rodjackson Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Good suggestions by all, but be careful with straight leg lifts - these can cause undue pressure on the low back and increase problems. Stretching is very important for the lower back, especially since we are standing while we ride. To stretch the lower back safely, lie face up with the knees bent. Pull one knee up to your chest only to where you feel a light stretch, hold 20-30 seconds, do the other knee and then do both. Repeat several times. When you pull both knees up, feel for a light stretch in your lower back. Do not pull too hard, this is a group of small muscles attaching to points in the spine and can be over stretched easily. Don't bounce or make it hurt - if you feel pain, back off. Muscles like to stretch slowly. The hamstrings (back of the thighs) and the gluteal (butt) muscles need to be stretched so that the forward bending happens mostly at the hips and not so much at the lower back, which can cause undue strain and lead to low back pain. An easy stretch for the back of the thighs is to stand up, put one heel up on top of something a foot or two above the ground (a modern trials bike "seat" is about the right height) and lean forward while bending only at the hip. Put one hand on your lower back to make sure it is straight. Feel where the back of your leg starts to stretch and hold it about 20-30 seconds. Do each leg a few times and you should notice that you can go a little further each time. For the butt muscles, sit down and cross one ankle over the other knee. Pull the crossed knee up toward the opposite shoulder and feel for a light pull in your buttocks. Do each side a few times. Also - make sure you are well hydrated. Start drinking fluids early in the morning before a trial or practice session and continue to sip on fluids throughout the day (coffee, tea and beer don't count!). If you are low on fluids, the muscles won't work as well. Hope these tips help! Rod Jackson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toothandnail Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 The tips on hydration are great, when we go to ride in the desert(3 day trips) we usally start drinking extra water 2 days before, it's amaising how much it helps on not getting as thirsty,tired,or sore. Try it some time you'll be suprised. we have 1 guy who won't do it and he can't get enough to drink,he can't eat because of being too full of water,can't ride hard because of "water belly" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregrsv Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 Hi I noticed you are from Ipswich ! if you contact the scoliosis centre (for curved spines) at martlesham which is very close to ipswich, they will put you on the right track with exersizes , because of the curves in your spine some muscles will be over stretched and some will be over contracting to keep you upright , this is the root of most of your back ache, Also if you have a curve youll probably have a bit of rotation this also causes pain and is part of the reason you'll get no relief from osteo's and chiro's. My back is has 4 curves in it and has ached for years so this year i found the clinic on the net (only one in UK) and decided to go for it as im 41 now i didnt fancy ending up like the quosimodo when i was 65! Ihave just done a months course of physio 6 hours in thier gym every day! and it has helped my back greatly , the back ache after trialling or working (heavy plant mechanic) was always bugging me but this course has dramatically impoved things. The course will stop the curve progressing as you get older as well so youll be able to keep riding till your an old timer! and your probably weighting one foot far more than the other so your balance will improve also . clinic number: Scoliosis sos 01394 389670 speak to one of the girls and they'll sort you out hope this helps greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_urban Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 i know this sounds gay but can you touch your toes a lot of lower back problems are caused buy hanstrings being to tight of you do 2 before riding and 2 after riding do a 30 second stretch trying to get your parms to touch the floor without bending your knees do it for a few day i bet it helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 i have an arthritic condition that will stop me doing alot of things in the future, and I suffered from a sore back after a short time on the TY250. A good friend suggested 'rolling' the bars forward a touch and it worked wonders! Obviously exercising is good as well, but a small change on the bike will help too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricks Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 (edited) Stretching is the best advice anyone can have for back problems - as already mentioned by others i would avoid lifting yourself off the floor with your legs etc until you've seek medical advice because it could worsen your condition!! I suffer from a slipped discs and lower back pain from years of motocross/enduro riding [crashes], I scrapped the normal mx kidney belt for a proper medical back support and it worked wonders, those of you that still ride H&H may want to try that, I even wear it on the trials bike with great effect.. I also lay on the floor after riding and pull each knee up to my chest while the other leg is stretch out right.. hold this position for 20sec then repeat with the other leg for atleast 5 reps - also Squats are good with very very light weights. Edited April 18, 2010 by tricks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvgmmartin Posted May 31, 2010 Report Share Posted May 31, 2010 All the comments about stretching and excercise are absolutely correct, but even with all that I still wouldn't last 5 mins on a trials bike if I didn't wear a proper orthopedic support belt (looks like an old fashioned corset with steel ribs in the back) I wouldn't be riding anymore if I didn't have it. Much as we would all like to be able to completely cure ourselves by various sorts of treatment, it isn't always possible. I fell off too many grasstrack bikes in my early twenties and flattened 3 of the lower discs. Excercise is absolutely necessary just to be able to keep do the normal things, but it seems common sense to me to protect the lower back as much as possible when I ride, so regardless of how I feel, I always wear this bullet proof belt. I don't know why more people don't use them as a preventative measure especially as they get older. I'm 61 and ride a 500 triumph trials bike, but I wouldn't even be riding a Bantam without the belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motojojo Posted June 25, 2010 Report Share Posted June 25, 2010 Spacers raising the bars help, rolling them forward helps, stretching hamstrings help, core training helps, small back bends help but the best advise I could give is never do anything that bothers it. Always sit with an arch in your back never slump your low back always give it support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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