rpc180

I rode with my prescription glasses last weekend and probably overarched my neck for about 50 miles. My neck stiffened up but wasn't bad until I went and did some butterfly weights the next day and felt something seriously sprain. The base hurts between my shoulder blades and moves in a line up to the base of my head. Turning side to side hurts and if I try to support my head while bending over (like looking down at a note on my desk while standing).

I am hoping that it will go away and won't turn chronic (though my mom scared me into thinking that there's now going to be at least some pain forever). It feels better but I think its just the meds (taking aleve). Anyone dealt with this before? Did you get better?! I know now that I won't do anything that distance in glasses again ... contacts only, even if they dry out at least I won't end up messing up a verabre or something ... degenerative disc syndrome or something, OMG ...

Namenda

Ironically enough, I'm dealing with a very similar problem right now. Had neck pain on and off for almost ten years, finally got it checked out in August. Turns out I have 2 bulging cervical discs, one of which is touching, and possibly compressing, my spinal cord. Received my first steroid injection last week, have been unable to ride for 3 weeks tomorrow. Follow-up visit with my MD next week, hoping for permission to ride again.

You may just have a stiff neck, and I hope this is the case. If you have any doubt, see your doctor. I wish I had done so a LONG time ago.

lmans66

My mom told me when I was young that if I made "that face" (whatever it was)....that face was going to stick with me forever...:-)

Now....does the same hold true with a neck injury...? Why not just rest it for a few days..

zorana

I don't get what your neck problem has with the glasses? Can you get a professional masagge there? Did you make xray to check on the discs?

Zo

rpc180

When I'm wearing my contacts I just have to look up using my eyes, not my whole head; it put alot of strain on me on the last ride which I'm sure attributed to what happened.

Update: I was hoping I would feel better after one day, but it was worse last night so I went to the ER this morning (4:30am, quick service, was back out again at 6am). The PA on call did an exam, pushing along my spine and vertebrae; no pain which, given my age (25), she said was probably not a slipped disc or a pinched nerve. More than likely, just a pretty bad case of muscle spasaming in the neck. I was prescribed a muscle relaxant (valium) and OTC ibuprofen.

She said conditions should improve by Friday, and if by Monday its still bad to do a follow up with the doctor that would include x-rays, MRI, that stuff... No lifting, no excercising, no biking. Only thing I'm really upset about is that I can't do the Tour Du Port in Baltimore (paid $25!!!). Even if I'm feeling alot better i don't want to make things worse and pushing recovery even further along.

Ineedhelp

You know, with glasses? At higher prescriptions, there is also a certain amount of distortion that occurs when you turn your head--quite literally, the entire room will move, and this can cause headaches, dizziness, and yes, neck pain--even if you're not riding.

My husband's prescription was 20/850, and for this reason, he HAD to wear contacts, glasses were particularly dangerous for him because his work also involves climbing really high on catwalks installing equipment in postal facilities.

However with contact, other problems can occur, in his case, the nerves in his corneas started to grow together from wearing them too much, for far too many years.

So he went in and had the operation, and now his vision is actually better than 20/20. Wouldn't recommend going in to a mall for this--the specialist he went to cost a lot more, but uses advanced methods with over 20 years of experience.

I personally stick with glasses for the most part because my prescription is low and I just see better with them than I do with contacts. I prefer them when riding especially since they also help keep bugs and debris from getting in my eyes.

Also, smaller frames may look "cooler" but larger frames cause less distortion, and increase your range of vision.

Glasses may just not be a good choice for you when riding, although you could try raising your handlebar stem to sit a little more upright so you're not straining your neck as much. This is what I did, by buying a stem with a 45 degree angle, and when I need to get more aerodynamic, I just move down to the drops.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

alanbikehouston

Do you ride bikes for money? If so, position the bars so that your hands are three or four inches lower than the top of your saddle. Your neck will be in pain, but money cures pain.

If you ride for pleasure, set your bars so that your hands are as high, or higher than the saddle. Raising the bars three inches also brings the bars back about an inch closer to the saddle. You will be able to ride with your head in a more natural position, and that will eliminate neck pain.

The "bar at saddle height" position was the "standard" position for the hands on road bikes from around 1900 to 1985. Then, Americans saw Greg LeMond win the Tour de France riding with his hands four inches lower than the saddle...just remember...you ain't Greg LeMond...no one is paying you to suffer while riding a bike.

Neck stiffness occurs even when your bars are set at the correct height. Do head rotations before you ride where you drop your chin to your chest and then roll your head in a circle. Do head rotations each time you get off the bike. Vary your hand position, from near the stem, out to the brake levers, down to the drops. Move your head while riding...check out the scenery...avoid locking your head down in that "staring at the front tire" position.

rpc180

I've definately been working on the position. I really think that it is probably a glasses thing, the first time I did 40 miles I was riding mainly the flat bar. The second time I rode the hoods but I had contacts on. This last time I was in the hoods 90% of the time but had glasses and cranning my head and was travelling pretty aero. I got a riser stem, 45 degrees at 60mm, so its even closer and my bars are "turned up" a bit so the hoods are actually sticking up instead of forward. I'm just a beginner so I'm sure flexibility, endurance and just getting used to riding in this position will take time - I think my main concern is that I don't do permanent damage and can't ride anymore!

I think eye surgery is in my future too, contacts tend to dry out on me, but I definately have to stop looking down at the front wheel and start using more neck excercises while on the ride. One thing's for sure, this isn't going to stop me riding - stupid addiction

carlson5200

I thought mom was nuts; I'm still ugly.

I have a rather thin pair of prescription sunglasses I wear and they always seem to find their way half down my nose at some point in the ride. Looking granny style in / over my lenses creates an odd wide angle effect that is not entirely pleasant (sea sick). Generally I'm too lazy to push them up so I just angle my neck even further back to see through the lenses. For me I'm thinking of a larger lens in my next pair of sunglasses and maybe one of those geeky elastic bands to keep them in place. As for neck pain I hate the thought of raising the bars, there's got to be a stretch for this someplace.