Neck pain can be a real drag on an otherwise beautiful bike ride. Spending long hours in the saddle bent over your handlebars will inevitably produce some neck stiffness and soreness. Depending on how aggressive your riding posture, the forward lean over the handlebars and the subtle rounding of the upper back causes our necks to be in an extended position for long periods of time. This posture increases the demand on our muscles, ligaments and joints throughout the spine, inevitably causing us to become tired and sore.
There are several ways to minimize this experience. My recommendation is to ensure your bike is properly fit, work on posture throughout your daily life and begin stretching.
Get the right bike fit to protect your neck!
A proper bike fit will optimize your arm position preventing the handlebars from being too close or too far away (among many other things). This will affect the angle of your torso and therefore help with your neck position. A bike fit is possibly the #1 intervention for preventing repetitive use injuries, which can include neck, low back, knee and hip pain.
Many local bike shops offer this service, but for a comprehensive, physical therapy-informed approach, check out our Bike Fit services offered at select Therapeutic Associates clinics.
Improve your everyday posture – on and off the bike!
My mom must have told me a thousand times to stand up straight. She even made me wear a very embarrassing posture strap as a teenager, which looked like a bra under my t-shirt. As a boy, one might be able to imagine the embarrassment. Despite her best efforts, society does not facilitate good posture. It takes persistent practice and shear will to improve.
School desks, working on computers, smart phones, and even reading all put us in a rounded posture. This posture facilitates neck and back pain and is the culprit for many of my patient’s complaints. I teach posture every day, and I continually correct and assess myself throughout the day. This is likely the most difficult, but most impactful change you can make for your musculoskeletal health both in and out of the saddle.
If you need more help with what “good” posture might look like, a physical therapist can be a great resource and will be able to guide you through a range of health tips for better posture, more than I can in this short blog.
Stretch it out: undo the cycling position!
Finally, stretching can be a game changer for reducing and preventing neck and back pain. The key thing is to incorporate movements and stretches that reverse the cycling posture. For example, posture-reversal stretches such as back bends that extend the back are a great antidote to the flexed, forward-leaning position on the bike.
Here are four stretches that are especially useful post-cycling to improve your flexibility, mobility and reduce neck muscle strain.
- Standing Chin Tuck — Place your hand underneath your chin. Glide your head backward without letting your chin come from your hand. This will prevent your eyes and head from looking up as you bring your head back. Hold the chin tucked position for 3-5 seconds and complete 10 repetitions.
- Seated Thoracic Extension — Sitting down, place your hands behind your head. Lift your chest toward the ceiling and arch your upper back. Pull your elbows apart to feel a stretch in the chest. Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat 10 times.
- Lumbar Extension — Stand facing a wall with your toes a few inches away. Place your forearms against the wall. Keeping your knees straight, push your hips forward toward the wall as far as they will go without low back pain. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times.
- World's Greatest Stretch — Start in a full plank position. Bring one foot forward to meet your hand, then raise that hand toward the ceiling rotating your mid back. Keep your eyes on your hand making sure your head rotates as well as your chest. Hold for 3-5 seconds and repeat 10 times per side.
Put Neck Pain Behind You
Neck pain doesn’t have to be part of your cycling experience. By making smart adjustments to your bike setup, improving your posture, and incorporating a few key stretches into your routine, you can ride longer and more comfortably. A little effort off the bike goes a long way toward keeping you pain-free on the bike.
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Whether you’re training for your next race or enjoying weekend rides, our team can help you stay strong and injury-free. From personalized bike fits to posture coaching and mobility work, we’ll help you keep your body in peak riding condition.
