ready to go but can't!

[richardt]

I was wondering what experiences people have of cycling as part of their recovery from a prolapsed disc [L5/S1]. I have had mine for 5 months now and have had and MRI scan, pills, consultant, physio and chiropractor but I still walk like an old bloke and pain / discomfort to match.

I have a new Boardman Team Carbon sat in my garage and lots of other nice bits, but dont feel able to have a crack at it, I think it is a chicken and egg scenario and a frustrating position to be in.

I have been told a few different things, cycling is good for recovery, but others say different until fully recovered, so do any cyclists have any views as opposed to the theorists?

Be good to hear some stories......

Rich.

 

[ASC1951]

The usual advice should be "Why are you asking us? We aren't consultant osteos. We know nothing about your individual prolapse".

The trouble is, your own GP may say "Why are you asking me? I haven't been on a bike in 30 years and the only exercise I take is getting in and out of the Volvo at Waitrose." I would still ask him, though, or your physio.

My view FWIW is that gentle exercise is good but you might be better with something other than cycling, which has a sustained back position which can put pressure on the back and exposes you to thumps up the spine. I would start with swimming, which is usually reckoned to be ok for most muscular-skeletal recovery.

The Boardman will still be in your garage when you are ready to ride it. Well. not round here it wouldn't be, but you know what I mean.

 

[tuffty]

I had an L4 / L5 prolapse 9 years ago and had a micro-discectomy for it. Took me 8 weeks before I could sit for any prolonged period of time and another 6 months (with plenty of physio) before I was fully mobile. I wasn't into "serious" cycling at the time but did use an old mountain bike to do the 8 mile commute to work a few times a week. It was only at the end of the 6 months that I was ready to go back to that. Basically until that point I had to avoid any position leaning forward, which puts a huge amount of pressure on the recovering disc - obviously that (and the vibrations up and down the spine) ruled out cycling.

12 months after the op though I was happily riding a mountain bike around off road for 30 miles at a time, and several years after that got into road riding and suffer no problems there at all. I do find its pretty essential to keep strong core muscles though - plenty of crunches, planks, dorsal raises and some weird little yoga-moves to target the underlying abdominal muscles which the physio taught me. If I get lazy I can begin to feel a twinge again which is always motivation to get right back on it!

Good luck!

 

[Stephenite]

Hi Rich
I'm in the same boat. Though not as long as you - i've been suffering 10 weeks not almost half a year - i know how you feel. I ordered a Kona Jake The Snake before the onset of sciatica and she's sitting there growing as impatient as i am.

I, also, had a bout of sciatica about 18 months ago, though not as bad as this time. After 10 days of, literally, lying around i was able to take short trips, of 10 or 15min a couple of times a day, out on the MTB. (It's more of an upright position, of course, and a smoother ride, than a road bike.) I found it quite beneficial and, after a couple of weeks of that, i was back to normal.

But not this time. This time the sciatica is worse and i've, actually, passed out from the pain while trying to get dressed! I, then, began to take the prescribed pain-killers.

So there hasn't been much cycling. I'm sure you'd agree it can drive you up the wall!

I began to notice some improvement so about three weeks ago i began to cycle the 10 mins either side of the train station between home and work. On the Kona as its my new pride n' joy . Not the best riding position, and it was a struggle up hill but i thought with a bit of self-awareness and by taking it easy i'd be okay. And i was. For about a week. And then it all went wrong. One day i woke with a bit more discomfort than usual so didnt take my bike - used one of the citybikes (of the kind soon to be introduced to London) to the train station. Sitting on the train was a pain in the a***. After limping into work it was time to come home again as i was in agony. Recovery had been set back weeks or, even, months and i was a tad disappointed, i can tell you. Another three weeks off work and playstation abuse. I've had an MR scan and am awaiting the results before seeing a physio/chiropractor.

Now i'm not sure if it was the cycling or i'd been doing too much, too soon at work. (The job is a little physical, not very. And there has been some jarring to the vertabræ whilst cycling.) But either way i've shown here (to myself, at least) that it pays to be patient with this kind of injury. As previous poster said your Boardman (and my Kona) are still gonna be there when we recover.

I have in mind that i'll only be able to, properly, enjoy my cycling when i'm fit and healthy again. And this helps overcome the impatience. ...But having said that its a lovely sunny day here and i'm feeling fine (ish). I think i'll take the XC bike to the LBS and get some spacer rings to raise the handlebars!

Hurraaay!! Now i'm happy again. Its good to share these things innit?

I hope you have a full recovery soon. And i'd be interested to know if you thought the physio/chiro was worth it. Here in Norway its costs between 40 and 80 quid a session!

Cheers, Stephen

 

[Vidor06]

I slipped a disc playing rugby in March and spent April to August off work, basically unable to walk any distance at all. Had to sit around all the time. Went to physio, had mri, consutled consultant and now waiting to have injection in back. Still have pain most days but was told by physio that the best exercise I could do was cycling so started cycling to work the odd day (6 miles return), then upped it to every day of week regardless of weather and do 20-30 miles at the weekend. Cycling doesnt give me any pain at all and I have become hooked and am now considering rejoining the gym and swimming. However, everyones circumstances are different and what works for me might not work for the next person.

 

[Fiona N]

I don't have disc problems but multiple stress fractures on L4 & L5 so that area is similarly unstable - I got a 'bent, then another one


More seriously, it's taken more than 4 years of dedicated recumbent riding to give my back time to heal (so far as it will) while keeping fit and sane. I've done a lot of pilates & yoga besides specific physio and it's paid off insofar as I was able to start riding a road bike again this summer, although I somehow doubt I'll ever be riding the Alpine cols as I used to

 

[richardt]

I have been to both a physio and a chiropractor. The physio was good for general massage but at that time I hadnt had any scans so she was not able to pinpoint the exact location of the problem as I had no direct pain in my back, just left leg. The chiro provided some relief but it has been inconsistent and too frequent to allow my body to recover [in my opinion]. I have been twelve times in 6 weeks and am not really much further forward, albeit I now have more prominent muscle pain rather than nerve pain which is 'good'.
I am due to have an epidural soon, and will be having a crack at pilates to provide some strength to the back muscles which need some assistance.

 

[Stephenite]

Have you been out on your bike, Rich?

I thought my sciatica had improved enough to try some small rides but, alas, no. Doing some much needed tidying up t'other day put too much strain on my back. So it was back on the sofa-bed. I'd like to think having this pain would get me out of doing the washing up, etc but i live alone. Gutted.

 

[richardt]

No bike runs yet, so the bike is still shiny & new. I had an epidural last week and hope that the effects will kick in soon, I might then be able to do a bit of fitness and also have a crack on the bike.

Fingers crossed for some relief soon, and for all my fellow sufferers!

Rich.

 

[rh100]

Hi Rich
Sciatica is the reason I started cycling. I've had sciatica for approx 2 years now, it was pretty much a consistent pain going down the left leg, pins and needles etc.
After finally getting a scan, it showed that the stuff in one disc had pushed out and was pressing a nerve, which was causing the pain. Proper painkillers helped a lot, but within about 2 weeks or so of doing a few miles a day on the bike, the pain started to decrease. Now after about 4 or 5 months I rarely take a tablet. It was probably more a case of getting any kind of excercise, cycling was what I chose to do.
It's been a life saver for me, but I guess everyone's different.
Hope it gets better soon.