Neckpain only outside

[ncornelisse]

Im struggeling with neck shoulderpain for 5 years now.
The pain is only present when riding outdoors. When im riding my bike on Zwift i don't have any pain in that region.
I can ride Zwift for 5 hours with no pain.

I have the same bike on the Neo 2T, so everthing is the same on both bikes. Even my gravelbike has the same measurements, only the handlebar is 2cm higher ( new bike last week ) And even with this bike the same pain.

Every day im doing neck stretches and some romboid excercises to strengh that part of the body. But with no succes for now.
I have no lower back pain or something else, the core is good I think.

Can someone give me advice or give an opinion about this?
In the past I went to several physiologist and other medical related people, but nobody had a solution.

[usr]

One difference that comes to mind: zwifting usually happens without a helmet. Perhaps a lighter model could make a difference? The seemingly huge differences between heaviest and lightest helmets aren't really that big once you add the mass of the content (head), but sometimes small differences can tickle a threshold or not.

[howaboutme]

A couple of thoughts:
- Is there an unconcioius effort to get more aero (low) when outside because of wind and therefore forces you to raise your head to watch where you are going more?
- Is your monitor in a location that does not require you to raise your head as high as if you were outside and needed to watch where you are going? Or just the fact that you don't really need to watch the monitor continously?

[ncornelisse]

About the helmet, good one.

The tv is in front of me but indeed a couple cm lower than when Im outside.

Does someone know what is the time that muscles are getting stronger? Weeks or months?

[magnusss]

Clothing can also be a factor, especially if you live in colder climate where you wear more layers. Most garments have a neck line designed for standing up, not for the position you have on the bike.

[AJS914]

When riding the trainer, is the front raised by chance? Like a riser block or using a Kickr on the 24" setting?

I did the exercises this guy recommends and they helped me quite a bit (note the two other video links in the description):

https://youtu.be/m65q4a2cREQ?si=oyE_hqGykj1AfHUB

[ncornelisse]

When riding the trainer, is the front raised by chance? Like a riser block or using a Kickr on the 24" setting?

I did the exercises this guy recommends and they helped me quite a bit (note the two other video links in the description):

https://youtu.be/m65q4a2cREQ?si=oyE_hqGykj1AfHUB

Indeed a rise block that came with the Neo 2T.
You think thats a problem? Without this block the bike isnt level.

Thank you, found these videos already. Good exercises

[AJS914]

If the block is just making the bike level then it's maybe not the issue. I've always used my block on the highest setting because a low road position isn't very comfortable on the trainer but is no problem outside.

The helmet could be an issue. After I got a helmet for skiing, I started to get neck pain. My neck muscles weren't strong enough to support the weight for a day of skiing.

I had a similar issue a few years ago. No pain on the trainer but neck/upper back pain on the left side only while riding outside. I did that guys exercises and they helped a lot. Now I've been doing some dumbbell and kettlebell work and I'm not having the issue at all.

[jurez]

When riding the trainer, is the front raised by chance? Like a riser block or using a Kickr on the 24" setting?

I did the exercises this guy recommends and they helped me quite a bit (note the two other video links in the description):

https://youtu.be/m65q4a2cREQ?si=oyE_hqGykj1AfHUB

thanks for this, already started doing the excersices will report if they help me too.

having the same issue, on the upper left side it starts to hurt after 1-2h of riding - depends on the pace. sometimes applied pressure from my hand helps and I stretch often otherwise the best solution I've found for now it to stop more often.

[ncornelisse]

What is the time to strenght the muscles, weeks or months?
Im doing stretches every evening and some weights excercises 3 times a week.

[gurk700]

Nothing helped my years and years of neck pain on the bike except riding more. No joke.
I used to ride 5-7 hours a week. Long rides, I used to have to take breaks every couple hours, stretch my neck etc. Now ride 10-12 hours / week. Long 3-4 hour rides without break, no issue.
However very good suggestions made earlier in thread which might be the cause of the issue. Maybe front wheel is actually not level now with the riser thing. And you look down on the tv unlike the road. Those will definitely have a huge impact.
I'd maybe even raise your tv a little every week or so to get used to it? Why not ride as close to outside as possible ya know?

[voicycle]

This is really obvious but it never occurred to me until I saw it specifically suggested: best way to check if a bike on a trainer is truly level is to put a long builder's spirit level up to the QRs or Thru-Axles. There's no guarantee that the trainer or the riser block is actually the height it claims to be, and in my case the floor itself isn't even perfectly level. Floor mats, tire volume, etc. can all contribute too. A few different sources of a few mm each can add up fast if they're all shifting things in the same direction.

Based on what I've read I'd guess the TV eyeline is most significant in this instance. If the difference is signifcant enough then indoor rides are also training your muscles to hold your head in the 'wrong' position so there will be an element of muscular unfamiliarity when transitioning to ride outdoors too.

Oh - if you have a 130 year old wooden floor like me then probably also worth having someone hold up the spirit level to the axles whilst you're on the bike. Level under my body weight is different than level for the bike and trainer alone. In my case that difference is lateral rather than front to back, but it was enough that after a few years I've developed a significant power imbalance in favor of the 'downhill' leg during recovery intervals in order to keep me balanced on the bike. I think one side of my trainer is over a structural floor joist and the other side is on a span of just floorboards.

[RoadDonk82]

MIght be also about vibrations. I have cervical spine issues and had a surgery for it. When I was reading about the topic it was an often mentioned reason for pain and problems (apparently cervical spine problems happen more often to people who work in vibration heavy environments). That would also explain why you don't have issues indoors - no vibrations.

What you can do: fatter tires at lower pressure, vibration absorbing gloves, thick handlebar tape, suspension (stem, Lauf fork).

[RDY]

Wear a neck gaiter / buff. Some people are sensitive to cold / cooling re: their neck. I wear a thermal one until 25C, and a thinner one at higher temperatures.