Monday, April 15, 2013

Spring Has Sprung And Low Back Pain

How do I know spring is here? No, it’s not the warmer temperatures, new plants sprouting, or stocking up on Zyrtec D. Actually the telltale sign is the line to get in to Fort Ben Harrison State Park on a weekend afternoon.

Often I’ll just ride to the park from my house along the Fall Creek Greenway, but I took the single speed out and frantically spinning for 10 miles on pavement is not exactly fun. So, drive I did.
Having a state park pass does help, although the alternate lane for pass holders starts about 100 feet from the gate house while the backup was around a ¼ mile when I queued up. All in all it was a nice ride, despite a few muddy spots that have been holding water since the thaw.

My new sock monkey socks (an xmas present from some friends in NY....possibly as a joke gift) got a baptism by fire. Appropriately enough, the sock monkey seems to be frowning in this photo…..
I want to emphasize that the trails were 90% dry with only a few muddy spots.
Unfortunately, I seem to be developing some low back pain during my recent Moncog rides. First at BCSP, and then this weekend. Each time the pain seems to wane later in the ride, but then I wake up stiff the next morning. Never had this issue before, although I did install a new fork which lifted the handle bars a bit for a slightly more upright position. Maybe I just need to get used to this.

Lastly, I signed up for the DRT Brown County XC Time Trial on May 5. I figure I will dawdle down the Hesitation Point descent, get passed by the rest of my class, and then attack on the climbs. Or something like that….

4 comments:

  1. Great socks!!!

    It might be how you stand to climb on the SS. I know my lower back hurts when I am not in good SS condition for climbing. Riding a geared bike does not work those muscles in the same way.

    It might be the fork too if it is stiffer then what you had. I could tell the difference between two different rigid forks on how much beating the rest of my body took, not just my arms.

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    1. I'm thinking it is my SS conditioning. I rode it a lot over the winter with the snow and ice, but switched primairly the geared bike in late January for BR training. Plus those winter rides weren't as long as the BCSP ride I did, or even this past weekend. The back pain was fairly short lived on Sunday so perhaps thats a good sign.

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  2. Hi, Ed! Take it easy with the rides as it must be the caused of the back pain. With the way our back bends when riding, our spine suffers and could be injured if our riding style and form is wrong. If your back pain continues for months, I suggest you seek chiropractic treatment for permanent relief.

    Regards,
    Shan Salas @
    BrandonChiropractor.net

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  3. Most often the main cause of low back pain from cycling is the improper sitting position. Always make sure that you’re sitting in the right cycling position before taking the long road. Right hand position and timing also help to prevent low back pain. Have a good cycling activity!

    @ Fort Lauderdale Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

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