Cycling and Spine Health [Video]

About the video: Cycling and spine health

Listen to Summit Orthopedics expert Erik Ekstrom, M.D. discuss how building strong core muscles is helpful for cycling and your spine health, types of back pain that commonly affect cyclists, and the benefits of having an established workout program.

Meet Erik Ekstrom, M.D.

Dr. Ekstrom’s approach: “I believe in listening to patients and making them feel comfortable. For me, the most gratifying part of the work is finding the problem and fixing it so patients can return to their usual activities.”

Dr. Ekstrom’s education: Dr. Ekstrom studied at Mankato State University in Mankato, Minnesota as an undergraduate student, and after graduating he earned a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology degree at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Later he completed his medical degree and residency at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis.

Summit Orthopedics offers comprehensive spine expertise

Our back specialists diagnose spine problems and design custom treatment plans built on a conservative, nonsurgical approach. Most patients find relief through treatments including guided injections, specialized physical therapy, biofeedback, exercise, activity modification, and medication. When conservative care does not relieve symptoms, our highly skilled surgeons offer proven, evidence-based surgical options. Together with you, we will determine the right course of action.

Start your journey to a healthy spine. Find your spine expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a spine consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Plymouth, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.

More resources for you

• Minneapolis Named Among World’s Best Bike Cities
• Watch the video: Safely Starting an Exercise Program
• HEALTHY + ACTIVE Magazine: Spine Edition

Video Transcription

Now, I’m a big believer in establishing a good core workout program. And what I’m referring to is your abdominals and your back extensors for the most part, okay? Biking does not specifically train that group of muscles. And that being said, they’re important to help you be successful in cycling. Those core muscles help your power, they help your bike control, and plus, they prevent pain and injury to the spine. In cycling, you’re in a very forward placed posture, or your flexion biased kind of activity, you could say. At least half of us cyclists are gonna have some back pain. The neck, about 30 percent of the cyclist population gets some kind of a neck injury and that kind of falls into other injuries that can occur with cycling, like knee or shoulder and so forth. The biggest one with the back is what I would just simply describe as mechanical back pain. And that could be an overuse injury, it could be just a muscle strain and again that could be for the back and or for the neck. The other thing is more specific for the aged cyclist is arthritis. Cycling is a very static activity to both the neck and the back. And those joints want movement, so if you lose that movement, they can start to be a source of pain.

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