Posted on May 20, 2019 by scottBack Pain & BMX, part 1 View this post on Instagram Back Pain and BMX, part 1 The low back is another common trouble spot for veteran riders. There can be many causes of back pain and each case is a little different. I typically see some glaring problems in most riders though. One of the first things I look at is to see if someone can actually move each part of the spine. The classic Cat/Camel exercise is an easy way to see this – we are looking to see if the back can both flex (round) and extend (arch) symmetrically. If it can’t, then you are lacking control and mobility thru your spine and this is a potential problem. What happens is that the “stuck” or immobile parts don’t move as they should, and therefore end up making the more mobile parts move excessively to make up the slack. This will make overuse injury or strains much more likely. Even worse, acute trauma is more likely also, as the spine is unable to absorb force as it should. While I could improve my extension some, you’ll note that my curve is pretty symmetrical both ways. This is not the case for most riders, at least at first. If you find your spinal mobility lacking, this same exercise is a great way to gain your mobility back. You’ll need to move slowly and focus your effort on the areas that don’t want to move. A partner’s cues can be very helpful, or if you are alone, you can use the feedback of a band to help you. Doing a set of 5-10 reps 2-3 times per day will pay off – it requires no equipment and can be done anytime in just a minute or two. We’ll look at some other variations in the next post. #oldschoolbmx #midschoolbmx #bmxfitness #bikefitness #blueoxgym A post shared by Scott Hagnas (@scotthagnas) on Nov 30, 2017 at 4:05pm PST
