cross legs (secretary's pose) while lying down to stretch the back muscles.  Say 5 reps for each pose

          2.  A yoga pose:     lie on your tummy, and pull your legs upward (I think this is called Scorpions pose because that is how the scorpion's stinger appear)   Do several for a one minute asana

         3,  Trunk exercise as helicopter.

2.  Preventive or cures

       1.  Strengthening the core muscles:

           1. Lunges

          2.  Sit ups

          3.  Push ups

         4.  Pilates

Adjust bicycle to avoid straining.  

2.  For Willy:  (amigo)

     I suggested him to take Asi Tava.  Ben I think got rid of his back pains for having strain on lifting of heavy objects by stretching, as s being suggested and Asi Tava  (Please visit post on Plant Cures)  Ben got better, got rid of his back pains.  The proof was after not joining us for a month, he joined us at the KayBiang tunnel ride, obviously without muscle pain all ready

More information:

From Spine Health - biking and prevention of back pains

How to Prevent Back Injuries or Neck Injuries from Biking

• Select the best bicycle for your purpose. For casual bike riders, a mountain bike with higher, straight handle bars (allow more upright posture), and bigger tires (more shock absorption) may be a better option than a racing style bicycle
• Adjust the bicycle properly to fit one's body. If possible, this is best achieved with the assistance of an experienced professional at a bicycle shop
• Use proper form when biking; distribute some weight to the arms and keep the chest up; shift positions periodically
• Periodically gently lifting and lowering the head to loosen the neck and avoid neck strain
• Discuss and review your pedaling technique with a personal trainer or other knowledgeable professional in order to get the most out of the exercise
• Use shock absorbing bike accessories including seats and seat covers, handlebar covers, gloves, and shock absorbers on the front forks (front shocks or full suspension shocks depending on the type of riding you plan to do and the terrain)

Yoga Poses to Treat Back pain

Back pain in Cyclists

From Bike Radar - How to deal with common bike ailments

The relevant article:  (from Bike Radar)


"Probable cause: After knees, the back is probably one of the biggest causes of pain for cyclists, with lack of flexibility and bad posture generally the cause. “The natural, neutral position for the human body is standing with all your muscles in balance,” says Edwards. “So, the minute you start reaching forward, you’re stretching some of those muscles more than they are used to, and potentially holding that stretch for hours at a time.”
This overstretches the ligaments, causing them to overstrain which can lead to localised lower back pain, though generally with no referral of pain into the legs, according to Edwards. This forward-bent position can also result in injuries to the trunk flexor and lumbar muscles and the sciatic nerve, while the muscle groups not involved in the movement can easily become tightened and shortened.
If you sit at a desk all day or drive lots, you’re likely to have poor posture. “That makes you even more vulnerable to back injury from overstretching on the bike,” asserts Edwards, “putting too much pressure on the fibrous outer protective discs that protect your spinal vertebrae from shock. The result can be bulging discs, herniated or slipped discs, which in turn can cause sciatica nerve pain.
Treatment: Get your workstation assessed by a physiotherapist or ergonomics expert so that your at-work posture can be the best possible. Just as important is to take regular breaks so that you’re not sitting for hours in the same position. “Every three-quarters of an hour, sit upright,” says Edwards, “and bend back on your chair to straighten out. Pull your shoulders back and down, working the body in as many directions as possible.” Here are two exercises your can try:
1. Shrug it off: To release stress and tension from your neck and shoulders while seated at your workstation, lift your shoulders up towards your ears, squeezing them as hard as you can. Hold for a couple of seconds and roll them back as you relax down. Repeat this 8-10 times.

2. Reach for the sky: To improve your posture and stretch all the muscles in your back, sides and arms, lace your fingers together and stretch straight up towards the ceiling. Breathe in deeply as you stretch as high as you can, then exhale and open your arms, sweeping them back in a wide arc down wide to your sides.

As with neck problems, the easiest way to avoid back pain from over-reaching is to change your bike setup. Raising your bars by flipping your stem or adding spacers to your headset, or choosing a shorter stem, will let you ride more upright and avoid overstretching in the first place. The same goes for changing your hand positions on the bars – don’t spend all day riding on the drops, instead sit up and ride on the hoods or bar tops to give your back a break.
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