Back Pain During or After Spin Class? Here are Some Tips to Avoid it

By Brian Acton

Spin classes have become a very popular phenomenon in the American fitness. The group atmosphere, bumping music and encouragement from trainers are all reasons for the success of spinning in recent years. Ranging from a half hour to an hour plus, spin classes involve cycling on stationary bikes to varying levels of intensity, body position and endurance.

These workouts are not easy – they’re built to shed calories and burn fat by sustaining activity for a good amount of time. But a common complaint of spin class is that it causes lower back pain. And the best workout in the world isn’t doing you much good if you’re doing damage to your spine. You’re not alone – even professional cyclists are very susceptible to back problems. If you’re experiencing this symptom of spin class, it could be due to form issues that are easily corrected.

Here are a few tips to get the most out of your spin class without causing back pain.

Set Up Your Bike Correctly

To promote proper form and prevent back pain, your seat needs to be in the right position. Having your seat too high or too low can contribute significantly to back pain (not to mention knee problems). To position the seat correctly, stand next to it – the seat should be in line with your hip. If, when you get on the bike, you find your knees are coming up too high or you’re close to locking out your legs on the downward pedal, you need to adjust your seat accordingly. Although it’s slightly less crucial for your back, you should pay attention to the positioning of your handlebars as well. If you’re new to cycling, or have noticed lower back problems during your cycling workouts, raise the handlebars a bit more than the traditional setup. If you have questions, ask your fitness instructor on the proper positioning.

Stretch

Stretching out all the necessary muscles – including your back – can help you endure a tough spin workout without overdoing it. Work some back stretches into your normal stretching routine. One helpful technique is to bend backwards to test for back stiffness. If you feel sore, do 10-15 backward bends to stretch out that area.

Positioning

The natural tendency for many beginner cyclists is to sit towards the front of the seat and hunch forward, hinging your body at the ribcage. This positioning forces you to round your back forward, which puts far too much strain on your lower back. Instead, sit towards the rear of the seat and hinge your body at the hips – this helps keep your back in the right position. Make sure to self-assess from time to time during your workout to make sure you aren’t hunching forward.

Conclusion

By setting up your bike correctly, stretching and paying attention to proper form and positioning, you can reduce the risk of back pain caused by cycling. Of course, if these problems persist, talk to your cycling trainer during class to adjust your technique. If that doesn’t help, take a few days off from cycling and see a doctor to make sure your back pain isn’t caused by another underlying problem.   Sources: http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/My-Back-Hurts-From-Spin-Class-16513325 http://www.bustle.com/articles/31092-9-indoor-cycling-mistakes-youre-probably-making-and-how-to-fix-em https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw00OnNRHZg