My Lower Back Hurts After Cycling and Gets Worse the Longer I Ride

Your lower back may start aching after cycling and become more painful the longer you ride because staying in the same riding position and repeating the same movement can leave the area tight and fatigued.

Your lower back may feel perfectly manageable when you first start riding, then begin to tighten after you have been on the bike for a while. At first it may just feel a little sore, but as the ride continues, you may notice yourself shifting around on the seat or standing up briefly because staying in the same position is becoming uncomfortable.

The longer you keep riding, the more the ache may build until your back feels stiff, tight, or like it needs a break from being bent forward. If your lower back is already struggling to recover between rides, getting back into that same position can make the pain return and build sooner each time.

Your Back Starts Tightening As The Ride Goes On

You may feel fine at the beginning, then notice your lower back gradually getting tighter as more time passes on the bike.

As you stay in the riding position, your back does not get much of a chance to fully relax. You may first notice a dull ache, then a growing tightness that makes you want to straighten up or change positions as the ride gets longer.

Getting Off The Bike Can Leave Your Back Feeling Locked Up

After a longer ride, you may notice your lower back feels especially stiff when you first stand upright or start walking around.

Once you get off the bike, straightening up can make your back feel tight or awkward after spending so long in one position. The stiffness may ease as you move around, but repeated rides can keep bringing the same pattern back if your lower back is still sore from the last one.

Why Your Lower Back Hurts More With Longer Rides

Your lower back has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.

Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and repeated irritation.

When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your lower back feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.

What Can Help Your Lower Back Feel Better

Your lower back starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.

Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.

If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why does my lower back hurt more the longer I cycle?

Your lower back can gradually tighten and become more painful when you spend a long time in the same riding position. Continuing to pedal without much chance to change positions can make the ache build as the ride goes on.

Why does my back feel fine at first when cycling?

You may feel fine at the beginning because your lower back has not yet spent much time in the riding position. As the ride continues, tightness and soreness can gradually build until the position becomes uncomfortable.

Why is my lower back stiff after getting off my bike?

Spending a long time bent forward can leave your lower back feeling tight when you first stand upright. You may notice it feels locked up or awkward for a while before loosening as you move around.

Should I keep cycling if my lower back keeps getting worse?

If the pain continues increasing, becomes sharp, or makes it difficult to ride or move normally, it is best to stop and have persistent or worsening symptoms evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.

Can lower back pain from cycling keep coming back?

Yes. If your lower back is still sore or stiff when you return to cycling, getting back into the same riding position can bring the pain back and cause it to build again during longer rides.

The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.