Sudden Lower Back Pain?

[Birdonnabike]

I know this isn't specific to women; but this felt the best place to put this question. Blokes reading, I'd value your opinions too!

In 2012 I stopped cycling for a couple of months as, after one session, I had this sudden and agonising back pain. Would hit me out of the blue with spasms, for weeks after, like being struck by lightning. Like an idiot, I didn't go to the doctor and when I returned to cycling, was so afraid the bike's geometry hadn't been right, I used it as an excuse to get another bike.

Which I have ridden no problems til yesterday then - same thing. Out of the blue, sudden agonising lower back pain so bad I barely slept last night. I have a doctor's appointment next week and got some Voltarol earlier tonight, to use in the meantime. So I will get a diagnosis and check it's nothing sinister.

I can't afford a fitting or adjustment - will just mess with my saddle and handlebars til I feel it's right again. Oddly, the day before I did my usual 14 mile ride the easiest I have done it all summer, and felt brilliant throughout. And this back thing only hit me yesterday after I got off the bike. Truly the worst pain I have ever experienced (and I've given birth 5 times )

Anyone got any advice, or had similar experience and what worked for you? I'm flat broke right now and so that means I'm limited in what I can do. I know it's not my bike's geometry - have ridden it for a couple of years with no problems. And now I suspect my old bike was fine, too.

I was riding my Cannondale Quick which has flat handlebars and I have been thinking for a while I was going to adjust them a bit higher as I feel I put too much weight on my hands.

Also, any recommendations of exercises to build my core strength as I think that might help? I'm middle aged and was out of condition til I got back on my bike. The weight has been dropping off, and I have felt great - I have rested all day today but want to ride tomorrow. But that pain... so strong it made me feel sick. Anyone else had it? And what did you do?

[BeeKeeper]

I suffer from a bad back from time to time and the only cure which works for me is exercise, specifically exercises for bad backs, which are often caused by weakness in the muscles supporting the back. There are some useful suggestions here: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Backpain/Pag ... cises.aspx
An exercise which works well for me is the Superman one. While on all fours stick your right arm out horizontally and at the same time stick you left leg out horizontally, hold for a few seconds then do it with the opposite limbs. Repeat at least ten times.
These exercises bring relief if you can manage them while your back is sore. The trick is then to keep at them once you are better! This is where I fall down and my back goes again after 6 months or so.

[reohn2]

I'm assuming it's the lower back you're having problems with?
I've suffered terrible back pain in the past,doctors only give Ibuprofen or some other anti inflammatory medication or painkillers and recommend rest which can work for strained muscles.
For the moment rest,keep it warm,a heat pad helps,don't make any sudden movements,slowly,slowly,gently,gently,pamper yourself,ease yourself until the pain passes,and support it with a cushion under it or better still a wide neoprene support belt,all of which will only relieve it but doesn't get to the cause.
If the pain is going down the back of your leg it's Sciatica which is a trapped nerve,caused by either a displaced or inflamed disc.
Given the speed which it's struck it sounds like a displacement of some kind.
It doesn't sound like what I used to refer to as 'work back' which is muscle strain and can be worked off if it doesn't worsen .
You could ask the doctor to refer you to a Physiotherapist but on the NHS there's usually a wait,sometimes weeks .
I'd go to a good Osteopath* who'll straighten you out and give you exercises to strengthen the back by working the core muscles.
A good Oteopath knows his/her stuff and is the only person I've had treat me for back problems and other issues,and who's been able put me back together,then advise how to stop it happening in future through specific exercise.A good one is gold .
One other point,a long time ago I once asked my Osteopath if Yoga would help,he simply said to me ''now you're trying to put me out of business''with a knowing wink

[TonyR]

For the moment rest,keep it warm,a heat pad helps,don't make any sudden movements

Current medical advice for bad backs is not rest but keep active & mobile even if its painful to do so.

What the OP may have is a spinal problem but it sounds more like a muscle spasm for which muscle relaxants are needed.

[reohn2]

For the moment rest,keep it warm,a heat pad helps,don't make any sudden movements

Current medical advice for bad backs is not rest but keep active & mobile even if its painful to do so.

What the OP may have is a spinal problem but it sounds more like a muscle spasm for which muscle relaxants are needed.

That all depends on the cause of the problem in the first place.

[Birdonnabike]

Thanks everyone who's responded so far. I will ask about physio. I am not feeling any pain in my legs and it's lower back on one side. So I think it's muscular, too. And am prone to it as it has happened every few years but the last two times have been the worst. I am loving being back on my bike so much I have no intention of stopping - yesterday I did nothing all day just to give it a chance to recuperate, and it feels just faintly sore at the moment but I know it will randomly spasm again when I'm up and about later. The Voltarol worked last night and I got a full night's sleep so it looks like it isn't a slipped disc or sciatica. Will look into the yoga and the exercises mentioned above as am now convinced I need to do summat about my core. Really appreciate everyone's advice.

[julk]

Sounds muscular to me, I have experienced similar muscle spasm in the past, lower right back for me.
Keep it warm while the muscles recover.
I find a hot water bottle tucked into the belt of my trousers works well whilst staying indoors.

I have not tried this whilst cycling

[squeaker]

'Treat you own back' by Robin McKenzie was my savior, along with classical pilates to build up core strength. There's some commercial guff here, but it gives you the rough idea. Modern GP advice is usually take pain killers / muscle relaxants (eg Ibuprofen and / or Ibuprofen rub on gel) and get on with life, but a check up is worth it, just in case.
IME daily repetition of simple exercises (5 to 10 minutes) will help minimise the chance of a recurrence, but finding the right exercise(s) can take a while!
On the bike, a more upright (to reduce the lumbar flexion, and ideally retain lordosis) position should help, but we are all different. FWIW I find riding a recumbent bike to be positively theraputic, whereas any of my DF bikes have negative effects.
HTH, hope your recovery is speedy and good luck with finding the right postural exercises.

[TonyR]

Thanks everyone who's responded so far. I will ask about physio. I am not feeling any pain in my legs and it's lower back on one side. So I think it's muscular, too. And am prone to it as it has happened every few years but the last two times have been the worst. I am loving being back on my bike so much I have no intention of stopping - yesterday I did nothing all day just to give it a chance to recuperate, and it feels just faintly sore at the moment but I know it will randomly spasm again when I'm up and about later. The Voltarol worked last night and I got a full night's sleep so it looks like it isn't a slipped disc or sciatica. Will look into the yoga and the exercises mentioned above as am now convinced I need to do summat about my core. Really appreciate everyone's advice.

If it is muscles and you are newly back to cycling you might try some exercise equipment at the gym to build up some of the muscle groups involved in your lower back. Cycling can put quite a strain on them because although its your legs doing most of the work you lower back is involved in pulling on the bars especially in seated climbing and get an unnoticed workout in the process that they may not be accustomed to. They react in the same way your legs can do after the event by cramping. Exercising them and building them up helps condition them and minimise the problem.

[Sooper8]

I have no insight into your specific problem, but I can give this information that may help tangentially.

I have had a few things muscle related issues in the last 10 years, such as neck, shoulder, elbows, thighs, lower back, mid back. Some spasm's, some pain, some fatigue (none specific to cycling either and none totally debilitating)

I think every one of them regardless of origin/cause was eventually traced back by physios, to me needing more core strength.

I had to improve sitting posture, do piliates, some stretches, be aware of stomach muscles , etc
I'm 48 , reasonably fit and do other sports, but all things came back to the 'core'.

[gentlegreen]

Given you stopped cycling because of it, we can probably rule out what I've developed this year - sciatica - specifically piriformis syndrome - which is caused by some people - not all - having the sciatic nerve running precariously close to the afore-mentioned muscle - my own personal proof of evolution over "intelligent" design - and by all accounts something cyclists in particular are prone to.

In my case it gave me agonising pain all down my right leg when walking - for nearly six weeks - but not cycling - it was a blessed relief to get on the bike - especially after an almost comically agonising shuffle to the bike shed - though I didn't do more than my 5 mile commute because there was no way I could have walked home in an emergency.
At work I used a tea trolley as a zimmer frame - which worked like a charm.

And keeping moving was part of the cure - along with "nerve flossing" exercises to disconnect the muscle from the nerve - this also worked with radial nerve problems in my arm after a crash last year.

Six months on I'm left with residual discomfort - though it's much more localised and feels like it's in the lower back rather than deep in the place where I sit where the muscle is located - and I'm not sure if it's the muscle needing exercising or residual "echoes" from the nerve - this is why I made this post - with sciatica it can be difficult to locate the actual source of the problem.

When I finally went to see a GP recently because of the persisting chronic pain, they confirmed what I'd already gleaned from the NHS pages on the web - no physiotherapy is available, (specifically physiotherapy plus steroid and local anaesthetic injections) just strong painkillers. By all accounts the NHS will help you if the sciatic nerve gets properly "latched-up" and you develop double incontinence - in which case it's emergency surgery.

[Mistik-ka]

'Treat you own back' by Robin McKenzie was my savior,

As a recently retired physiotherapist I endorse squeaker's recommendation, but your pain is so acute and apparently so specific to cycling that I strongly recommend at least an initial consultation with a physio who frequently deals with back problems. You need to be assessed on your bike.

Good luck, and take heart: most non-traumatic back problems can be dealt with simply and effectively … though not over the internet .

[Seagoon]

If you have pain on one side of your lower back this indicates that you are not sitting squarely on the saddle.This could be from a diference in leg length or much more commonly a seat height that is too high . What I would suggest is to mark your
current seat height with something like tipex, and then lower your seat height by 10mm and then ride gently (not hammering it !) for a few days to see if that makes difference, if things improve this still might not be your correct seat height ( it may need to come down more?) but is an easy no money test to see if things get better , good luck and a quick recovery too you !

P.S as an asside I sat in one of my local cafe's which is very popular with cyclist easly over 100 on a good day and about 80 % had seats that were a bit too high or laughingly too high, so you wont be the first one !

[andrewjoseph]

I've got chronic back pain dye to an injury. I frequently get spasms like a knife separating my hip and sacral bones, and did so the last few days. Subsided again now and back on the bike. If the spasms last more than a few days I get back on the bike anyway and this usually eases it, or at least I feel happier in myself.

It sounds to me add if you are starting to get a slipped disk, when that compresses the nerves it is one of the worst pains I've ever had.

You say that it's not the bike fit, but you also say you've been contemplating changing some things.

If you are sitting very upright on the bike, then shocks can be sent up the spine from bumps in the road, If you've been feeling good and riding more you may have reached the point where you are going over what you can tolerate. I. E. You can ride for an hour and be fine, an hour and ten is too much.

If this is the case then fitness and conditioning will help improve. But my feeling is that you are riding further and more often and then getting pain. This leads me to think bike fit is a big part of the problem.

[Audax67]

When you say lower back do you mean lumbar - generally, above the pelvis and below the ribs - or pelvic? At the top of the pelvis the spine enters via the sacrum, a large downward-pointing triangular bone that is tied either side to the ilium, another large pelvic bone, by ligaments. The bones also interlock very closely. A slight displacement of the sacroiliac joint can cause agonizing pain that will return on and off until the joint is put back where it should be. This happened to me in June last year, with sufficient intensity that I had to stop dead in the road. Later, during a visit to the physiotherapist, when I got down from the couch the pain was so intense that my legs simply collapsed under me (phizzy: oh good, we're getting somewhere.) The pain returned on and off in lesser doses until my late 1000k put the bones back where they should be and it's been fine since (touch wood).

If your pain is lumbar and you're getting pains like lightning shooting up and down your spine then I'd suspect a disc, but don't despair because although it may indicate a weakness it doesn't necessarily mean that a disc has herniated. It is worth getting an X-ray though, because that can allow you to pre-empt worse problems. As far as I understand it, disc problems come on in several stages that begin with muscle weakness at a specific point and go on from there. Physiotherapy can strengthen other muscles and allow them to take up the load: you need to keep an eye on it though. I came off my bike in 2002 and landed on my right side: in the following years I noticed pain developing to the right of one of my lumbar vertebrae. In 2006 I fell off again to the right (idiotically, at 0 kph), and later in the same ride, when I swivelled and bent to put my rearlight on, startling pain shot up and down my spine from the old pain spot, right into my skull and down into my pelvis. That was certainly a nerve pinch. The pain spot continues to nag at lower level - doc says it's a contraction where other muscles are trying to compensate - but the lightning strikes have not returned.

X-rays before anything.