Top Tips to Take Care of Your Spine Whilst on Two Wheels!

When it comes to exercise you can’t beat that nostalgic feeling where memories flood back from your childhood days and it makes you feel like a child again. Whether it is woodland walks and the smell of the pine in the air, or the throwing of a frisbee, it is great to do activities that we enjoy and bring happy memories. For me, cycling does just that. Whenever I get on my bike, the youngster within me comes alive. I love the sense of freedom it brings and the fact that the only thing that is going to propel me forward is the push of the pedals. I know many of you have been enjoying cycling too, even more so over the last year, and to celebrate National Cycling Week, I am going to share some top tips to help you take care of your spine whilst on two wheels.

Whether you are a weekend warrior and spend hours on the bike in one go or enjoy a gentle social ride, cycling is an excellent way to stay fit and healthy physically and mentally, and the intensity can be varied to suit all abilities. When it comes to participating in any form of exercise there is always the potential that it can take its toll on our bodies but the great thing about cycling is that it is low impact on your body and joints. That isn’t to say that you will never experience discomfort when on a bike, however, which is why I wanted to share my Top 6 Tips to take care of your spine when cycling.

1. Find the right bike: Like purchasing a pair of shoes that fit well, it is important to spend time buying a bike that is suitable for you based on your height and build. Finding the right-sized bike will help your posture and ensure you are engaging the right muscles at the right time which will help to prevent those aches and strains.

2. Invest in a bike fit: Once you have found your bike, I would highly recommend you have your bike fitted. Most of the bike shops have team members who are trained to analyse you on your bike, which enables them to make the relevant tweaks to your handlebars, pedals, seat etc. For a small investment, this really is money well spent and will help to reduce those aches and pains and make your cycling experience more enjoyable.

3. Brace the core and power from the legs: This may sound obvious as the momentum to move you forward comes from your legs, but if you really remain conscious about activating your leg muscles and core during your ride, it will help you to maintain good posture and protect your lower back.

4. Move around or take regular breaks: Sitting is not great for the health of our spine. Granted we are moving our body more on a bike, but being in that seated and flexed position can cause strain on our neck and lower back. Getting a bike that fits will significantly reduce this, but if you are riding your bike for more than 30 minutes, I would recommend you include some full-body movement during your ride. If you are confident to do so, simply taking one hand off your handlebar at a time and moving your arm and neck can help to release the tension. Once you have done this, push yourself up from the seat to a standing position to stretch out your spine. If you don’t feel stable enough on your bike to do this, just stop, take a moment to get off your bike and do some gentle stretching at regular intervals.

4. Stay hydrated: It can be easy to forget to drink water on the bike because of the cool breeze keeping our temperature down and reducing the sweat, but it is key to keep a bottle to hand and sip away during your ride. This will not only help keep you energised during the ride, but also assist with your recovery after. Stay tuned for next weeks blog from Sara who will be talking more about hydration as well as our hydration challenge for June!

5. Cool down and stretch: As well as hydration, stretching following your ride will greatly help with your recovery and overall comfort. The key areas I would recommend focusing on are your hip flexors and chest muscles. When we sit, the hip flexors shorten and can become tight.  They can often remain tight when we stand, which impacts the position of our pelvis and can put stress through our lower back long term. Click here where you can see Tom demonstrating the hip flexor stretch: Hip Flexor Stretch

A similar thing happens to our chest muscles as we are flexed forward. So, in a doorway, lift one arm up and place it vertically on the wall/door with the elbow of your arm slightly lower than your chest. Step forward so the door arm ends up being pushed behind the body, rotate the upper body away so you feel a stretch at the front of your chest, and hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat as many times feels good for you and stretch both sides.

6. Have fun: My final tip this week is to embrace the inner child! Life can feel very serious at times especially as we get older, but sometimes it is great to let go. Whether you pedal super-fast, go over the bumps, ride through puddles, or simply breathe in the fresh air and smile, be sure to have fun and enjoy the ride!

If cycling outside is not your thing but you use an indoor bike, all of these tips can apply. Take care of your spine and your spine will take care of you. I look forward to hearing about your cycling adventures.

With love,
Sarah

PS: This month we are focusing on hydration! In next weeks blog Sara will be explaining why water is great for spinal health and also general health. On the Tuesday 22nd June Tom is hosting a Charity webinar with proceeds going to Water Aid, discussing all things back pain. You can learn more and buy your ticket on the link below…

Back Pain 101 – Online Webinar

We would like to challenge you to drink an additional 2 pints of water a day throughout June and tag us in your photos on Facebook or Instagram @epochlincoln. We would love to see where you are keeping hydrated!