Back-Up Barz is a patented handlebar attachment that allows the rider to sit in an upright position, giving much needed relief to strained muscles. Much of the the pain associated with biking is caused by using traditional handlebars, found on traditional touring and racing bikes. Some of the injuries suffered include dorsalgia, cervicalgia, Ulnar Neuropathy and even Impotency caused by restricted blood flow in the Groin. Back-Up Barz are your handlebars for sore back, handlebars for numb hands, handlebars for groin pain and numbness. The research is conclusive that it is imperative that you change positions when doing any prolonged rides of more than a few hours in order to protect yourself from injury. Many of these injuries can become permanent. Back-Up Barz provides the position changes needed to relieve the pressure and help avoid these injuries. If you love riding and want to ride as part of your ongoing lifestyle, then Back-Up Barz is an absolute must. It is best to make corrections to your body posture before the damage is done, as some conditions are irreversible. Below and In the following pages we will cover some of the studies and research of each of the conditions and the importance position changes during your ride. Back-Up Barz are your handlebars for pain relief.

Common cycling injuries. Management and prevention.
Mellion MB.
Sports Medicine Center, Omaha, Nebraska.

The increasing participation in the athletic forms of bicycling warrants expanded physician attention to the traumatic and overuse injuries experienced by cyclists. The modern bicycle consists of a frame with various components, including handlebars, brakes, wheels, pedals, and gears, in various configurations for the various modes of cycling. For high performance cycling the proper fit of the bicycle is critical. The most efficient method to provide an accurate fit is the Fitkit, but proper frame selection and adjustment can be made by following simple guidelines for frame size, seat height, fore and aft saddle position, saddle angle, reach and handlebar height. The human body functions most effectively in a narrow range of pedal resistance to effort. Riding at too much pedal resistance is a major cause of overuse problems in cyclists. Overuse injuries are lower using lower gear ratios at a higher cadence. Cycling injuries account for 500,000 visits per year to emergency rooms in the US. Over half the accidents involve motor vehicles, and road surface and mechanical problems with the bicycle are also common causes of accidents. Head injuries are common in cyclists and account for most of the fatal accidents. Despite good evidence of their effectiveness, victims with head injuries have rarely worn helmets. Contusions, sprains and fractures may occur throughout the body, most commonly to the hand, wrist, lower arm, shoulder, ankle and lower leg. The handlebar and seat have been implicated in a wide variety of abdominal and genital injuries. Abrasions, lacerations and bruises of the skin are the most common traumatic injuries. Trauma may be prevented or reduced by proper protective safety equipment and keeping the bike in top mechanical condition. Anticipation of the errors of others and practising and adopting specific riding strategies also help to prevent traumatic injuries.Management of overuse injuries in cycling generally involves mechanical adjustment as well as medical management. Neck and back pain are extremely common in cyclists, occurring in up to 60% of riders. Ulnar neuropathy, characterized by tingling, numbness and weakness in the hands is common in serious cyclists after several days of riding. Managing saddle-related injuries or irritations may also involve adjusting seat height, angle and fore and aft position in addition to changing the saddle. Padding in the saddle and shorts play an important part in saddle problems. Saddle-related problems include chafing, perineal folliculitis and furuncles, subcutaneous perineal nodules, pudendal neuropathy, male impotence, traumatic urethritis and a variety of vulva trauma 
PMID: 2011683 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Neck and back pain in bicycling.
Mellion MB.
Sports Medicine Center, Omaha, Nebraska.

Back and neck problems in bicyclists should be managed by a combination of bicycle adjustment or modification, technique change, and medical treatment. The bicycle should be checked for proper fit. Often it is necessary to relieve the rider's extended position by using handlebars with less drop, using a stem with a shorter extension, raising the stem, or moving the seat forward. Changing hand positions on the handlebars frequently, riding with the elbows "unlocked," varying head position, using padded gloves and handlebars, and riding on wider tires all reduce the effects of road shock. Initial medical management includes ice, massage stretching, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or acetaminophen. Definitive treatment is neck and back rehabilitation based on dynamic muscular stabilization. It involves three progressive and overlapping parts: (1) establishing range of motion, (2) finding and stabilizing the neutral position, and (3) adapting the neutral position to exercise.

PMID: 8111848 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Low back pain in athletes: pathogenetic mechanisms and therapy.
Jacchia GE, Butler UP, Innocenti M, Capone A.
II Clinica Ortopedica, Università degli Studi, Firenze.
 
A different and more in-depth approach is needed when treating an athlete suffering from low back pain than is the case when the same pathology affects a sedentary subject. In fact, pain symptoms may frequently arise only when there is functional overloading, while pain is absent or not disabling in normal daily activity. Treatment is also different for the athlete: complete functional recovery must take place in as short a period of time as possible, and it will often have to be finalized in relation to sports-related commitments. A group of 60 professional athletes were evaluated in order to examine the incidence and the features of lumbar pain. Attention was particularly paid to a functional evaluation of the spine by means of an accurate clinical examination and the use of the Metrecom system. The data obtained confirm the importance of changes in posture and in vertebral dynamics when the pain symptom occurs. 
PMID: 8076477 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Spinal kinematics and trunk muscle activity in cyclists: a comparison between healthy controls and non-specific chronic low back pain subjects-a pilot investigation.

Burnett AF, Cornelius MW, Dankaerts W, O'sullivan PB.
School of Biomedical and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University, 100 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, 6027 Western Australia, Australia. a.burnett@ecu.edu.au
 
The aim of this pilot study was to examine whether differences existed in spinal kinematics and trunk muscle activity in cyclists with and without non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP). Cyclists are known to be vulnerable to low back pain (LBP) however, the aetiology of this problem has not been adequately researched. Causative factors are thought to be prolonged forward flexion, flexion-relaxation or overactivation of the erector spinae, mechanical creep and generation of high mechanical loads while being in a flexed and rotated position. Nine asymptomatic cyclists and nine cyclists with NSCLBP with a flexion pattern disorder primarily related to cycling were tested. Spinal kinematics were measured by an electromagnetic tracking system and EMG was recorded bilaterally from selected trunk muscles. Data were collected every five minutes until back pain occurred or general discomfort prevented further cycling. Cyclists in the pain group showed a trend towards increased lower lumbar flexion and rotation with an associated loss of co-contraction of the lower lumbar multifidus. This muscle is known to be a key stabiliser of the lumbar spine. The findings suggest altered motor control and kinematics of the lower lumbar spine are associated with the development of LBP in cyclists.