Originally Posted by
Kaben
Hi all,
This is more of a discussion of your own experiences rather than me looking for any hard and fast advice.
I herniated a disc in my back by slipping off a railway sleeper whilst gardening in my garden late January ( such a middle aged injury). The motion was very sudden and violent and the angle i was leant in meant that one of my lower lumbar spine discs herniated badly. It was an awkward angle and would have injured anyones spine my specialist has said.
I have been undergoing therapy for the injury since early feb with physio and chiropractor but the progression has been very slow. At first pain was constant and i could hardly stand let alone think of exercising ( i had a huge list which meant my hips were completely out of line with my shoulders). Now at just over 12 weeks in I'm able to walk around normally but things like bending over has to be done slowly. Returning to heavy lifting and sprint training still seems some way off. Im just on the cusp of being able to pedal without lower back pain.
My question is this - has anyone else here suffered a similar injury or know people who have? My physio and chiropractor are only interested in getting me back to "normal life" not so much getting back to my cycling goals.
Just want to get some perspectives from people who have gone through this as i'm getting seriously depressed about it all. At the time of the injury i was at my pb for squats and deadlift and my back health actually felt the best it had been in my life. My track times were constantly improving and i had actually signed up for World Masters in Manchester this October. Now with 3 months off the bike and likely more until i can train properly i think my chances of taking part meaningfully in this event are slim. I know theres always next year but im not sure if there is even light at the end of this tunnel so im hoping someone else can say they have been through it!
If its of any relevance, i am 35.
(Sorry if this seems self indulgent - I just need some other peoples perspectives! Cycling is a big part of my life)
I have had two herniated discs (L3/4; L4/5) and I can tell you that you should be just fine with cycling and weight training - but you'll need to be a bit patient with the cycling goals. Three months isn't a long time but you should be working back on your activities.
There will be activities compromised by the back injury. I find anything involving torquing or twisting the back (the twisting motion in golf or tennis, say) irritates it. I did play hockey for years after my first injury, but the second led me to "retire." But cycling and lifting have contributed to a far healthier back. In fact, when I finally got over my wariness about squatting heavy (after years of doing leg extensions and leg presses), I found my back has actually been much better. A few thoughts:
- What may for a while feel like a problem will simply become the "new normal." Your back will be stiffer getting out of bed, take longer to loosen up, and fatigue a bit more quickly. It is what it is. I ruptured my first disk at 29, and you just get used to some compromises.
- Squatting heavy is great for the back if you use very strict form. Consult Starting Strength or other such sources. Warm up with deliberation, starting with the empty bar, then 95lbs, etc. Use a good belt, use proper bracing and breathing technique, never let the bar get ahead of mid foot, keep the back neutral (avoiding "butt wink" at the bottom of the squat and avoiding lifting your head at the top) and start with low weights, and in time you'll feel great. For reference, I'm currently squatting 285 lbs for 5 reps at age 61, with two blown discs, and no back issues.
- Deadlifts are something different. I think they are a needless risk on some level. I do trap-bar deadlifts because they're significantly easier on the back. Rack pulls would also work. And interestingly, the lift that's worst for my back are bench presses, because of the arching of the back that's nearly unavoidable using standard form. I keep a flat back by putting my feet on the end of the bench, not on the floor.
-flexibility is more important that ever. Not just hamstrings, but hip flexors, glutes medius, delts, etc. Cycling does make you tight; work to get loose. Tight muscles are the true contributor to disc problems, rather than the apparent cause (my first injury happened putting my kid in a car seat).
Anyway, a long answer to your question, but in time, your focus on your cycling goals will be the best thing for the back. I remember that three months after my first surgery, my back felt as if it were a two-by-four. I'd give it the full year's cycle to feel back to your best. But the way to get there is to engage in the cycling and lifting, carefully at first of course, and in consultation with the doctors. Don't be depressed; take on the challenge and it will be that much more satisfying when you're back to form!