Aching Shoulders

sburns

sburns

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Hey gang

After a few hours on the bike my shoulders really take a beating. It's mostly across the top. I already have a bad left shoulder, but this is different. I've already tried to add risers, roll the bars back. Not sure what I should do next. Basically it starts to get so bad I need to get off the bike after an hour, then when I get home I'm exhausted and crash.

Maybe this is normal, if not is it just the riding position of the bike. I don't remember it being like this on the cruiser, my hands took most of the abuse in that setup.
 
sburns said:
Hey gang

After a few hours on the bike my shoulders really take a beating. It's mostly across the top. I already have a bad left shoulder, but this is different. I've already tried to add risers, roll the bars back. Not sure what I should do next. Basically it starts to get so bad I need to get off the bike after an hour, then when I get home I'm exhausted and crash.

Maybe this is normal, if not is it just the riding position of the bike. I don't remember it being like this on the cruiser, my hands took most of the abuse in that setup.
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Could be because you havent ridden for 6 months and your body isnt used to it, this will also help:


 
Bike fit is a real thing. For bicycles there are people trained to help you adapt the bike to fit you properly. I haven't heard of a similar specialist for motorcycles. If you have insurance, going to see a physio about your shoulder pain may be a quick path to an explanation of why your shoulder is angry and how to adjust to improve it. The physio probably won't understand the rider triangle but will often tell you something like "your hand is too far forward which is stretching muscle X".

There are websites that show bike fit. You could check your two bikes and see the difference. Obviously they will be miles different though. I'd be focused on hand height and reach but also remember that your hips are more upright on the new bike so your shoulders will be further forward wrt your butt.
 
Yeah it's probably an issue with the rider triangle. Maybe look into an aftermarket or OEM seat that changes the position, Do VStroms have adjustable seat height?
 
GreyGhost said:
Bike fit is a real thing. For bicycles there are people trained to help you adapt the bike to fit you properly. I haven't heard of a similar specialist for motorcycles. If you have insurance, going to see a physio about your shoulder pain may be a quick path to an explanation of why your shoulder is angry and how to adjust to improve it. The physio probably won't understand the rider triangle but will often tell you something like "your hand is too far forward which is stretching muscle X".

There are websites that show bike fit. You could check your two bikes and see the difference. Obviously they will be miles different though. I'd be focused on hand height and reach but also remember that your hips are more upright on the new bike so your shoulders will be further forward wrt your butt.
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I'll definitely look for those websites.

So the problem with my left shoulder is permanent, I've a tear in the muscle in the blade, and some weaker ligaments.

When I added the new corbin seat it set this all in motion. The new seat is great but changed the position. A bit back and lower. It made me feel like I was reaching for the bars and rounding that left shoulder, not good.

Added some risers to bring the bars back (but they also increased the bar height), left shoulder problem solved, and reach solved, but now this new issue.

I've gone to physo before, complete waste of time, they just want you to keep coming back for exercises and little else.

Temped to remove risers and go back to stock and start again.
(I've also ordered new risers which just pull the bars back, but not up as much)
 
sburns said:
I'll definitely look for those websites.

So the problem with my left shoulder is permanent, I've a tear in the muscle in the blade, and some weaker ligaments.

When I added the new corbin seat it set this all in motion. The new seat is great but changed the position. A bit back and lower. It made me feel like I was reaching for the bars and rounding that left shoulder, not good.

Added some risers to bring the bars back (but they also increased the bar height), left shoulder problem solved, and reach solved, but now this new issue.

I've gone to physo before, complete waste of time, they just want you to keep coming back for exercises and little else.

Temped to remove risers and go back to stock and start again.
(I've also ordered new risers which just pull the bars back, but not up as much)
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ah ha!
 
Evoex said:
Yeah it's probably an issue with the rider triangle. Maybe look into an aftermarket or OEM seat that changes the position, Do VStroms have adjustable seat height?
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See my reply to GG,
I do have aftermarket seat, which kinda caused this problem. Seat is great, but triangle is different.
The stock seat was unbearable after an hour, not adjustable, but have seat accessory option for shorter people, not my issue! :LOL:
 
sburns said:
I've gone to physo before, complete waste of time, they just want you to keep coming back for exercises and little else.
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Find a better one. Many are wankers. The good ones are gold. The last one I used for shoulders took me from a frozen shoulder that hadn't moved in months to full function in months. Horrible, painful months but I told him I wasn't interested in the perpetual physio treadmill. That was many years ago. I can't speak highly enough about that guy.

EDIT:
As for the corbin, do they tell you the measurements for how far down and back you moved? I would ask them. Move the bars a similar distance and you should be back in the game.
 
GreyGhost said:
Find a better one. Many are wankers. The good ones are gold. The last one I used for shoulders took me from a frozen shoulder that hadn't moved in months to full function in months. Horrible, painful months but I told him I wasn't interested in the perpetual physio treadmill. That was many years ago. I can't speak highly enough about that guy.
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concur.

there's one near me that's decent if you need a suggestion @sburns
 
GreyGhost said:
Find a better one. Many are wankers. The good ones are gold. The last one I used for shoulders took me from a frozen shoulder that hadn't moved in months to full function in months. Horrible, painful months but I told him I wasn't interested in the perpetual physio treadmill. That was many years ago. I can't speak highly enough about that guy.

EDIT:
As for the corbin, do they tell you the measurements for how far down and back you moved? I would ask them. Move the bars a similar distance and you should be back in the game.
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Very true!

I'll take a look at the website.

But I feel I won't get far, they are so flaky to deal with, clearly more artisans then technical, seriously the conversations when ordering the seat were wild.

You probably know with risers there will be some added height to them, which is why I ordered the 2nd pair to see if that will help minimize the effect. I'll look more at a triangle first.
 
Not sure if it'll address your particular issue, but there's some good general info here that might make a good starting point:

 
For me the solution was massage every once in a while.
 
OP - Celebrex is your friend.
Getting old sucks - might as well use the pharmacy to help.
I also have long term rotator cuff injury that can hurt after while if I don't have Celebrex in me.

Lately my low grade sciatic has been quiet. Very little riding is likely.
Your frequent changes of positioning also adding to issue.
I found pain where you indicate usually helped by risers.

Not a "bar grip" issue? I like the fatter grip on Grip Buddies to keep neck pain down.
 
GreyGhost said:
Find a better one. Many are wankers. The good ones are gold. The last one I used for shoulders took me from a frozen shoulder that hadn't moved in months to full function in months. Horrible, painful months but I told him I wasn't interested in the perpetual physio treadmill. That was many years ago. I can't speak highly enough about that guy.

EDIT:
As for the corbin, do they tell you the measurements for how far down and back you moved? I would ask them. Move the bars a similar distance and you should be back in the game.
Click to expand...
I swear by physiotherapists - more than once they have rescued me from nagging to excruciating pain. Luckily my SIL is one… a very good one. I was on the wait list for knee and rotator cuff surgeries in 2018 - knee so bad I was walking up stairs using one leg. Shoulder so bad my wife had to roll me out of bed. Crazy Cathy assessed me, gave me some simple stretches and squats to do while having my morning shower. I never had the surgeries, both knee and shoulder aren’t 100%, but they don’t nag me or stop me from doing what I want to do. I still do those stretches daily.

As for seats, I got a saddleman adv gel seat for my Vee. It’s comfortable all day and for my physique, keeps the weight on my ass, not my arms.

@sburns - you’re a lot taller than I am, not sure how it would work for you.
 
It could also be which muscles you're relying on for balance, i.e. posture.

Have you tried putting slightly more weight on your feet instead of simply resting them while your butt carries you?
Have you tried arching your lower back a bit, and supporting your upper body with your legs and abs and minimizing effort in the arms?

It helps me on my hourlong commutes.

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