Several years ago I walked 7-8 miles daily, then one day I had a serious pain in my right thigh, which turned out to be a herniated disc in the lumbar spine. I did traction and everything got better. That lasted for a couple of years then the disc herniated again, so back to traction. Everything was fine again for a long time, then again it went. An MRI showed that all 5 lumbar disc's are herniated, and that my 5th lumbar vertebrae is slippin and slidin on L4 and S1 because the supporting structures are stretched out (I broke my back in 1980 and it's coming back to haunt me).

Doc told me I couldn't ride motorcycles anymore, and when I rode my MTB that hurt because of the pounding. I started riding road in May and bending over actually stretched my back out and made it feel a little better. I'm able to ride for 3+ hours and over 40 miles.

About a month ago I got stupid and tried a MTB race. Not too bumpy so I assumed I wouldn't have a problem, but a couple of days later the back started to hurt, then a couple of weeks after that the disc blew big time and I've been laid up ever since. Traction seems to be helping again, but not as quickly as I'd like as I still can't ride and I've got "Cabin Fever" pretty bad.

PT has me doing core strengthening exercises, which should help with the road bike riding too. So I guess it's absolutely no more MTB, so I will stick to the road.

Just wondering if any other folks out there have herniated disc's and what has worked for you to allow you to keep riding? Anything special I should do as a cyclist, or special braces I should look for or ask about?

I tried a recumbent trike, but that pushed against my back, causing pain, and I could only ride about 7 miles, so I'm better off on a regular road bike.

Thanks in advance for any assist.
Dan'o :}

i suffered the same thing--L4-L5--following a season of mountain bike racing [i'm a life-long roadies, and do mtb about every fifth year] where i had NOT done sufficient core strenghtening the winter before. i tried all sorts of crap, and always got back too soon, and would relapse. epidurals never worked for me. what ultimately did was chiropractic treatment, yoga, and more and continual core work. it took me two years, wherein i went absolutely CRAZY without serious and regular cycling workouts and competition. it has been five years since my back issues, and i'm much better. i LISTEN to my back--it gives clues and wonderful feedback--and we are very happy. i've had three major crashes [MANY broken ribs, three clavicles and a scapula, two concussions and a collapsed lung--seems like a lot when you drill it out like this] since then, and my back has never given me grief. i'm entering my "off-season" -- cyclocross, and a long winter of outdoor gravel riding and weights downstairs to get ready for next year's racing. i'm 57 [according to usacycling], a category 1 racer, and i LOVE this stuff.
best of luck to you, dan. GIVE YOUR BACK THE ACTIVE REST IT NEEDS. but do NOT just sit around; STAY ACTIVE. DO YOGA. STRETCH. RIDE YOUR BIKES, and don't resign yourself to recumbents. treat yourself properly, and you'll be fine.
i hope!
--kim

L4-L5 and L5-S1 are my worst. My back was at its worst 12 years ago, but has slowly gotten better the last few years. I've stayed with the core muscle exercises, made sure to keep my weight from getting too high, and tried to be more careful to lift correctly, and not overdo it with the lifting (not easy to do if you work in machine shop maintenance).

And I ride recumbents. They're pretty much like therapy for my back.