Low Back Pain From Cycling? Why Winter Garden Riders Are Turning to Dr. Mario at Pursuit Physical Therapy
If you ride in West Orange County, you know how good it is here. You can roll the West Orange Trail at sunrise, do hill repeats on Sugarloaf Mountain, or head out on long group rides through Horizon West, Windermere, and Clermont. For many riders, though, the miles bring a familiar problem: a nagging ache in the low back that gets worse with every hour in the saddle.
Low back pain is one of the most common complaints among cyclists, from weekend trail riders to serious road racers and triathletes. The good news is that it is very treatable. It is also rarely something you just have to “ride through.”
At Pursuit Physical Therapy Winter Garden, treating cyclists is one of the things we do best. Leading that work is Dr. Mario Urdaneta-Moncada, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT, our go-to expert for cyclists with low back pain.
Why Cyclists Get Low Back Pain
Cycling is low impact, but it isn’t low stress on your spine. You hold a flexed, forward-leaning posture for hours while your legs drive thousands of pedal strokes. Low back pain in riders usually comes from a combination of these factors:
1. Sustained spinal flexion Staying bent forward for long rides loads the discs and ligaments of the lumbar spine. Aggressive, aero, or “slammed” positions make this worse, especially if your mobility can’t support them.
2. Tight hips and hamstrings When the hip flexors and hamstrings are stiff, your pelvis can’t tilt forward well on the saddle. Your low back ends up doing the bending your hips should be doing.
3. Weak or fatigued core and glutes Your trunk is the stable base your legs push against. When the core and glutes fatigue late in a ride, the low back takes over. That’s why pain often shows up in the second half of a long ride.
4. Bike fit issues Saddle height, saddle setback, reach, and handlebar drop all affect how your spine is loaded. A saddle that’s too high can make your pelvis rock side to side. Too much reach can force your back to round excessively.
5. Training load spikes A big jump in mileage, more climbing, or a new event such as a century ride or a triathlon block can push your back past what it’s prepared for.
6. Nerve involvement Some riders notice pain, tingling, or numbness that travels into the buttock or leg. That can point to irritation of a nerve root or sciatic nerve and should be evaluated sooner rather than later.
Signs It’s Time to See a Specialist
Don’t wait until you’re off the bike for weeks. Schedule an evaluation if you notice:
- Low back pain that starts at the same point in every ride
- Stiffness or pain that lingers the day after riding
- Pain that sends you out of the saddle to “stretch it out”
- Pain, tingling, or numbness in the buttock or leg
- Trouble holding your usual position in the drops or aero bars
- Pain that hasn’t improved with rest, stretching, or a new saddle
Meet Dr. Mario: Winter Garden’s Low Back Pain Expert for Cyclists
Dr. Mario Urdaneta-Moncada, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. That’s one of the highest levels of advanced training in orthopedic and manual physical therapy.
For cyclists, that expertise matters. Low back pain on the bike is rarely just a “back problem.” It’s a mix of spine mechanics, hip mobility, strength, training load, and how your body fits the bike. Dr. Mario looks at all of it.
What an evaluation with Dr. Mario includes:
- A detailed spine and hip assessment to find the true source of your pain, not just where it hurts
- Mobility and strength testing tied to the demands of the riding position
- A review of your riding position and training so your treatment matches how you actually ride
- Hands-on manual therapy to restore movement in stiff joints and tissues and quickly reduce pain
- A cyclist-specific strength plan that builds endurance in the core, glutes, and hips so your back holds up late in the ride
- A return-to-riding plan so you can keep riding where possible instead of shutting everything down
The goal isn’t just to calm down your back. It’s to get you back on the bike riding longer, stronger, and without pain.
Why Cyclists Choose Pursuit Physical Therapy Winter Garden
Pursuit is a cash-based, concierge physical therapy practice. That means your care is built around you, not around insurance limits.
- One-on-one care with a Doctor of Physical Therapy at every visit. No aides, no bouncing between patients.
- No insurance-dictated visit caps, so your plan is based on what you need.
- Fast access to care. No waiting weeks for approvals or referrals.
- Specialists who understand endurance athletes. We speak your language, whether you’re training for a century, a gravel race, or a triathlon.
- Conveniently located at 1620 Daniels Rd, Suite 130, in Winter Garden, minutes from the West Orange Trail and easy to reach from Horizon West, Windermere, Oakland, and Clermont.
We’ve built our reputation on getting active people back to what they love. For Winter Garden cyclists, that means fewer miles lost to back pain and more miles on the road.
Don’t Let Low Back Pain Cut Your Rides Short
Most cycling-related back pain responds very well to the right care, especially when it’s caught early. The sooner you get a real answer, the sooner you’re back to riding without thinking about your back.
📞 Call Pursuit Physical Therapy Winter Garden today: 407-335-0403
Ask to schedule with Dr. Mario Urdaneta-Moncada and get a plan built for cyclists.
Pursuit Physical Therapy – Winter Garden 1620 Daniels Rd, Suite 130 Winter Garden, FL 407-335-0403
This article is for educational purposes and isn’t a substitute for an individual evaluation. If you have severe back pain, loss of bladder or bowel control, or progressive leg weakness, seek medical care right away.
