Preventing back pain with cycling is all about pelvie position. Many people suffer as they don’t realize they have flawed movement patterns that kept them pain sensitive. Sustained long periods on a bike are common, cyclist ride for several hours in all kinds of uphills and extreme weather conditions that test both mind and body.
We feel, it’s best to focus on areas of weakness instead of strengths. There are thousands of horrible positions with cycling, add to that long periods of time under incredible fatigue and stress that can cause serious damange to the spine and in-particular the sics in the lower back. The lumbar spine comprises of many bones known as vertebrae, each of which is separated by a disc. Each disc comprises many layers of strong connective tissue wrapping around the disc. In the midde of the disc lies a soft jelly-like substance that is capable of changing shape. You do not want to blow it, or have a herniated disc, or you can potentially ruin your body for good!
It makes perfect sense to prevent the onset of the problem in the first place! Prevention is always better than a cure. Sometimes something as simple as a minor (i.e., 1mm) to your riding position can make all the differrence.
The most important factor in riding position is that the forward adjustment should come not from the saddle, but your personal zone of motion, rather than bending the back in one way or another.
There have been studies using fluoroscopy in Israel that found that an increased pelvic angle can be achieved by tilting some saddles, with angles of 10 - 15 degrees from horizontal. They found those tilts decreased the forces at the lumbar spine and pelvis as long as the reach created a truss. Reference: 7. Br J Sports Med, 1993;33:398-400.
Back pain and neck pain are created as a result an excessive amount of time. Being stuck in this excessive position causes muscles at the front of the body to shorten and tighten, with muscles at the back of the body overstretched and weakening our posterior, which is in the hunched-over position for the core. In other words, if you are overstretched, you are weakened.
Tracking the sacrum while cycling is important because it helps objectively monitor the position of your pelvis, which can significantly impact your posture, the shocks, your power delivery, and reduces the risk of lower back pain, particularly related to the sacroiliac (SI) joint, a common area of discomfort for cyclists due to the forward-leaning posistion on the bike; a misalogned sacrum can put extra stress on this joint.
With our new 3DWear real-time tracking, we now know how crucial the sacrum is as a key indicator of the pelvis. Excessive anterior pelvic tilt strains the lower back, while excessive posterior tilt can leade to discomfort in the glutes and hamstrings. Improper alignment can lead to pain in these areas. A more stable pelvis allows for efficient power transfer from you legs in a less jerky, more smooth form, maximizing your cycling performance.
By monitoring sacrum position, a biker fitter can adjust saddle height and angles to optimize your posture and reduce strain on the lower back. Your body sensations are hard to feel while riding, it’s hard to note any tightness or discomfort that could indicate misalignment.
We observe the actual position of your hip in “open chain and closed chain”, the motion of your pelvis upon a given saddle, its sag along with the deflection of the seat post, rails, etc., to determine your best solution.
Unless a professional has a wireless tracking device for 3D, their evaluation can not track this neglected pelvic alignment.
There are many saddles on the market with brands like (i.e Fizik, Ergon, Brooks, Specialized, Selle Italia, Cadex, ISM, SQ Lab). Any of them must match the human in pitch, yaw, and roll. After 88,000 CAD bike fits, we know it’s best to steer away from cheaper saddles, more often they don’t reduce pain with more material. More materail can cause too much motion of the the sacrum.
The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) "locks" primarily through a combination of its unique bone shape, strong ligaments, and muscle tension, essentially creating a "wedging" effect where the sacrum is tightly held between the iliac bones, particularly when weight is applied through the legs, effectively stabilizing the pelvis; the "best" sacrum angle is considered to be within a normal range, with the sacral slope typically falling between 35° and 45° which allows for optimal stability and function.
Key points about the SIJ locking mechanism:
Form closure:
The irregular, interlocking surfaces of the sacrum and ilium naturally provide some stability, like a puzzle piece fit.
Ligamentous tension:
Strong ligaments, particularly the interosseous sacroiliac ligament, tighten when the joint is loaded, further stabilizing it.
Force closure:
Muscles like the gluteus maximus and piriformis contribute to stability by creating tension across the joint, enhancing the "locking" effect, especially during weight-bearing activities.
Nutation and counternutation:
These movements of the sacrum (tilting forward or backward) can help to "lock" the SIJ depending on the position of the body.
Factors influencing the "best" sacrum angle:
Pelvic incidence: The angle formed by the sacrum and the superior pelvic plane, which varies between individuals.
Body mechanics: Proper posture and movement patterns can optimize SIJ stability.
Important considerations:
Pain and dysfunction:
If the sacrum is not optimally positioned or the ligaments are too tight, it can lead to SI joint pain.
Individual variations:
The "best" sacrum angle may vary slightly depending on individual anatomy and activity levels.
Thomas L. Coleman Jr.
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