I hope this is appropriate for this newsgroup. I'm 41 and have been training on the road as well as
racing since early spring. My form has been very good and have been winning/placing in the top 3 in
most races. Slowly but surely my back bagan giving my problems. I now can't ride/race as I have been
diagnosed with a "bulging disc in my lower back. The bike I've been using is new to me (since June
2003). Could my positioning on the bike have caused my back problem? Thanks Steve Leuty

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I had a similar problem two years ago. Severe lower back pain after several weeks of hard climbing.
Pain so severe I could only noodle along after a while. I generally have tight muscles and have to
stretch a lot (warm up, stretch, warm down, stretch) Physician couldn't find anything terribly
wrong, but I suspect a good occasional soak in a hot tub or massage would have held it off. Sounds
like you're past that stage, though. I hung up the bike for 6 weeks to recover. It hasn't come back.
Best of luck.

Steve Leuty wrote:

> I hope this is appropriate for this newsgroup. I'm 41 and have been training on the road as well
> as racing since early spring. My form has been very good and have been winning/placing in the
> top 3 in most races. Slowly but surely my back bagan giving my problems. I now can't ride/race
> as I have been diagnosed with a "bulging disc in my lower back. The bike I've been using is new
> to me (since June 2003). Could my positioning on the bike have caused my back problem? Thanks
> Steve Leuty
>
>
>
> -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1
> Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

I've had similar problems with my back. My doctor prescribed vioxx and it has worked wonders.

Tony

Steve Leuty wrote:
> I hope this is appropriate for this newsgroup. I'm 41 and have been training on the road as well
> as racing since early spring. My form has been very good and have been winning/placing in the
> top 3 in most races. Slowly but surely my back bagan giving my problems. I now can't ride/race
> as I have been diagnosed with a "bulging disc in my lower back. The bike I've been using is new
> to me (since June 2003). Could my positioning on the bike have caused my back problem? Thanks
> Steve Leuty

I get lower back pain on the road bike but it hasn't been severe or chronic enough to take to a
doctor. Lifting seems to be helping (abs & back isolations, but I lift for other muscles as well).

I don't get this pain at all on my mtb, so it sounds like a position tweak is in order.

--
--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

I have a bulging disc in my neck and it does cause me problems on long rides with numbness going
down one arm. I have found if I don't hold the same position for long periods this will hold off the
pain and numbness.

I also have a doctor friend who had to start riding a recumbent bike so he could ride his pain
was so bad.

I suggest you talk to your doctor, I wouldn't mess with possible back injury.

Bob

"Steve Leuty" <steverl@inebraska.com> wrote in message news:3F4D5BEB.8030502@inebraska.com...
> I hope this is appropriate for this newsgroup. I'm 41 and have been training on the road as well
> as racing since early spring. My form has been very good and have been winning/placing in the
> top 3 in most races. Slowly but surely my back bagan giving my problems. I now can't ride/race
> as I have been diagnosed with a "bulging disc in my lower back. The bike I've been using is new
> to me (since June 2003). Could my positioning on the bike have caused my back problem? Thanks
> Steve Leuty
>
>
>
> -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1
> Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

it of course could be bad position. set your pos per recommended methods by top trainers. give your
body time to adjust to it also.

most likely it is due to the abs being weak and the IT bands tightening. then pulling your lower
back slightly out of whack. work weights all winter on abs, lower back, and solar plexus. you will
notice a big improvement by Jan if you start now.

I have 3 bulging discs in upper neck. I keep em in check by light weight lifting and stretching.
bulging disc are minor according to the orthopedist I have seen out here. one clinic being the
Steadman-Hawkins in Vail.

"JTN" <jnelson@garfield-county.com> wrote in message news:vks1ul2qiv0b88@corp.supernews.com...
> it of course could be bad position. set your pos per recommended methods
by
> top trainers. give your body time to adjust to it also.
>
> most likely it is due to the abs being weak and the IT bands tightening. then pulling your lower
> back slightly out of whack. work weights all
winter
> on abs, lower back, and solar plexus. you will notice a big improvement by Jan if you start now.

How do you work your solar plexus with weights, my abs and lower back are in great shape.

I never knew that you could work the solar plexus by itself.

Dashii

"Steve Leuty" <steverl@inebraska.com> asks : "I have been diagnosed with a "bulging disc in my lower
back. The bike I've been using is new to me (since June 2003). Could my positioning on the bike have
caused my back problem?"

Disc herniation is caused by failure of the outer layer of the disc. Failure may happen because of
traumatic loading of the disc in an axial direction, such as a fall or lifting injury. Often there
is no trauma history. Although you position on the bike may worsen symptoms from disc herniation, it
did not cause the problem.

--
Mike Murray MD

I had back problems and tried sit-ups to remedy the problem and it worked. Probable cause of my
back strain could have been poor sitting positions in my chair. I used to fold my leg in a half
lotus position while sitting all the time and I had to stop doing that. It was apparently
pinching my spine.

"JTN" <jnelson@garfield-county.com> wrote in message news:vks1ul2qiv0b88@corp.supernews.com...
>
> I have 3 bulging discs in upper neck. I keep em in check by light weight lifting and stretching.

Could you please describe the weight lifting you do? I have a similar problem which is putting a
crimp in my road riding.

Regardless of the cause, you need to do the following:

Increase Hamstring flexibility Increase Back Strength Increase Abdominal strength Lose abdominal
weight if that is a problem for you

Position changes that you might find helpful:

Lower saddle Raise Handlebars Shorter stem

Michael Ross, MD www.bikedoctraining.com

So I've been told. Now I have to work this out since I'm not ready for early retirement from the
bike. steve

Mike Murray wrote:

>"Steve Leuty" <steverl@inebraska.com> asks : "I have been diagnosed with a "bulging disc in my
>lower back. The bike I've been using is new to me (since June 2003). Could my positioning on the
>bike have caused my back problem?"
>
>Disc herniation is caused by failure of the outer layer of the disc. Failure may happen because of
>traumatic loading of the disc in an axial direction, such as a fall or lifting injury. Often there
>is no trauma history. Although you position on the bike may worsen symptoms from disc herniation,
>it did not cause the problem.
>
>
>

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I've been tweeking the adjustments of my bike. Thanks for the advise. steve

Michael wrote:

>Regardless of the cause, you need to do the following:
>
>Increase Hamstring flexibility Increase Back Strength Increase Abdominal strength Lose abdominal
>weight if that is a problem for you
>
>Position changes that you might find helpful:
>
>Lower saddle Raise Handlebars Shorter stem
>
>
>Michael Ross, MD www.bikedoctraining.com
>
>

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Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Michael wrote:

>Regardless of the cause, you need to do the following:
>
>Increase Hamstring flexibility Increase Back Strength Increase Abdominal strength Lose abdominal
>weight if that is a problem for you
>
>Position changes that you might find helpful:
>
>Lower saddle Raise Handlebars Shorter stem
>
>
>Michael Ross, MD www.bikedoctraining.com
>
>
At this point in time, I'm seeing a physical therapist and she is working to ease my pain and
suffering. I'm also doing some stretching (yes, hamstrings and the works). My back pain is
decreasing but the bulge is still there. I can feel it constantly. Is is a good idea to do back
strengthening with a bulging disc? I've not touched my bike in almost three weeks and have become
stagnant (lying on my couch with a heat pad on my lower back). I'm getting depressed and want to go
out and ride some but I'm affraid that might agrivate the injury even more. Steve Leuty

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"Steve Leuty" <steverl@inebraska.com> wrote in message news:3F5AB4D0.9030708@inebraska.com...
>
>
> Michael wrote:
>
> >Regardless of the cause, you need to do the following:
> >
> >Increase Hamstring flexibility Increase Back Strength Increase Abdominal strength Lose abdominal
> >weight if that is a problem for you
> >
> >Position changes that you might find helpful:
> >
> >Lower saddle Raise Handlebars Shorter stem
> >
> >
> >Michael Ross, MD www.bikedoctraining.com
> >
> >
> At this point in time, I'm seeing a physical therapist and she is working to ease my pain and
> suffering. I'm also doing some stretching (yes, hamstrings and the works). My back pain is
> decreasing but the bulge is still there. I can feel it constantly. Is is a good idea to do back
> strengthening with a bulging disc? I've not touched my bike in almost three weeks and have become
> stagnant (lying on my couch with a heat pad on my lower back). I'm getting depressed and want to
> go out and ride some but I'm affraid that might agrivate the injury even more.

Michael's advice seems pretty sound, I would ride and if it gets worse with riding, take a couple of
days off and try again.

Dashii