Well, I had some pain in my lower back (left side, not in the center). Went to a chiropractic, then a normal doctor who gave me some pills. I got better after 2 weeks, but now when I ride a bike for more than 30 minutes, the pain returns.
It's like sciatic pain, something similar. Does this get better or are my cycling days over? I'm 43...
Lower back not letting me ride... Help!
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Hopefully it's only a soft tissue injury or imbalance/weakness...
If so I'd suggest seeing a physical therapist and they can help you correct it and show you a few simple stretches/exercises you can do to help get through it and how to keep it from returning.
Did you already have X-rays etc to rule out anything more serious?
Not a doctor but had an issue of my own a few years ago
If so I'd suggest seeing a physical therapist and they can help you correct it and show you a few simple stretches/exercises you can do to help get through it and how to keep it from returning.
Did you already have X-rays etc to rule out anything more serious?
Not a doctor but had an issue of my own a few years ago
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zalle wrote:Well, I had some pain in my lower back (left side, not in the center)....It's like sciatic pain, something similar.
Can you describe the location of the pain, and the sensation more? If you can attach an image with a circle around the area of discomfort, that could be helpful too. When you press with your fingers in the area, is there tenderness? Can you feel a knot or trigger point in the muscle?
There are certainly a variety of ways in which it can manifest, but in my experience sciatic pain usually is located in the bottock, back of thigh, or foot, and so the fact that your's is in your lower back but you liken it to sciatic makes it a little tough to get a clear picture of what you are dealing with.
One other question, when you say it comes back after 30min on the bike, is that at any intensity, even very light pedaling, or only when you are putting out a significant effort?
Last year I had sciatica for 6 to 8 long months. I only road 600 miles in 2016. I got 90% better but never 100%. My back still felt weak. After doing a lot of reading and researching I diagnosed myself with lower crossed syndrome. You can google it:
http://www.muscleimbalancesyndromes.com ... -syndrome/
Basically, it's weak abs and glutes and tight hip flexors and back. And it's exacerbated by cycling and sitting all day at a computer.
I put together a basic routine of stretching, core and glute exercises and after 3 days my back started feeling significantly better. My posture improved immediately and I'm standing straighter.
http://www.muscleimbalancesyndromes.com ... -syndrome/
Basically, it's weak abs and glutes and tight hip flexors and back. And it's exacerbated by cycling and sitting all day at a computer.
I put together a basic routine of stretching, core and glute exercises and after 3 days my back started feeling significantly better. My posture improved immediately and I'm standing straighter.
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topflightpro
- Posts: 829
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:35 am
I'll second the suggestion of seeing a PT.
In my experience, chiropractors are great for addressing the symptoms of your problem, but not the causes. Doctors are often the same - I'm guessing he gave you some muscle relaxers/pain medication?
A PT will help you figure out what exactly is wrong and then give you a plan to fix it. That likely will include a lot of stretching and strength exercises, as mentioned by another. And remember, physical therapy is kind of a daily thing. You may only go to the PT once a week, but you should be doing the strengthening and stretching work daily.
In my experience, chiropractors are great for addressing the symptoms of your problem, but not the causes. Doctors are often the same - I'm guessing he gave you some muscle relaxers/pain medication?
A PT will help you figure out what exactly is wrong and then give you a plan to fix it. That likely will include a lot of stretching and strength exercises, as mentioned by another. And remember, physical therapy is kind of a daily thing. You may only go to the PT once a week, but you should be doing the strengthening and stretching work daily.
Hi guys, first of all, let me start by thanking all of you for giving me really good advice.
kytyree - I have not done any X-rays or similar. I've been to a GP and he says that, in this case, X-rays wouldn't show anything...
TheKaiser - About sensation, you know when you're sitting, want to get up and there's this acute pain somewhere? Well, this is it. I used the word sciatic because I've had it and it was similar, but my GP did some tests and says it is not that.
The black circle is the area where I feel pain:
It's about 12cm above tail bone, 4 cm to the left, roughly. I'm 176cm tall.
When I press it I feel nothing different.
I feel it if I ride intensely (my performance is below average, but anyway, it's intense for me).
AJS914 - Thanks, I'll look into that as well.
topflightpro - You guessed right, he gave me muscle relaxers and pain medication.
I'll see a physical therapist. Thanks
kytyree - I have not done any X-rays or similar. I've been to a GP and he says that, in this case, X-rays wouldn't show anything...
TheKaiser - About sensation, you know when you're sitting, want to get up and there's this acute pain somewhere? Well, this is it. I used the word sciatic because I've had it and it was similar, but my GP did some tests and says it is not that.
The black circle is the area where I feel pain:
It's about 12cm above tail bone, 4 cm to the left, roughly. I'm 176cm tall.
When I press it I feel nothing different.
I feel it if I ride intensely (my performance is below average, but anyway, it's intense for me).
AJS914 - Thanks, I'll look into that as well.
topflightpro - You guessed right, he gave me muscle relaxers and pain medication.
I'll see a physical therapist. Thanks
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topflightpro
- Posts: 829
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:35 am
I hope the doctor told you this, but those muscle relaxers and pain relievers can mask the underlying issues and make you feel better even when you aren't.
I've made that mistake, thinking I was better because the medication made me feel ok, and then I ended up hurting myself worse trying to get back into things.
I've made that mistake, thinking I was better because the medication made me feel ok, and then I ended up hurting myself worse trying to get back into things.
zalle wrote:The black circle is the area where I feel pain:
It's about 12cm above tail bone, 4 cm to the left, roughly. I'm 176cm tall.
When I press it I feel nothing different.
I feel it if I ride intensely (my performance is below average, but anyway, it's intense for me).
Did the pain originally come on suddenly, like you pulled/tore/pinched something, or was it something that you noticed getting gradually worse over the course of a number of rides, like you were chronically overworking a muscle and it couldn't handle the repeated stresses?
When you feel the pain now, is it of a sharp shooting nature, or is it more of a dull ache (which can still be quite severe)?
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CarlosFerreiro
- Posts: 422
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:41 pm
- Location: Shetland, Scotland
Similar place for me was a sacroiliac joint problem. That ends up with pressure on various nerves in the hip area and I was feeling pains all over the place (back, hip, knee, shin) so it was not obvious what was cause and what was effect. Took a fairly long time for me to get it calmed down enough to make some progress, and then it's the various core/stretch/glute exercises you'll find online. I went to a good, sports based, physio and it was well worth it.
Yes, the right therapist can get you feeling better and show you how to keep it from coming back.
And it's really not much in many cases, just a few easy exercises and stretching for 10 minutes a couple times a week can make a huge difference.
Which reminds me, I've really been slack with everything but the bike for two weeks so I'd better do some of my own
And it's really not much in many cases, just a few easy exercises and stretching for 10 minutes a couple times a week can make a huge difference.
Which reminds me, I've really been slack with everything but the bike for two weeks so I'd better do some of my own
I've gone through precisely the same thing and had the benefit of working with perhaps a half dozen athletes who were dealing with the same before I had to deal with it. Here are some things that worked on all of us:
If you're like us, you had a minor muscular imbalance that became a positional one, i.e., you weren't riding in alignment. You're likely sitting slightly offsides on your saddle, probably rotating your hips around the spine (so one femur is slightly forward of the other), and your back is thus twisted in a couple dimensions.
To address this for starters, get a foam roller and use it religiously after every ride and every evening. I'd suggest a Triggerpoint GRID foam roller. You only need the short one so it doesn't cost too much. You have to work your lower back, your hips, and your hamstrings. In a few days you'll be feeling much better but won't be healed.
To heal yourself, ... weights. Start low and focus on deadlifts. You can do those with kettlebells if that's all you have, but an Olympic bar and some bumper plates work best for you. Deadlifting will strengthen precisely the muscles that are afflicting you, and make sure the problem doesn't come back. Watch yourself to be sure you aren't lifting asymmetrically. And as you spend time on the bike, consider having a fitter or a well-versed teammate watch your riding style to make sure you're riding perfectly straight. Consider raising your bars a bit while you're healing because it'll take some of the pressure off that area.
Once you've had this kind of problem, you know you are disposed to it, so you need to keep with the weightlifting and the foam roller. For life. It's just the way you're wired, plus whatever minor injuries you may have incurred in bike accidents years ago, or whatever else you've done to yourself.
None of this will hurt or aggravate you as long as you don't overdo it. You can and should go to a specialist, who will use an MRI or potentially a CT to assess the general health of your lower back. He's mostly going to be looking for deteriorating discs or compressed foramina through which your nerves pass. However, I've found it's hard to find that rare specialist who does more than tells you you're aging, and who can actually get you back into physical form. You really want a sports specialist, so start hunting now. A good one is the best tool you can find to maintain your cycling health.
If you're like us, you had a minor muscular imbalance that became a positional one, i.e., you weren't riding in alignment. You're likely sitting slightly offsides on your saddle, probably rotating your hips around the spine (so one femur is slightly forward of the other), and your back is thus twisted in a couple dimensions.
To address this for starters, get a foam roller and use it religiously after every ride and every evening. I'd suggest a Triggerpoint GRID foam roller. You only need the short one so it doesn't cost too much. You have to work your lower back, your hips, and your hamstrings. In a few days you'll be feeling much better but won't be healed.
To heal yourself, ... weights. Start low and focus on deadlifts. You can do those with kettlebells if that's all you have, but an Olympic bar and some bumper plates work best for you. Deadlifting will strengthen precisely the muscles that are afflicting you, and make sure the problem doesn't come back. Watch yourself to be sure you aren't lifting asymmetrically. And as you spend time on the bike, consider having a fitter or a well-versed teammate watch your riding style to make sure you're riding perfectly straight. Consider raising your bars a bit while you're healing because it'll take some of the pressure off that area.
Once you've had this kind of problem, you know you are disposed to it, so you need to keep with the weightlifting and the foam roller. For life. It's just the way you're wired, plus whatever minor injuries you may have incurred in bike accidents years ago, or whatever else you've done to yourself.
None of this will hurt or aggravate you as long as you don't overdo it. You can and should go to a specialist, who will use an MRI or potentially a CT to assess the general health of your lower back. He's mostly going to be looking for deteriorating discs or compressed foramina through which your nerves pass. However, I've found it's hard to find that rare specialist who does more than tells you you're aging, and who can actually get you back into physical form. You really want a sports specialist, so start hunting now. A good one is the best tool you can find to maintain your cycling health.
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patchsurfer
- Posts: 138
- Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 10:27 pm
I've had back issues (spondy) for the last twelve years and if it's something long term like that it can take time to get on top of, as much for you to find out what works for you... I would also recommend seeing an osteo rather than a chiro - don't want to go into too much detail about my experiences with chiros or my subsequent opinions of them, but I will say google British Chiropractic Association vs Singh and dig from there.
The osteos that I've worked with have been more about working with the muscle imbalances I have rather than trying to get me towards any sort of perfect, and aside from the myofascial release stuff I have also found cranio-sacral work helpful in releasing spasm. I will echo what 11.4 said about getting an MRI or x-ray of your lower back - I kind of think that's one of the first questions any responsible practitioner should be asking you.
My self management - which is what I pretty much do these days - I might see an osteo once a year. I do myofascial release stuff right into my hip flexors and piriformes with a baseball as well foam rolling. Yoga and core work a couple or three times a week, mostly targeted at hip flexors and core strength. Making advances in my functional core strength and changing how I sit and work in the office has led to the biggest reduction in painful episodes and the myofascial release stuff has given me the ability to largely self-manage myself back to a pain-free state in a couple or three days.
This guy has got some good youtube stuff on core workouts (I surf as well as bike) http://surfstrengthcoach.com/ and there's a good foundations vid by the same guy at http://www.theinertia.com/surf/core-tra ... rformance/
YMMV, best of luck getting back to it...
The osteos that I've worked with have been more about working with the muscle imbalances I have rather than trying to get me towards any sort of perfect, and aside from the myofascial release stuff I have also found cranio-sacral work helpful in releasing spasm. I will echo what 11.4 said about getting an MRI or x-ray of your lower back - I kind of think that's one of the first questions any responsible practitioner should be asking you.
My self management - which is what I pretty much do these days - I might see an osteo once a year. I do myofascial release stuff right into my hip flexors and piriformes with a baseball as well foam rolling. Yoga and core work a couple or three times a week, mostly targeted at hip flexors and core strength. Making advances in my functional core strength and changing how I sit and work in the office has led to the biggest reduction in painful episodes and the myofascial release stuff has given me the ability to largely self-manage myself back to a pain-free state in a couple or three days.
This guy has got some good youtube stuff on core workouts (I surf as well as bike) http://surfstrengthcoach.com/ and there's a good foundations vid by the same guy at http://www.theinertia.com/surf/core-tra ... rformance/
YMMV, best of luck getting back to it...
zalle wrote:Hi guys, first of all, let me start by thanking all of you for giving me really good advice.
kytyree - I have not done any X-rays or similar. I've been to a GP and he says that, in this case, X-rays wouldn't show anything...
TheKaiser - About sensation, you know when you're sitting, want to get up and there's this acute pain somewhere? Well, this is it. I used the word sciatic because I've had it and it was similar, but my GP did some tests and says it is not that.
The black circle is the area where I feel pain:
It's about 12cm above tail bone, 4 cm to the left, roughly. I'm 176cm tall.
When I press it I feel nothing different.
I feel it if I ride intensely (my performance is below average, but anyway, it's intense for me).
AJS914 - Thanks, I'll look into that as well.
topflightpro - You guessed right, he gave me muscle relaxers and pain medication.
I'll see a physical therapist. Thanks
Many years ago, i also had a pain on same spot, and after few months terrible sciatica pain. In my case was the MTB injury together with a lot of sitting in front of computer, and inproper lifting. And the final result Discus Hernia L5/S1
Surgeons here suggested surgery, but i decide to avoid it until it's really needed.
And i decide to start doing excersises and streching: http://chirogeek.com/003_Exercise_DougsWorkOut.htm
Few months later, no more problems. Just to mention that doctors then give me their opinion that i wont be able to ride bike more seriosly anymore, so i had to race few months later to prove them they are wrong
(MTB XC Race, and i won in my category). The link with excersises i give u, it's very good source of knowledge for back pain, and helped me a lot. Doug is Chyropracitc, and in the time i had the problem (2003-2004 ), he also had a problem him self, and also he was cyclicst.
Also check the Excersises Level two
Wish u fast recovery
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topflightpro
- Posts: 829
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:35 am
djbowen99 wrote:What kind of exercise's and stretches are you guys doing to prevent/relieve these symptoms?
Here is my daily stretching routine - I do these for right and left leg.
Palm against wall press straight knee for achilles - 30s
Palm against wall press bent knee for achilles - 30s
Standing quad stretch - 60s
Standing hip flexor stretch with arms up - 60s
Downward Dog - 60s
Cat stretches - 30s
Cobra pose - 60s
Pigeon Stretch - 60s (Sometimes I pull up the rear leg for the second 30s, sometime I stretch forward to the floor)
Butterfly Stretch - 60s
Spine twist - one leg straight, the other crossing over with foot flat on ground and turning toward the bent knee side - 60
Hurdler stretch - 60s
Figure four - lying flat on ground, put one ankle on other knee and pull knee toward the chest. - 60s
Hamstrings - using a strap to pull my leg up while lying on my back and keeping leg straight - 60s.
I do that just about every morning. It has substantially helped with my back pain and increased my flexibility a ton.
