Managing Pain from Riding Your Motorcycle
No matter how fit or young you are, you can still end up experiencing some pain and soreness from motorcycle riding. Riding a bike requires a lot of core strength, balance, and focus, which can be tiring after a long ride or after riding very often. Those who have chronic pain conditions may find that they suffer from pain every single ride, which is not good. So, what can you do about it? Below, we’ve rounded up some pain prevention and pain management strategies to help you ride better.
Stretch Before You Ride
They say “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and in this case, a little stretching beforehand can help prevent the need for creams and painkillers later on. Perform ten to fifteen minutes of light stretches before you get on your bike. You can even take a walk around the block to get your blood flowing.
Take Breaks
When riding your motorcycle, it’s important to not push yourself too hard or you’re going to end up feeling stiff and unhappy tomorrow. Listen to your body and take breaks when needed to stretch, walk around, and give yourself a little time to recover. Drink plenty of water and make sure you’re eating regularly, too.
Use OTC Painkillers
If you experience pain, one common method to resolve it is to use over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications like aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen. Make sure you discuss with your doctor what medications you can use and in what dosages, just in case you have any conditions that might become worse if you use too much pain medication.
Apply Ice or Heat
If you don’t want to use pills, then you can try applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the sore area. Use ice packs only for twenty minutes every hour to avoid damaging your skin and never apply the ice on bare skin. Alternatively, you can use a heating pad or try taking a hot shower to loosen up those muscles. Make sure that you’re not using the heating pad for so long that it burns you.
Exercise
Getting in some regular exercise can help prevent pain, too, and gentle stretches after a ride can reduce pain and increase blood flow to the area. For your neck, you can roll your head from left to right slowly for several repetitions. For your shoulders, place your hands on the back of your neck and open your arms at the elbow as much as you can, like a pose you might take when relaxing on a poolside chair. Repeat this a few times to stretch everything out.
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