Neck pain is one of the most common complaints of pain in cyclists. The bent over position of cycling requires your neck muscles to hold your head up at an angle to be able to see where you are going.
One of the craziest injuries I have ever heard of actually happens to the necks of ultra distance cyclists. The condition is called Shermer’s neck. Google it! It was first diagnosed in a rider whose riding in a bike race across the United States. A 3,000 mile race! Needless to say that is a lot of time on the bike. What happens with Shermers neck is that the muscles of the neck simply give out and stop holding your head up. From what I have read, it does not necessarily cause pain, but does just leave your head flopping around. Crazy!
Thank goodness that most recreational cyclists will never experience Shermer’s Neck. But, that does not mean that won’t experience some significant neck pain. There are several different reasons that people have neck pain while riding. I will cover a few as it relates to your fit and position on the bike.
  1. Cyclists who lock their elbows and hold themselves up on the bike with a straight arm tend to have neck pain. Instead of the elbows absorbing the force of riding, the force is transferred up to the shoulders. This causes the rider to hunch their shoulders which put them in a position to cause strain on the neck muscles.
  2. Too rounded of a back when riding. A little curve in your back is not a big deal but when your back is too rounded it forces your neck down. When your neck is down then you have to extend your head more in order to look up and see where your going. That extra extension is what of the neck is what often causes pain. Having a more neutral spine, where your trunk hinges at your hips, helps to keep your head and neck in an alignment that is easier to maintain and takes pressure off the neck.
  3. Relax the neck by squeezing your lats a little and depressing your shoulder blades. When you squeeze your lats, the neck muscle have to relax and that can take some of the tension out of the neck muscles that are causing pain.
So there are a couple of ways you can help reduce some neck pain when cycling. Watch the video below for further explanations. Another keep component to reducing neck pain is to get a professional bike fit. Mission Move PT is the only place in the state of GA that has a licensed Physical Therapist who is also a certified bike fitter. We have a dedicated bike fitting area and do bike fits all the time. If you are cyclist and are having any issues with neck pain, reach out, we would love to help you! We treat people all over North Fulton in Alpharetta, Roswell, and Johns Creek. 678-400-0300