I'm just full of questions this week: Upper Back Pain

[false_Aest]

I've heard people complain about back pain in two places: upper and lower but never in the middle.

I'm starting to get some pain in the middle of my back on the right side (see pict).

I haven't really changed my position and I don't think I'm riding super aggro.

Thoughts?

[mikki]

Deep Tissue Massage would help as would rolling yourself on one of the black cylinders to release your musculature. Usually caused from stretching foward (as on a road bike) and protracting the scapulas and erector muscles for long periods of time.

[rcnute]

I had that when using bars that were too wide. (Purely anecdotal, but hey, you asked.) Neck pain when bars too low. Low back, never a problem for some reason.

[jasond]

After my 40mi ride on Sat I'm experiencing the same pain. I contribute it to not riding all winter. I'll probably go see the massage therapist to work things out. Last year I had lower back and it for the same reason. I went to the massage therapist and was fine.

J

[jhcakilmer]

Along with the usual muscular pain/strain, it could also be referred pain (for example during an MI (heart attack)pain running down your left shoulder/arm) . There are several points in the back that can be facilitated by problems with the abdominal viscera.

If you are treated and the pain doesn't go away, than it could be this viscerosomatic reflex. The resean this occurs is because a certain organ is innervated by a specific segment of the spinal cord. Here is a list of the segments that I remember. Yours looks to cover somewhere between T9-L2.

Head/Neck T1-4
Heart T1-4
Lungs T2-T7
Upper GI T5-T9 (stomach, liver, GB, Spleen, Duodenum, portion of pancreas)
Middles GI T10-11( portion of pancreas, jejunum,ileum, ascending and proximal transverse colon)
Lower GI T12-L2

GU:
adrenal, kidney, upper ureters T10-T11
bladder, lower ureters T11-T12

Pelvis:
Gonads T10-11
Uterus, cervix T10-L2
Prostate T12-L2
Erectile tissue T11-L2

Extrem.
Upper T2-8
Lower T11-L2

Usually the points are consistent, but there are exceptions to the rule. Such as Gall Bladder, which will predominantly refer pain to your right shoulder.

Anyway, hope you feel better.