I’m about to go on an ATV island adventure - two hours of riding ATV with stops along the way. Nothing too taxing for terrain by any means. Will this kill my back? Do you think this adventure is ok for my elderly dad who is very excited about it? He is …just over 80 but a kid at heart and a gear head (and also has a sensitive back!). Thanks for the advice.
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Back before I used up all the jumps God alloted to my body, I used an inexpensive over-the-counter lower back support under my riding attire, and it helped me a lot. But I have never ridden an ATV.
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Hi Joy
An ATV will be easier on your back than a horse, but they don’t provide much in the way of back support. That said, on smooth trails, at a reasonable speed, they shouldn’t cause undue stress beyond not having back support. Relax, keep your weight centered over the seat, and let the machines suspension smooth out any bumps for you.
Get yourselves some back-support belts (kidney belts) at a motorcycle shop, or probably for less $$, at a drug store, and put them on before your back starts to bother you. You can wear them under your outer garments if appearance is a concern, but they do tend to get sweaty underneath. The better ones have a more open “mesh” structure to help with this. Beyond that, maybe take a couple ibuprofen (2-3 X 200mg)(or whatever suits) before you set out. Have fun!
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I find that my hand (thumb) hurts more when I ride for a while as opposed to my back.
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It doesn’t bother my back but it really messes with my impinged shoulder and sometimes my hand, depending on what I’m doing. My bad shoulder is on the throttle side so I can’t just rest it and the angle is exactly wrong especially on turns. Depending on what the terrain is like you might feel your back moving around in ways you didn’t anticipate, kind of like riding a horse after a long time, and you loosen into it. Back brace is not a bad idea in case of sudden moves, maybe some light stretches to loosen up before you go. I find it really comfortable for my back actually, if not for my bad wing it would be extremely comfortable.
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I find mine bothers my hips/lower back when Im dragging the ring, or fields- sitting on it “side saddle” (when the terrain allows) seems to give everything enough of a break that I dont end up too sore (Im on a polaris sportsman- so clutch is on the right so I keep both legs on that side)
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Depends on the size of the ATV, how well they’re maintained, and the trail. On a smooth straightaway, you will just be tooling along and won’t have to work very hard, but going over bumps, rocks, and branches will be way more jarring than if you were in a car. If there are lots of turns, you’ll be using your shoulders / arms a lot. Those big ATV wheels have a huge surface area in contact with the ground-- which means you have to overcome that friction to get them to turn.
I know I’d be tired after 2 hours of ATV-ing. Maybe just tell your guide that it’d be best to do two loops, rather than an hour out and hour back. That way you can decide before doing Loop#2 whether you’re up for it.
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