Many cyclists suffer from neck pain while cycling. This is both uncomfortable and can force you into a more upright, and less efficient, riding position.
Neck pain from cycling also prevents you from looking to your rear and side while riding, potentially making you less safe on the road.
Really bad cycling neck pain can cause referred pain elsewhere. It can even cause the neck, shoulder and upper-back area to go into spasm.
The good news is, as with the most common causes of pain caused by cycling , there are simple solutions to neck pain while cycling.
You can also take preventative measures to avoid cycling neck pain, such as correcting your road bike position , regular stretching and strength training for cycling , or a combination of all three. What causes neck pain when cycling?
Paul Hough, sport and exercise scientist at Oxford Brookes University, says the origin of neck pain from cycling is the inherent inflexibility of the thoracic spine region – otherwise known as the upper and middle back.
“The thoracic spine region is typically very stable as it encases the vital internal organs and enables us to stand upright,” says Hough. “Therefore, the thoracic spine has a limited range of movement.”Hunching over the handlebars – and sitting at a desk – flexes the upper back and rolls back the shoulders.Hough adds: “Road cycling involves extended periods where the neck is hyperextended (tilted backwards), particularly when the bike is set up with a large handlebar drop, when riding a time […]
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