Knots in your shoulder

[clonak]

Does anyone else get knots in thier shoulder after big rides ? I find anything over about 1.5hrs and my should is stinging like hell. I know I do have bad posture, and I am trying to correct it, but its one more thing to constantly think about while I am riding, so end up slouched again after awhile. And I do have a tendancy to be quite tence, always have.

I have noticed it more since I have been riding a sports bike again, the GZ wasnt too bad because you are more in a normal seating position, I am just way to tall for it. But the sports bike position is killer on the back. Would tank grip pads help, because I keep sliding forward on the seat, and think that might be one of the reasons I end up slouching alot as well, If I could keep closer to the back of the seat, its alot more comfortable position, but short of squeezing my legs really hard into the tank(which I still end up sliding anyway, and get really sore legs), I just keep sliding forward.

Also, any tips on getting the knots out, I know the tenis ball trick and it works alright. But doesnt really go away for ages.

[nodrog]

Whats the tennis ball trick? I hav heard of the ping pong ball trick.but i think they might be different.

[clonak]

Yeah, nah. I havent had to use the ping pong ball trick since I was like 5. My parents just gave up and delt with the fact I am a male and always going to be a bad aim.

lean backwards into a wall and place a tenis ball where the knot is, hold it untill the paid subsides and release. Its suppose to help blood flow.

[munster]

I find dropping my elbows (not quite relaxing, but almost) and I get almost no stiffness / pain after a long ride. Used to get awful pain between my shoulder blades, but since learning to drop my elbows, I'm all good. Done a few long trips since, Napier, Wellington etc.

Does take a bit of concious thought, but it's almost automatic now.


Yeah, nah. I havent had to use the ping pong ball trick since I was like 5. My parents just gave up and delt with the fact I am a male and always going to be a bad aim.

Somehow I suspect that wasn't the Ping Pong trick nodrog was referring too. View "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" for a reference.

[clonak]

I find dropping my elbows (not quite relaxing, but almost) and I get almost no stiffness / pain after a long ride. Used to get awful pain between my shoulder blades, but since learning to drop my elbows, I'm all good. Done a few long trips since, Napier, Wellington etc.

Does take a bit of concious thought, but it's almost automatic now.
Yeah, I try to do tihngs like that, but does take alot of thinking about, after years of being in a certain type of posture. I suppose I just have to keep at it, eventually I will get there.




Somehow I suspect that wasn't the Ping Pong trick nodrog was referring too. View "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" for a reference.
Yeah, nah... I have avoided watching that movie since it was made. I remember when it first came out, I was scared of it, and I could happily watch Jaws....

[ducatilover]

Whats the tennis ball trick? I hav heard of the ping pong ball trick.but i think they might be different.

I prefecr a cricket ball

I'd like to know a magic cure for knots, I get one in my left shoulder after lots of PC use and piano playing.
I get 'em on the Kawasaki, but it's an uncomfotable prick anyway

[GrayWolf]

to the OP..welcome to sprotbike ownership :bleh::bleh:

My ex wife is a Physio, best 'relief' for them is correct stretching and/or deep tissue massage... it hurts like a bastard.. but it does release the 'spasm'. DAMHIK

[Banditbandit]

Does anyone else get knots in thier shoulder after big rides ?

Never ...


I find anything over about 1.5hrs and my should is stinging like hell. I know I do have bad posture, and I am trying to correct it, but its one more thing to constantly think about while I am riding, so end up slouched again after awhile. And I do have a tendancy to be quite tence, always have.

You're on the wrong bike ...


I have noticed it more since I have been riding a sports bike again, the GZ wasnt too bad because you are more in a normal seating position, I am just way to tall for it. But the sports bike position is killer on the back. Would tank grip pads help, because I keep sliding forward on the seat, and think that might be one of the reasons I end up slouching alot as well, If I could keep closer to the back of the seat, its alot more comfortable position, but short of squeezing my legs really hard into the tank(which I still end up sliding anyway, and get really sore legs), I just keep sliding forward.

Huh? I only slide forward if I brake really hard ... try using the turny thing under your right hand. (you're on the wrong bike)




Also, any tips on getting the knots out, I know the tenis ball trick and it works alright. But doesnt really go away for ages.

SEX ... good for any body problems ... (works for me anyway ...)

[Hoon]

Do you rest all your weight forward on your arms? Strengthening your core would help keep some of the weight off. Otherwise just suck it up and your body will get use to it eventually.

I get the same but in my wrists from too much forward weight. Only on long city commutes though (i.e 50kph stop start traffic). Open road it's not a problem as the wind resistance/crouch/lean takes a lot of the weight off my arms.

[superjackal]

Whats the tennis ball trick? I hav heard of the ping pong ball trick.but i think they might be different.

Take a hard tennis ball and place it under your back lying on the floor. Manoeuvre yourself over the ball until you feel contact with the injured area. Try to relax your back as much as possible while gently applying as much pressure as you can bear onto the knot. Gently move from side to side “breaking” up the knot.

The trick is to relax while causing yourself lots of pain.

Be careful, if you don’t know what you’re doing you may end up hurting yourself even more.

Edges of walls and doorways also works.

Deep tissue massage is best, but who can afford that?

[rossirep]

when you say your tall, how tall are you,? and what sort of bike are you riding??
your meant to be forward on the bike with ya nuts crushed into the tank its the way ya ride a sportsbike, and i think all ya need to do is relax when riding and drink a cup of harden the fark up. im just saying.

[slofox]

For some reason, I have no problems with arms or wrists or shoulders riding a gixxer. Just me arse bones after four hours on the run.

But then I support all the weight with the central body core.

[YellowDog]

You already have the answer. It's your bad posture.

Get a new seat, change the bars, or change the bike.

Comfort is more important that looking smart.

Regarding the Ping Pong ball trick. I saw that done really well once at a bar in Bangkok.

Not sure how it will help you ride more comfortably though ?

[nodrog]

Take a hard tennis ball and place it under your back lying on the floor. Manoeuvre yourself over the ball until you feel contact with the injured area. Try to relax your back as much as possible while gently applying as much pressure as you can bear onto the knot. Gently move from side to side “breaking” up the knot.

The trick is to relax while causing yourself lots of pain.

Be careful, if you don’t know what you’re doing you may end up hurting yourself even more.

Edges of walls and doorways also works.

Deep tissue massage is best, but who can afford that?

is this for single people?

[caspernz]

I'm confused...where does big ride and 1.5 hrs go together? Core body strength and general fitness play a big part, as does bike fitness, so just ride with relaxed shoulders and arms for starters...

But yeah that ping pong ball trick is cool to watch...usually seen at stag parties...but there was this night in the back streets of Las Vegas :innocent:

[Banditbandit]

I'm confused...where does big ride and 1.5 hrs go together?

Yeah .. I had to reread the thread ... 1.5 hours is not a big ride ... does not even need a fuel stop ...

[george formby]

I prefecr a cricket ball

I'd like to know a magic cure for knots, I get one in my left shoulder after lots of PC use and piano playing.
I get 'em on the Kawasaki, but it's an uncomfotable prick anyway

If it's deep, under the shoulder blade & approx in the middle of it or between the middle & the spine then, yeah, I know how to fix it. It's caused by your posture being biased to the right, the muscles on the right of your spine end up working harder & pulling the spine across at that point causing the pain under your shoulder blade.
Not going to try & explain the exercise to relieve it here but PM me if you want an attempt at an explanation of it. Works a treat..

[YellowDog]

Lie on the floor, flat on your back. 2.5cm thick plank of wood on the floor and in line with the shoulder blades. Knees bent fingers locked together and stretch back over the head as far as possible and down to the ground. If you arms are as straight as possible, this should produce a de-subluxating crack. Hold it there for 30 secs to 1 minute.

You'll be as good as new :banana:

[MIXONE]

I know a lady that could do the ping pong ball trick with a medicine ball...:eek:

[Berries]

That's the wife.

That's the wife.

That's the wife.

[PrincessBandit]

Whats the tennis ball trick? I hav heard of the ping pong ball trick.but i think they might be different.


.... yeah that ping pong ball trick is cool to watch...usually seen at stag parties...but there was this night in the back streets of Las Vegas :innocent:

Hahaha, "fire in the hole" comes to mind. I can't remember the name of the movie but I do recall a scene where she shot ping pong balls all over the place ...


As has already been said - posture and consciously relaxing tense muscles is something that needs to be practiced. If it really takes too much of your concentration away from your riding then seriously consider another style of bike.

[scracha]

Spend some coin, see a good Chiropractor. Usually bad posture or sitting squint on bike...for whatever reason. Change bars, pegs, risers, seat etc or get different bike. Certain exercises alleviate it and strengthen muscles wot need strengthened and stretch fings wot need stretched. Sometimes they'll find summit fundamental that's causing it like you've one leg quite a bit shorter than the other or that you've spent the last few months with your hip out !! Everything's all connected.

Wot other said about being fit also helps. Good stomach muscles take some of the strain from your back.

[Tagger]

funny i came across this thread because i went to the doctor (GP) just yesterday. As part of my whole prep-for-my-kiwi-trip i wanted to get this sorted out. Last summer i make a 2+ week trip through the UK, constant driving and it took an effect on my shoulder. but hey, we're tough men (and women) right, we just wear it off ... only that after 7 months now it is still in there. I got over my stubbornness and going to see a physiotherapist later this week, let's see what that will do.

If i wasnt planning a trip to the other side of the world i would probably just have let it be, but i really can't afford to let something like this ruin my trip !

[YellowDog]

Amazing...... Why on earth would you go to a standard 'no nothing' quack to discuss something so important ?

[p.dath]

Does anyone else get knots in thier shoulder after big rides ? ...


Just having a think about this. This makes me think you are probably tensing up a muscle in that area, which is causing the know.

Next time you are riding, see if you can feel any muscles tenses up, or just try relaxing the muscles in that area.

[george formby]

I had a thought after further thought too. Last time I rode a sprot bike, a fireblade, I noticed that I was very uncomfortable in the neck & shoulders, the knees, back & wrists too... Any hoo, my neck & shoulders were taking a beating because I could not see unless I had my head back at an unnatural angle, the top lip of me helmet was in the way shortening the distance I could see ahead, I tilted my head back to compensate.
My helmet fits properly so take that out of the equation.
Any hoo, yeah, nah, yeah, maybe, worth a thought. or not.

[clonak]

I spent years working on my mid section, endless late nights drinking, days gorging on take aways, now you guys are telling me I need to work on the muscles there ? Damn it.

I was out a few times today, straigh back, bent albows, which took my shoulders down alot, aside from a slightly sore back because its not use to being straight, it wasnt as bad as it has been in the past. I noticed it took alot of wieght off my wrists, but I still slide forward on the seat, which alomst makes me slouch again, or possibly its my slouching that makes me slide forward.... I just have to work on it I guess. Iv put up with more pain for less enjoyment, so like hell Im giving up my bike anything.

[scracha]

Just having a think about this. This makes me think you are probably tensing up a muscle in that area, which is causing the know.

Next time you are riding, see if you can feel any muscles tenses up, or just try relaxing the muscles in that area.
By the time you feel them tensing up it's often too late. Best to get off the bike and go for a swim, walk, jog. Quite often the muscles that are tensing up are not the cause, just the result. I spent years "being the man" and putting up with the pain. I was an idiot. If you're getting regular pain riding your bike, then go and see a professional. Money well spent.


I'd agree with other poster that a GP probably won't have the "know". However, a good GP should be able to refer you to a physio. A GREAT GP should be able to refer you to an osteo or chiro (they're broadly similar although chiro's employ a more "direct" method).

After a painful experience with a physio not recognising a slipped disc in my neck, then continuing to manipulate it resulting in me ending up passed out and a week of being pretty much immobile (then MRI's etc), I wouldn't let ANYONE bar a Chiropracter/Osteo fuck about with my spine or neck. A good Chiro/Osteo will recognise and ask the right questions to know when you may have more than spasms, soft tissue damage etc that may require MRI. Physio's are great after sports injuries, recovery, strethching etc and sometimes an osteo/chiro will refer you to one and work closely with them.

I'm also a firm believer in 2nd opinions. It's a good sign if you spend 60 bucks or see, see another Chiro/Osteo and they're singing from the same hymn sheet. Normally a handful of visits is all that's required.

[Madness]

http://ichiropractic.co.nz/

This guy is very very good and a referral isn't necessarily required.

[p.dath]

..
I was out a few times today, straigh back, bent albows, which took my shoulders down alot, aside from a slightly sore back because its not use to being straight, it wasnt as bad as it has been in the past. I noticed it took alot of wieght off my wrists, but I still slide forward on the seat, which alomst makes me slouch again, or possibly its my slouching that makes me slide forward.... I just have to work on it I guess. Iv put up with more pain for less enjoyment, so like hell Im giving up my bike anything.

If you're sliding forward on the seat then squeeze the fuel tank more with your knees. You're knees should be tucked into the grooves in the fuel tank.

Another possibility is that someone has been "waxing" your seat when cleaning it, and making it super slippery.

I guess it could also possibly be do do with how you are standing on your pegs, and the position of those pegs.

[vifferman]

I have a permanent knot in my shoulder, even after nearly 9 months of physio. Haven't been for a long ride in like........... forever, so I dunno how I'd cope with that. Too busy to go for long rides anyway...:(