General Cycling Discussion - Off the bike-Sciatica pain

I've been suffering with lower back pain for years and more recently sciatica. If anyone reading this is not familiar with this particular disorder, Imagine a sharp throbbing pain extending from the small of your back all the way through your calf. If one were to rate the pain on a scale of one to ten with one being a slight pinch and ten being kicked in the balls....Well, I'd allmost prefer getting kicked:( At any rate, the doctor just prescribed pain medication and muscle relaxants. Absolutley worthless. The upside is that I found an excellent chiropractor who has allready managed to relieve most of the pressure on the sciatic nerve. Having never been to a chiropractor before, I found the popping noises emenating from my spine to be un-nerving at first, but the experience was not at all unpleasant. Unfortunately, he insists I stay off the bike for at least two weeks:mad: But, he has done a lot of good so far, so I'll grudgingly accept his advice. At least his timing coincided with cold weather and snow. I can't wait to get back in the saddle again:D

I took a fall waterskiing a few years ago and twisted my hips. I coulden't walk more than 10-20 yards before the pain became unbearable. I also worked at nights and the pain would wake me up after about three hours sleep. I finally went to my wifes chiro. after the pain killers and muscle relaxers diden't work. It took about three trips to feel a big improvement, but it took months for it to get 95% better. I would gauge my progress by how far I could walk before I had to stop to let the pain subside.

All that manipulation is good and well, but repeated manipulation can cause instability in your spine. This should be combined with a strengthening and flexibility program.

I'm a recent convert to Chiropractors as well. I had an L5/S1 discotomy 5 years ago (much to the chagrine of the Chiro, but I only saw him a couple of weeks ago). The surgery allowed me to return to good flexibility and a 99% reduction in pain.

Over the last few months as I have been spending more and more time on the bike I have had pain similar to the `sciatic' pain of 5 years ago return. I went to the chiro who said that the op wasn't necessary (yeah yeah Drs slag chiros who slag back) but that some of the loss of freedom of movement has never returned since the op.

He freed up my hip (SI joint?) and got me stretching my ham string on my non-dominant (and sciatic) left hand side as well as trying to improve the strength of my abdominal muscles to provide some support for the lower back.

I now sit on a swiss ball at work which has also helped as it has removed the load that my lower back supported all day long. It looks strange and it provokes quite a bit of fun - but if they only knew what they were doing to their lower back.

I cannot remember being this free of pain for such a long time. So if anyone is considering going to a chiro, and you can find one that you can trust, has enough experience - go for it. For me, together with my regular doctor and surgeon, I have had great success with a chiropractor.

Yep, yet another chiropractic success story.... mine took pressure off two herniated discs and saved me from expensive surgery. Although, the pain will reintroduce itself every so often, relief is just a crack away. Painkillers were more effective on my legs after long rides than they were on my neck/back pain.

Sciatic nerve pain and hip pain seems to be very common among cyclists- many pros have problems with it.

I was bothered by it this year, and the doctor told me it was an irritation of the sciatic nerve and showed me some stretches to do. I would also recommend seeing an Osteopath, which helped me immeasurably.

How is your chiropractic treatment going? Are you back on the bike yet? I have been diagnosed recently with a herniated disc and am going through the steroid injection process. Just wondering what alternatives there are specifically for a road cyclist. Appreciate input...M :)

I have been symptom free now for ages. Every now and then I just need to stretch my ham strings before a ride. The chiro has a slightly different way to stretch my hammies that I have been taught in the past. I can even sit mostly on a normal chair without any worries. I don't know what would work best for a cyclist, but stretching my hammies does help.