"David S. Maddison" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Does anyone know what affect cycling exercise has on the spine, good, bad or indifferent?
>
> David
>
Here's a couple of articles of interest. There's plenty in the medical literature, if you want
to get right into it. From Spine-Health.com: Specific sports: bicycling Stresses
a.. Little conditioning is provided to the back muscles by cycling
b.. Back posture on the bicycle can strain the lower back (a result of the lumbar spine
flexing or pulling up) or the upper back (a result of the neck arching back)
c.. Rough terrain increases jarring and compression to the spine
Prevention
d.. Select the best bicycle for your purpose. For casual riders, consider a mountain bike
with higher, straight handle bars (allow more upright posture) and bigger tires (more
shock absorption) versus a racing style bicycle
e. . Adjust the machine properly to fit your body, with the
assistance of an experienced professional at a bicycle shop if possible
f.. Use proper form; distribute some weight to the arms and keep the chest up; shift
positions periodically, gently lifting and lowering the head to loosen the neck
g.. Remember to push and pull with the legs, the pulling component being equally as
important as the pushing portion
h.. Use shock absorbing accessories including seats and seat covers, handlebar covers,
gloves and including shock absorbers on the wheels (front shocks or full suspension shocks
depending on the type of riding and the terrain)
i.. Do some back strengthening exercises in conjunction with your bicycling routine
From British Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol 33, Issue 6 398-400, Copyright © 1999 by British
Association of Sport and Medicine Effect of changing the saddle angle on the incidence of low
back pain in recreational bicyclists M Salai, T Brosh, A Blankstein, A Oran and A Chechik
Department of Orthopedic Surgery A, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
OBJECTIVE: According to the literature, 30-70% of cyclists suffer from cervical, dorsal, or
lumbar back pain. This study was conducted to evaluate one of the possible causes of low back
pain and to suggest a solution by appropriate adjustments to the bicycle. METHODS: Serial
fluoroscopic studies were performed while cyclists sat on different types of bicycle (sports,
mountain, and city). Pelvic/spine angles were measured at different seat angles, and the
related force vectors analysed. RESULTS: There was a tendency towards hyperextension of the
pelvic/spine angle which resulted in an increase in tensile forces at the promontorium. These
forces can easily be reduced by appropriate adjustment of the seat angle--that is, by creating
an anterior inclining angle. The findings of the biomechanical analysis were then applied to a
group of cyclists who were members of a cycling club and who complained of low back pain.
After appropriate adjustment of the saddle angle, most of the cyclists (>70%) reported major
improvement in the incidence and magnitude of their back pain. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and
magnitude of back pain in cyclists can be reduced by appropriate adjustment of the angle of
the saddle. It is important that these findings be conveyed to cyclists, bicycle salesmen,
trainers, and members of the general public who engage in cycling, in order to decrease the
prevalence of back pain.