Safety in forward bends for cyclists

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Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Safety in forward bends for cyclists

Post by Bernie »

"Hi Bernie .... I have recently started working with a student in his mid-30s who is an avid cyclist (and he teaches spin classes). He seems healthy and fit. However, he has very noticeable curvature of the spine, both the lower and upper lumbar curves that affects back bends (like seal) or lying flat on his back which he says is uncomfortable but not painful. He also, not surprisingly, has very tight hamstrings and tells me that he carries stress in the mid back between the shoulder blades. Essentially his back resembles that of an 80 year old.

The goal with Yin is to improve flexibility in his hips, to prevent any further curvature in the lumbar spine and to work toward correcting what's already there. With all that, are forward bends in yin beneficial for my student, given he hinges from the upper lumbar curve and is likely accentuating it? I certainly do not want to contribute to aggravating the situation and would so appreciate your advice (understanding of course that you are not a doctor!) for a safe approach to his practice.

Namaste, Toni"


There are many things you can consider for this student: firstly, if he is an avid cyclist he most likely is already doing a lot of yin yoga for his spine - sitting on a bike, leaning forward rounds the spine and staying in this flexed posture for a long ride is very yin-like. I am not surprised that he has lost a lot of natural extension (the lordosis) in his lower back. It doesn't happen to everyone, but clearly in his case, this riding position has not helped him.

Additionally, his natural anatomy may have predisposed him to this condition. Some people have very little lordosis in their lower back to begin with, while others may have a great deal. Those with a lot of natural lower back curve may ride their bikes for years and wonder what all the fuss is. They won't be able to relate to folks who do not have their spine's shape and suffer from long held flexions. Those who are hypo-lordotic (meaning have less than the "normal" of lower back curve) have little margin for error: holding a flexed position for long periods will straighten their spine even further, which may well lead to severe lower back issues and pain.

First - let's look at how to help the lumbar: the idea is to try to regain his natural lordosis and that means you would want him to work with back extensions as much as he comfortably can. You mention that Seal doesn't work too well for him: fortunately we have lots of other options (Swan, Saddle, Camel) but probably best for now is the Sphinx. How is he with Sphinx pose? Remember, it is not how high his chest gets off the floor that counts but how much tolerable sensation he gets in the lower back. [Please explain to him the Goldilocks' Position so he knows not to overdo any of these poses!]

Time is more important than intensity - if he can hang out in Sphinx pose for five minutes, that is great. If he can't, then have him slowly work up to that amount. Once he can do five minutes, then he is ready to start living on the floor at home: have him read while lying on his stomach on the floor. He spends a lot of his day hunched over his handlebars, so he needs to start spending almost as much time moving his lower back in the other direction.

Next, advise him to watch his posture when sitting: does he slouch in chairs, using the back of the chair as a rest? Encourage him to sit up tall and try to deliberately curve the lower back in extension. Once he can do that, he should start sitting on the floor as often as he can, so that he is not slouching. Once you can get him sitting on the floor he can start to really work on the hamstrings. Make sure he sits on cushions when he starts to live on the floor, to help tilt the top of his hips forward.

Tight hamstrings is another bane of bikers: these muscles get stronger from biking, but they don't get any chance to stretch, so they tend to shorten and tighten. Yang yoga can be useful to lengthen and strengthen the hamstrings, but your student probably doesn't need more strength there, he needs more length. Yin Yoga can be a great help with that.

Tight hamstrings exacerbate his lower back issues because the hamstrings pull on the sitting bones and tend to make the lumbar round even more. It is important for him to really dedicate himself to lengthening these stubborn muscles. The good news here - it can be done! Yin Yoga is great for lengthening the fascial bags that tend to make our hamstrings so tight. The caveat though is to make sure that he is flexing his hips and not his spine as he does this work. Even in Yin Yoga you can do these hip flexion postures with the spine held straight. As he is sitting on the floor, have him come into Half-Butterfly for a minute or so, switch sides, go into Straddle for a few minutes, then back to Half-Butterfly or full Butterfly.

As he opens, eventually, he can start to add folding over one leg at a time. Initially, however, he probably wont' be able to do that. It is okay to have the knees bent, as long as he feels some tugging in the back of the legs. If, at home, he sits at his coffee table as he eats his meals or watches TV or talks on the phone, he can extend the quantity of his Yin Yoga practice. Again, time is the magic ingredient. Once in a while, take a break and spend some time in the Sphinx.

Finally, he may want to pay particular attention to his lower back while he is on his bike: teach him the difference between flexion at the hips (where the thigh and the top of the pelvis come together) and flexion of the spine (where the lower back curves backwards.) With awareness and over time, he may start to lengthen the spine as he rides, rather than flex it.

I hope this helps! Remember Goldilocks! If any of this is painful, stop! Get checked out by a physiotherapist or some other health care professional.
Cheers
Bernie
rileyt
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 1:33 am

Safety in forward Bends

Post by rileyt »

Thanks for the prompt reply and good advice, Bernie. I will let you know how we progress! Toni
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