Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
That's what I'm afraid of.
I inherited good genes for not having diabetes, and for wanting to exercise, but also more than my share of anxiety.
So, when my lower back started bothering me on the bike, and it seems to be coming from the spine, my instinct is to get worried. Have I already ****ed myself up?
I should probably go see the doctor, but most of them aren't much help if you're not looking for pills.
A key question when considering the back, and most other medical problems is whether it's sudden and acute, or slow to develop and cumulative.
If your back is normally OK, and the problem creeps up slowly as you ride, it's likely not a serious problem, but more like the result of strain. If it ONLY bothers you after a longish time riding, it's likely bike related, and IME the most likely cause is a saddle slightly high, causing your hips to rock with each pedal stroke. Or it may be muscle strain from the reaction force needed to stabilize the back as you pedal.
There are other possibilities, but as long as it's otherwise OK, I'd tinker with riding position and pedaling style and see if you can solve this yourself.
BTW- if you're past middle age, consider the possibility of sciatica which can have multiple underlying causes. A common sciatica related issue for cyclists is
piriformis syndrome, which can manifest in all sorts of ways, leading folks to suspect problems in other places. Piriformis syndrome is fairly easy to confirm with a simple stretch, and can usually be managed by regular stretching of the muscle.