Pain in the neck

[sampras38]

Hi all...

I've been experiencing a slight pain, or rather ache, in the neck whilst riding, and no matter how much I change the bike setup it won't go away. It's not major, more irritating, and certainly hasn't stopped me doing century rides and Sportives. The

I ride a 58 Scott CR1 Pro and I'm 6ft/currently 74kg. The bike might possibly be half an inch too big for me but I certainly don't feel too stretched and can hold the hoods comfortably without having to lean too far forward.

I've been into fitness all my life and serious cycling for the last 2 and a half. I've already done a handful of 100+ Sportives in silver and gold times and some Alps climbing, and the pain hasn't always been there. I think I've played around with the bike too much and I've somehow created the neck problem and now can't fix it.

I've got my seat height pretty damn perfect now, and the fore/back I thought was good enough, but can anyone offer any advice on what would cause the pain? Am I too stretched for example?

p.s. I changed the original stem for a shorter one.

thanks in frustration

 

[sampras38]

I think I may have solved the problem by lowering the saddle a notch. In addition to the neck problem I also experienced a slight ache behind the knee on a ride this weekend. I've since twigged that this can sometimes be caused by the saddle being too high. So I think the high saddle is forcing me to look up, causing the neck pain.

I guess that'll teach me to play with my bike set up so much.

Great site by the way..;-)

 

[David Suro]

There are two factors at play. First is your position on the bike. Second is the biomechanics of your cervical spine and related musculature and innervation.

I would recommend that you have a trained bicycle fit professional evaluate your fit and make necessary changes. Lowering the saddle to improve neck position is not always a good idea. For proper fit, it is most important to get the saddle in the correct position for generation of power, then fiddle with bar/stem/hood positions to improve comfort.

I would also recommend visiting a chiropractor to have your cervical spine evaluated. If you let me know where you live, I may be able to refer you to a good one.

If you can make it to Denver, I would be happy to help with both the fit and the evaluation of your spine.

Best wishes,

Dr. Suro

 

[sampras38]

Hi David,

I'm based in the UK but thanks for the reply, and the very kind offer of helping me with the bike fit.

I did get a fit last year and all was fine until I decided to have another play with the settings recently, thinking I could improve things even more. The upshot is I had another go yesterday and think I'm now somewhere close. I tried a ride yesterday with the new settings and so far the neck pain seems to have subsided.

I had failed to mention in the first post that I also felt a very slight pull behind my knee recently, which I now know can be caused by a saddle being too high. I lowered the saddle by a couple of notches and moved it one notch forward. So far all aches have disappeared.

Thanks again

 

[David Suro]

That's great news.

Check out this site:

http://www.wakinglifemassage.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=950

This is an easy way to help restore proper cervical spinal biomechanics in a safe and inexpensive way.

Performing the weight training exercise - dumbell bent-over row - will also help. The equipment needed is inexpensive and lasts forever.