Gentle stretches for motorcycle riders can cover the hips, hamstrings, lower back, neck and forearms. Walk first, hold each stretch for the time its source gives, and stop if anything hurts. The research is thin, though, and none of the health pages we read is about motorcyclists, so treat these moves as general mobility work, not a promise of less pain. Below are eight moves with hold times from the NHS, Harvard Health Publishing, Arthritis UK and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP). You will also find a plan for before, during and after a ride, and the warning signs that mean it is time to get checked.
Key Takeaways
- Walk first, then stretch. Harvard Health Publishing suggests warming up with five to 10 minutes of easy movement, like a quick walk, because stretching cold muscles can hurt them.
- Tension is fine, pain is not. Harvard Health says to stop a stretch that hurts, and the NHS says to stop back exercises if the pain worsens.
- Hold times run from 2 seconds in an NHS move to 30 seconds in Harvard Health's hamstring stretch, so follow each move's time.
- The evidence is modest. A Cochrane review found that stretching around exercise made no clinically important difference to later soreness in healthy adults.
- Numbness in the genital or anal area, bladder or bowel changes, weakness in both legs, or back pain after a serious crash call for emergency care. Stop riding and get it.
This is general information, not medical advice. If back pain comes with numbness in the genital or anal area, bladder or bowel changes, weakness in your legs, or a fever, or if it started after a crash or fall, stop riding and get medical care. The NHS, AAOS and NIAMS list these warning signs. With a spine condition, recent surgery, or numb or tingling hands, check with a doctor or physical therapist before trying these moves.
What stretching can and cannot do for riding aches
Stretching keeps muscles flexible, according to Harvard Health Publishing, but none of the sources we read shows that it keeps riding aches away. The page says flexibility helps joints keep their range of motion, and it suggests a daily routine, or three to four sessions a week at the least. Its example is a person who sits in a chair all day, which tightens the hamstrings (the muscles along the back of the thigh). A long day in the saddle is also a lot of sitting, but that link is our guess.
Research on stretching around exercise is less encouraging. A 2011 Cochrane review included 12 studies. It found that stretching before exercise, after it, or both did not cut the soreness that follows exercise by a clinically important amount in healthy adults. The evidence was low to moderate in quality, and the studies looked at workouts, not rides.
For back pain, the best evidence is about exercise in general. A 2021 Cochrane review of 249 trials compared exercise with no treatment, usual care or placebo in people with chronic low back pain (pain lasting more than 12 weeks). It found moderate-certainty evidence that exercise probably lowers pain. The effect on everyday function was small. The people in the trials averaged 43.7 years old, and the abstract does not single out stretching, so it is a weak guide to any one stretch for any one rider.
AAOS says nearly every adult has an episode of low back pain at some time, and most episodes go away within a few weeks. It adds that low back pain may not be avoidable, and it lists stretching as part of active therapy. NIAMS says the chance of back pain rises with age, particularly after 45.
Stretches for motorcycle riders at a glance
Eight gentle moves cover the hips, hamstrings, lower back, neck and forearms. The sources do not sort them by stage of the ride, so the "Fits" column is our own grouping. For seated moves, the NHS advises a solid, stable chair without wheels, so use a bench at a stop.
| Area | Move | Hold and repeats | Fits | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neck | Neck rotation: sit upright, shoulders down, and turn your head toward one shoulder as far as feels comfortable | 5 seconds; 3 turns each side | Before, at a stop | NHS |
| Neck | Neck stretch: hold one shoulder down with the opposite hand and tilt your head away from it | 5 seconds; 3 times each side | At a stop | NHS |
| Lower back | Sideways bend: feet hip-width apart, slide one arm down your side | 2 seconds; 3 times each side | Before, at a stop | NHS |
| Upper back | Upper-body twist: sit upright, arms crossed, turn without moving your hips | 5 seconds; 5 times each side | At a stop | NHS |
| Forearms | Wrist flex: arm straight, palm down; ease the wrist down and press gently with the other hand, then bend it up and pull the fingers back | 15 to 30 seconds each way; 3 sets per wrist | At a stop | CSP |
| Hamstrings | Floor stretch: sit with legs out in front and reach both hands along your legs | 30 seconds | After | Harvard Health |
| Hips | Seated rotation: knees bent, feet together, ease your knees toward the floor | About 10 seconds; 5 to 10 times | After | Arthritis UK |
| Hips | Knee lift stretch: lie on your back and pull each knee toward your chest in turn, other leg straight | About 10 seconds; 5 to 10 times | After | Arthritis UK |
Before the ride: walk first, then keep it gentle
Warm up with light movement before you stretch. Harvard Health Publishing says stretching muscles that are not warmed up can hurt them, and it suggests five to 10 minutes of easy movement first, like a quick walk. It also says not to bounce, because bouncing can cause injury. No page we read tests stretching before a ride, and the Cochrane review found no clinically important effect of stretching before exercise on later soreness in healthy adults.
Here is an example routine of our own, not one the sources prescribe:
- Walk for five to 10 minutes.
- Do the standing sideways bend, holding 2 seconds, three times each side.
- Sit on a stable chair and do the neck rotation, holding 5 seconds, three turns each side.
The NHS says to build up slowly and add repeats gradually.
If you have been off the bike for a while, ease into your first long ride. NIAMS lists overdoing it after a spell of inactivity as one reason back pain becomes more likely, though it does not mention riding.
During the ride: use each stop for a short walk and a few gentle moves
Stops are the time to walk and do a few gentle moves, well away from traffic. The NHS advises adults to break up long still spells with some activity. The Iron Butt Association's long-distance riding tips suggest that, instead of idling around gas stations, a rider is better off resting or walking to loosen tired, sore muscles. That is advice from a riders' group, not medical research, and the tip sheet is undated. The same tips warn against putting on a rain suit at the roadside beside fast traffic, so choose a safe spot. None of the pages we read gives a time or distance between stops, so let stiffness and tiredness set it.
We place the NHS neck rotation, neck stretch and upper-body twist at stops because you can do them on a bench. For the forearms, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) describes a wrist flex held 15 to 30 seconds each way, three sets per wrist. That page is written for people with carpal tunnel syndrome (pressure on a nerve in the wrist), not for riders, and it was last reviewed in 2017. The NHS says there is only a small amount of evidence that hand exercises ease the symptoms of that condition.
For more on long days on the bike, see the Hexrider blogs on long-distance riding and rider comfort.
After the ride: hamstrings, hips and lower back
The moves for after a ride aim at the hamstrings, hips and lower back, and a short walk first follows the same warm-up advice. Harvard Health Publishing puts the hamstrings and hip flexors high on its list of areas to stretch, and also names the lower back. Its hamstring stretch is done on the floor. You sit with your legs out ahead and reach both hands along your legs, hold for 30 seconds, then come back up slowly. Reach only as far as you feel a stretch, because the same page says tension is expected but pain is not.
If getting down to the floor is hard, Arthritis UK describes a chair version. Place one foot on a chair with that leg kept straight, then bend the standing knee forward, three times each side. The page warns that it may pull on the sciatic nerve and make acute sciatica feel worse. AAOS describes sciatica as buttock and leg pain, sometimes with numbness, tingling or weakness. If you are unsure, Arthritis UK says to ask a physiotherapist (the UK word for physical therapist).
For the hips, the NHS lists gentle hip stretching among the things to try and says not to diagnose the cause of hip pain yourself. Arthritis UK says to go only to the point of a stretch, and that the seated rotation may not suit you after recent hip surgery.
For the lower back, the NHS describes the sideways bend as a move for the flexibility of the lower back. Its back pain page says to stay active, try exercises and stretches, and stop if the pain worsens and see a GP.
Warning signs: when to stop and get checked
Stop any stretch that hurts, and treat the signs below as reasons to get checked. Harvard Health Publishing says you should feel tension but not pain, and that a stretch that hurts may point to an injury, so stop and talk to your doctor.
The lists below come from the NHS, AAOS and NIAMS. The NHS names 999 and A&E, which in the US means 911 or an emergency department. It tells people not to drive themselves to A&E but to have someone else drive them, or to call an ambulance. For a rider, that means do not ride on.
Get emergency care
The NHS lists these signs with back pain as reasons to call for emergency help:
- numbness or lost feeling in the genital or anal area
- changes in bladder or bowel control, such as trouble passing urine or leaking urine or stool
- changes in genital feeling during sex, trouble getting or keeping an erection, or being unable to reach orgasm
- weakness, numbness, tingling or pain in both legs
- chest pain
- pain that started after a serious accident, where the NHS example is a car accident
AAOS also lists leg weakness and losing control of the bladder or bowels as signs to get care right away. NIAMS says to see a doctor if back pain follows a fall or other injury. The AAOS neck pain page says severe neck pain after a crash or fall needs immediate medical care.
Call a doctor soon
- You have a fever or chills, or feel generally unwell, along with back pain (NHS, AAOS and NIAMS).
- The pain is severe and starts suddenly, or is getting worse quickly (NHS).
- Back pain has not improved after a few weeks, or comes with weight loss you did not intend (NHS, AAOS and NIAMS).
- Neck pain is constant, severe, or comes with headaches, numbness, tingling, weakness or pain spreading down the arms or legs (AAOS).
- Numb or tingling hands, or a weak grip, are getting worse or not going away (NHS), and CSP says to get help quickly if hand muscles are weak.
A note on seat comfort
Hexrider sells the Hexcushion, so read this section with that in mind. A strap-on seat pad is one option some riders try for long days, and riders' reports vary; see the Hexcushion product page and the rider reviews.
Frequently asked questions
What stretches help after a long motorcycle ride?
No page we read tests stretches in riders, so no one can say which help most. The sources describe gentle moves for the hamstrings, hips and lower back that suit the end of a ride. Examples are the floor hamstring stretch from Harvard Health Publishing and the seated rotation and knee lift stretch from Arthritis UK. Walk first, hold each move for the time its source gives, and stop if it hurts.
Should you stretch before riding a motorcycle?
A short walk and a few gentle moves is the approach the sources describe. Harvard Health Publishing says stretching cold muscles can hurt them, and the Cochrane review found no clinically important effect of stretching before exercise on later soreness in healthy adults. No page we read tests pre-ride stretching in riders. If you have a spine condition or recent surgery, ask your doctor or physical therapist first.
What exercises help back pain from riding?
No page we read tests exercises for back pain caused by riding. For back pain in general, the NHS lists back exercises and stretches, walking, swimming, yoga and pilates among the things to try. It says to stop if the pain worsens and see a GP. The 2021 Cochrane review found moderate-certainty evidence that exercise probably lowers pain in chronic low back pain. AAOS says to call a doctor if back pain has not improved after a few weeks.
About this article
The Hexrider team wrote this article from the pages listed below, all read on 2026-11-09: health-service, government and medical-society pages, Harvard Health Publishing, two Cochrane review abstracts and one riders' association tip sheet. It is general information, not medical advice, it was last updated on 2026-11-09, and no doctor or physical therapist reviewed it. Questions or corrections can go through the Hexrider contact page.
Sources
All retrieved 2026-11-09.
- NHS. "Flexibility exercises." Last reviewed 20 November 2023.
- NHS. "Sitting exercises." Last reviewed 18 January 2024.
- NHS. "Back pain." Last reviewed 5 March 2026.
- NHS. "Hip pain in adults." Last reviewed 20 November 2025.
- NHS. "Carpal tunnel syndrome." Last reviewed 17 April 2024.
- NHS. "Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64." Last reviewed 22 May 2024.
- Harvard Health Publishing. "The importance of stretching." April 17, 2024, reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. "Low Back Pain."
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. "Neck Pain."
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, NIH. "Back Pain." Last reviewed February 2023.
- Arthritis UK. "Exercises for the hips."
- Arthritis UK. "Exercises for the back."
- Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. "Exercise advice: carpal tunnel syndrome." Last reviewed 9 August 2017.
- Herbert RD, de Noronha M, Kamper SJ. "Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2011.
- Hayden JA, Ellis J, Ogilvie R, Malmivaara A, van Tulder MW. "Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021.
- Iron Butt Association. "IBA 25 Long-Distance Riding Tips." No page date shown; the text mentions events in 1995 and 1997.