Herniated Disc/ recovery ???

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toride
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:19 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

by toride

hello guys

This morning ive been told i have a herniated disc in my lower back L1S1 ive had it all year but been ignoring it and riding albeit in a lot of pain and only really working at 75%, missed all the cross races i usually do very well in.

Basically i'm here to ask if there's anyone out there thats had the same problem either ongoing or sorted..will I make a full recovery if i have the an operation to cut away the leak from the disc ???

Any feed back is welcome

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Craigagogo
Posts: 383
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2004 1:10 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

by Craigagogo

Exactly my diagnosis (should be L5-S1 though). BTW the diagnosis is critical IMO. You need to get a MRI as it is the gold standard. After my diagnosis my back surgeon said my disc wasn't blown too badly. I went undiagnosed for over a year and this, I think, made the condition progressively get worse and also set me up for a condition post recovery (could be pre recovery too I guess) called referred pain - more on that later.

All is not to despair though. My surgeon recommended an excellent physiotherapist (I cannot stress enough that you get the very best that knows how to deal with disc herniation as I went through many that did not - which was likely due to not having the exact diagnosis perhaps) who guided me through the re-hab process. I had to wear a boa style back brace to limit motion and create proper lumbar posture - this brace was about $350. Also I was not to do any motion that exacerbate the problem - so no cycling unless your low back is perpendicular to the ground and you wear a back brace while riding. This also extends to everyday life in that you try to limit sitting and bending over ect. Also strengthening and muscle re-training.

I spent the winter on my trainer riding in the upright position. It's important to try to maintain a cardiovascular fitness base as it will make the transition to riding road bike when your back heals much easier.

This was over the winter months last season. This spring I began riding on the road on my fitness bike in the spring (again in the very upright position with brace on) to ease back into outdoor cycling. Gradually got on the road bike with new stem and more upright riding position. This has progressed to the point where just last month I was getting comfortable riding in the drops for short periods of time. So I am definitely on the mend.

Having dealt with the sore back so long before getting proper treatment created a condition that is called referred pain. This is like the last kick in the nuts that your body deals you. Essentially I am cured but still have pain that is induced neurologically when I get into the cycling position (not so much pain) or out of this position after riding (a lot more pain). This pain was severe at the beginning of the season - particularly in my low back after getting off the bike. Gradually this type of pain is dissipating. I am at the point where my herniated disc does not limit me while riding the bike. Yeah! This has been a long rode to ride getting back to where I am now - I would say over a year!

Key Points

1. Get an MRI if you have not yet.
2. If surgery is not required then get the very best physiotherapist you can find
3. Follow their instructions completely ( I was feeling better as I was at 1.5 months into the recommended three months of back healing time where there is no riding in flexion (low back bending forward) and went out for a 40 km ride, as it was a beautiful November day, and the result was disaster! I had set myself back 6 weeks!!! phuck!!! start over in the healing process :evil: )
4. Don't lose hope, I have another friend who had the same diagnosis and fully recovered too.
5. For pain relief try the yoga cobra position.

BTW I am now 54 - I was cycling at a great fitness lever before being felled by the disc herniation. I could easily ride under 55 minutes for 40 kms. Now I hope to get back into shape for next year and try to achieve my goals again!

As a side note I followed Tiger Woods back troubles as it was the same time as mine. IMO he tried to rush the healing process by getting the laser micro-discectomy. I wonder if he did what I did to recover, naturally I would say, if he would have been further ahead. At least be able to lead a mostly pain free life without the spectre of looming back surgery again, perhaps though without the possibility of playing golf at the highest level. I suspect the condition forced his hand financially to try to fast track the process...obviously not working out for him.

Another side note: If you look at "The Freaks topic" you will see many otherwise normal bikes save for the crazy stem erections and upright bars - I am pretty sure they suffer what we got!
More than 10 years a Weenie!

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toride
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:19 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

by toride

Many thanks for your response Craigagogo

I'm think now from reading your information that I may well dodge the surgery as it may be i to have persevered through the worst part of the condition, it also sounds like my case may not be at the level of your condition as I've suffered and do suffer but can operate, bend, stretch, ride, I have also been squatting with a 30K (possibly not the best idea) bar up until my diagnosis.

I am booked into see a specialist asap so i guess they will guild me.

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Craigagogo
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Location: Ontario, Canada

by Craigagogo

More than 10 years a Weenie!

grover
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Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:06 pm

by grover

The type of herniation is pretty crucial.

Image

If you're MRI shows what is termed a non-contained herniation in that image it will be very difficult to avoid surgery.

HOWEVER - your symptoms have to correlate with the MRI findings. Most people will have disc pathology on MRI. Most of these people do not have symptoms. If your symptoms do not correlate with the MRI don't get fixated on it.

A contained herniation can very successfully be managed conservatively.

It will take a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week approach to correct posture, core activation and avoidance of activities that are not appropriate to avoid progression of the herniation. Plus exercises to bias the herniated portion of disc to retracting back in. As stated, get a physiotherapist/physical therapist with years of post graduate experience and a specialty in sports/musculoskeletal and a particular focus on backs.

Probably the most important thing for you to understand is the biomechanics of your disc bulge and how your movement and posture can change it. Get this explained to you and make sure you understand it so that you can care for it through activities required to live your life (which may mean avoiding an activity that is not crucial or can't be done by someone else). You then need to be trained in posture/core activation/pelvic tilt control in order to integrate this into your day to day life. Even if you believe you know how to do this get your therapist to check. It's quite difficult to be aware yourself.

mentok
Posts: 577
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:58 am

by mentok

I had an 8mm bulge at L5S1 a few years ago diagnosed by MRI. I was 29 at the time. I ended up getting a micro-discectomy which solved 99% of my problems. I still experience a little sciatica from time to time but we're talking a very rare occasion of pain that scores about a 2/10 while the pre-op pain was like a 9/10 and nearly constant.

In retrospect I probably should have worked harder to find a better physio prior to my op. I have done a lot of work post op (with new physios) that has helped and they've noted that a lot of the things i'm doing now could have been done pre-op and they would have helped.

I've read since the op that the age you are when the injury occurs is critical also. Apparently discs start a bit like a big chunk of firm jelly when you're young and they slowly transition into something the consistency of crumbly cheese as you age. If you're young when you injure yourself then it's much easier to get a chunk of jelly to migrate back into place (or at least to get out of the way of the nerve bundles) through things like traction, flexion. Disc health is also important, so hydration, blood flow, etc matters.

Post op, my ftp is higher than it was before. I'm still able to get on the bike and do long rides, mountain bike, ride cyclocross, etc. The injury really doesn't hold me back, short of a few glucosamine tablets and a bunch of regular stretches and exercises that i'll be doing forever.

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mrgray
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by mrgray

I had an undiagnosed s1/l5 herniation. Got a microdisectomy after it became full blown sciatica. Best thing I ever did. See a specialist, find a good physio, get an mri. Can be fixed. Life without chronic pain is good!


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taina
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by taina

25 years ago I injured my lower back lifting weights, then re-injured it, then lived with a chronic problem for a year or two, then lived happily ever after, at least as far as back problems go. I tried different approaches to fixing my back, including an experimental procedure where an optical fiber was inserted in one of my discs so the disc could be blasted with a laser. Eventually I ran across a book by John Sarno, who as I recall was, and maybe still is, a professor at NYU Medical School. I'm not qualified to give an opinion of Sarno's approach, except to suggest that some might find it interesting.
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743power
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by 743power

I'm 31 now, so still young, but I herniated some discs when I was 15 riding bmx so I've been dealing with back issues for half my life. I always get the #'s wrong, but l4-l5, l5-s1 I think. I have stenosis and sciatica which makes it hard to go on long rides usually as my glutes and left leg start to become too weak and painful. My best advise is to find a doctor who understands you are a healthy, active, person and you want to pain free. The majority of the doctors Ive been to treat me like any overweight couch potato whos willing to pop enough pills to feel good enough to walk from the tv to the fridge. I went to a PT for a while who was a cyclist as well and understood specific references to pain during and after riding and was able to address them pretty accurately.

Posture and core strength are huge, especially during work. Don't limit core strength to your abs either. Some of my biggest breakthroughs have been increasing hamstring and hip flexibility.
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."

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