How Cycling And Back Pain Are Related?
Ashish Jain
If it is an emphatic yes for swimming to cure the back pain, it
is a strong no to the cycling, unfortunately. Millions of
children and youth all over the world may not like this
observation, but facts are facts.
Cycling done for long hours, contributes to many types of
bodily imbalances, and may aggravate your back pain. However,
cycling done for short durations may not do any major damage.
It should be treated as just one of those exercises.
It is generally believed that cycling is one of the best
methods to control and improve your overall fitness. While you
do cycling, you get exercise to every part of your body. As you
peddle, it is a good breathing exercise as well, provided you do
it properly. But cycling has some disadvantages, especially if
you have back pain. Cycling activity may not be possible at
all, in case of acute back pain.
Cycling leads you to muscular imbalances. You may get chronic
pain in certain parts of your body. It can never help you
control your back pain.
Examine your riding posture on the cycle. Let’s start from the
feet and then move up to the head.
Pedaling is a strenuous job, and it puts lots of stress on your
calves. Tight calves mean your feet will flatten with lots of
stress on the heel cord, knees and planter fascia. The major
stress bearing muscles in cycling are the quadriceps.
Lots of cycling and the bent over cycling position is the cause
of tightness in the quadriceps and the psoas (hip flexors). Now,
you know the most damaging aspect of this position while cycling
Pelvis moves out of the optimal position and goes for a forward
tilt. This is the beginning of the muscle imbalance. This is
also the starting point of the strain of the lower back. There
is lots of strain on the abdominals also. The hamstrings get
overworked as you peddle forward, and they become tight.
The shoulders and the mid back have to bear the brunt. As you
cycle your back is rounded and you with the back pain try to
continue in a very difficult position. The shoulders are hiked
up and pulled forward and you can well imagine the impact of
it, if you continue cycling for longer duration.
The back pain will make you get down from the cycle
automatically. If you still persist, neck tension and pain are
guaranteed.
So, cycling can cause certain serious imbalances to your
existing state of back pain. Why think of this exercise now?
Postpone it for a future date, when you are completely cured
form all sorts of back pain. Wait for some months!
Latest and better models of cycles are arriving in the market
and they need your solid
'back'ing!
About The Author:
http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain/ & Back
Pain Treatment provides detailed information on back pain, back
pain treatment, back pain cure and more.
Back to Index of
All Sports Therapy & Sports Injury Articles
Back to Index of All Sports Articles
Find More Related Information
