How To Fix Lower-Back Pain After Spin Class

Pushing through the burn is part of a good, sweaty spin class. But there’s a big difference between that ‘hurts so good’ feeling and real pain. So if you’ve ever left the studio with a killer workout on the books, but an achy lower back to show for it, here’s how to stop the pain ASAP, and why it happens in the first place.

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What’s causing your back pain?

While everybody and every “body” is different, low back pain during or after spin class happens for many reasons, and sometimes multiple things are at play. “Lower-back pain from cycling can be related to several different factors including improper bike setup, poor form, the muscles used in the workout itself, overuse, or a combination of these factors,” says Aylon Pesso, a Boston-based orthopaedic fitness trainer.

In part, blame the standard cycling position—strapped in and leaned forward—itself. It innately stresses your lumbar spine (lower back), especially if you’re already injured, says Scott Weiss, C.S.C.S., a New York-based sports physical therapist. Because you’re not outdoors on the road or the trails and using your core to turn, steer, or coordinate the bike, you can wind up putting even more pressure on your discs in class, he says. Also, if you’re vying for that top spot on the leader-board in every class, you are probably working dominate muscles past the point of fatigue, which can cause other muscles to overcompensate, straining your lower back, says Pesso.