Sciatica, anyone?



Foothills Rider said:
Hi Denny, I had it just as bad. Walking any longer than 100 yeards at a time was difficult, I couldn't feel my right foot for days at a time. It hurt to stand, sit and lie down, but it did NOT hurt to be on my bike. I think the more aero position helped open the spaces between the vertebrae, and felt like a bit of relief. Sure, my foot was numb beyond all belief, but I could continue to ride.
What got me through it was back streches and core work. You see a lot of these stretches and exercise in yoga sessions, and after a few weeks, I slowly regained mobility and stability. I will still get occasional relapses, and then get back to emphasizing posture and core and lower back stretches. Really, 10-15 min a day can do wonders.

Good luck. I hope your pain lifts soon.
B.

Thanks, B. The pain does lift every few days - and moves to another spot. I like that because it keeps me from getting bored. I'm seeing my G.P. tomorrow, to see whom I should go to next. I just hope she doesn't give me an end-of-life talk.
 
Denny418 said:
Thanks, B. The pain does lift every few days - and moves to another spot. I like that because it keeps me from getting bored. I'm seeing my G.P. tomorrow, to see whom I should go to next. I just hope she doesn't give me an end-of-life talk.

Have you tried ibuprofen? I know it helped me immensely, but the weird part with me was that I could do a metric century without a problem but once I got off the bike, fuggedaboutit.
Wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.
 
upstateSC-rider said:
Have you tried ibuprofen? I know it helped me immensely, but the weird part with me was that I could do a metric century without a problem but once I got off the bike, fuggedaboutit.
Wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.

Hi Upstate,
I don't like to take meds if I can help it. Hell, I don't accept novicaine at the dentist even when I have to have a tooth ground down to a stub for a crown. If the ibuprofen was going to help the condition, that would be a different story. And you're right about being able to bike w/o pain. Funny, I met a guy in his 70s recently who told me he puts in 200-300 miles per week on his bike. I asked him why. He told me he has severe degenerative disk disease, and the only time he is not in pain is when he's on his bike! No better motivation than that!
 
Ensure you eliminate the possibility of it being hip joint wear. This was recently diagnosed in my father after years of him thinking he had & was being treated for Sciatica. Again, a matter for Doctors to decide upon / diagnose.

I have had the symptoms you describe once and I know it isn't very nice at all, so good luck with it all and I hope you have a successful outcome concluding with pain free walking and cycling. Cheers
 
I appreciate all the responses here. My G.P. referred me to another physiotherapist, but I haven't gone yet. I really don't have pain anymore, just tightness and occasional tingling in the leg. For the past month I've only biked about three times a week, to see if that might help. I go hard when I do go out, to minimize fitness loss. Perhaps the reduced time in the saddle is helping, but I don't know. I was surprised to see how many others here have suffered through similar. I thought biking was supposed to make us immortal and invulnerable.
 
I suffer from piriformis syndrome. Its usually aggrevated by long easy rides. When I'm riding hard or racing its not a problem.


I stretch the piriformis (google the stretch) and also self massage with a golf ball. Massage is done by sitting on the golf ball on the floor with the ball directly under the tight spot in the muscle. You soon know when you get the right spot because it hurts !

20 mins of stretching and massage and the sciatica is completely gone