lay off

T.C.

i was told by my physio yesterday to keep off the bike for 6 weeks, she thinks i have a muscular problem i have had lower back pain since april , i obviously intend to heed her advice , if i go walking and swimming i know i will keep fit , but how much actual fitness will i lose if any ? also why did she say 6 weeks why not 4 or 5 weeks , i am gutted but i know long term i should be better for it

jpembroke

From my own experience and that of friends there definitely seems to be a '6 weeks' thing with Physios and with good reason. A few years a go I bust a pulley tendon in my middle finger whilst climbing (rock climbing). Went to a physio, who did the usual ultrasound and massage then gave me some stretching exercises for it. I was told it would be better in 6 weeks and it was. After 4 weeks there was still a dull pain, after 6 weeks it was perfect and I could start climbing again. I guess that's the time it takes for a torn muscle or tendon to repair.

peanut

depends a lot on whats torn and your age I think. I tore something in my shoulder which took 12 months to fully heal. It was 6 months before I could raise my arm above my head !
Its fine now 4 years later. I am pretty sure I did it whilst sleeping .I must have got my hand trapped in the headboard and turned over whilst I slept . :oops:

rest for lower back problems is very good advice . I ignored the spasms in my back for nearly a year then my L5 /S1 disk collapsed and I can barely walk now. :roll:

Turnbull2000

Sprained a knee ligament in the summer and was devastated to be told by the physio to give it 6 weeks. I thought there's no way it'll take that long :x

Lo and behold, it was roughly six weeks before I regained full motion in my knee :shock:

T.C.

cheers for all replies, i 've read enough to know that i'll have to listen , i'm going to walk and swim .

T.C.

i've had 6 weeks off now , still not ready , gutted even thinking i'll never be back on the bike, physio is convinced i have a bulging disk , anyone had this problem advice etc , i'm walkindg daily , she said i could give running a go

popette

T.C. wrote:

i've had 6 weeks off now , still not ready , gutted even thinking i'll never be back on the bike, physio is convinced i have a bulging disk , anyone had this problem advice etc , i'm walkindg daily , she said i could give running a go

Based on my limited experience, my advice would be to go to an osteopath. I had a back problem (sacroilliac joint) which a physio did absolutely nothing to help. I went to an osteopath and felt a big improvement after just one session. It took several more to completely recover (and to be honest, I still go back every couple of months, just to check that everything is still ok and because I find it really enjoyable).
Good luck - I hope it gets sorted soon.

star_rover

Surely if you have a bulging disk running is as bad as cycling? Especially as running is load bearing.
Over the years visiting physios, osteos, etc, I've noticed an anti-cycling bias from them. They seem to think that being on a bike puts you in an awkward, un-natural position and it is therefore a no-no.
Visited one when I had a shoulder/neck problem. Told me it was OK for me to lift weights but not to ride a stationary bike (in the gym)!

cee

I don't think an osteaopath or chiropractor would be a great idea for a bulging disc! The manipulation could worsen it.

Seek the advice of an actual, real, trained, back specialist at a hospital, rather than a bunch of folks who like riding bikes who may or may not have some anecdotal stories about their or a friends back problem!

star_rover

cee wrote:

I don't think an osteaopath or chiropractor would be a great idea for a bulging disc! The manipulation could worsen it.

Seek the advice of an actual, real, trained, back specialist at a hospital, rather than a bunch of folks who like riding bikes who may or may not have some anecdotal stories about their or a friends back problem!

No osteopath or chiropractor (or physio) would manipulate your back if they thought you had a herniated/prolapsed disk.

It's fine to suggest seeing a specialist at a hospital but you'd need to be referred, and for that a visit to the GP is necessary, who's more than likely going to tell you to rest and take an ibuprofen. You can't blame people for seeking treatment outside the NHS (I'm assuming that the OP is paying for the physio themselves) when most GPs don't know how to diagnose or treat musculo-skeletal pain.

cee

All I am trying to say is that if it was me, I would rather seek professional advice.

TC...Go to your GP and have a conversation with them ..If they dont refer you, make sure that you tell them the full story including what the physio said. Actually, can the physio refer you? If the Gp trys not to refer you, make more noise. and be adament that you want to be referred.

star_rover

cee wrote:

All I am trying to say is that if it was me, I would rather seek professional advice.

TC...Go to your GP and have a conversation with them ..If they dont refer you, make sure that you tell them the full story including what the physio said. Actually, can the physio refer you? If the Gp trys not to refer you, make more noise. and be adament that you want to be referred.

I'm not in disagreement with you. This is good advice.
Also a better option than spending loads of money on a physio, who, in the end, might not be able to help you.

T.C.

At the moment i'm not paying for physio but i wonder how many more sessions i have until she thinks enough is enough, i did ask her yesterday about a scan , she thinks they won't think about until you are serious or in need of surgery ( yes it's serious for me ) ,i wll see GP about asking to see a specialist, will probably take 9 months ! i'm seriously thinking about giving cyclefit a ring aswell , i'm even thinking of starting back on the bike say 30mins , also i wouldn't take what anyone says here as gospel it's nice to share your problem with someone else and people here can probably relate to my frustration cheers for replies .

T.C.

i forgot i went to an ostoepath august for 3 sessions no change, she said i had a twisted pelvis , physio said no ? ? ! !

windyphil

After a trampoline accident my GP stated that I had a facet joint injury to my back and I should enjoy some rest and return to cycling in a couple of weeks. I went to the chiropractor after the 2 weeks because I was walking like I had suffered a stroke! She repositioned my pelvic bones and several vertabrae furterh up my back which were compensating, after which I could walk properly straight away. The joints have been slipping back out for a few weeks, but are gradually getting more in place. More exercise in my case helps rather than resting.

To confirm what another poster stated no osteo or chiro will manipulate if theres a disc issue as it's not worth paralising you!

flattythehurdler

Core strength exercises and correct bike fitting are what I would go for.

Mike Willcox

About 5 years ago I was off work with severe lower back pain and very depressed. Nothing seemed to work so I decided to grit my teeth through the pain and embarked on a series of core strength exercises every day. I also played squash through the pain, using heat and ice after every match.

My philosophy was what the hell, I was in pain anyway doing nothing so I might as well go out and enjoy myself armed with a couple of ibroprofen and stacks of willpower.

It worked. I have continued with those core exercises regulalry to this day and never have any more problems. By the way an X ray shows that I have a curvature of the spine in the lumbar region.

T.C.

Hi, i've been back on the bike for 2 months i did 2 hours last week only been doing an hour or 30 mins, i've been suffering again now for about 2 weeks , today i moved the saddle forward did an hour no problems whatsoever even now sitting down , surely it wouldn't cure just like that ,why didn't i do this before i was scared of doing it worse ! but thinking about it was that posistion that made me like that ! can anybody recommend somewhere in the north west that does a bike fit , i'm crossing my fingers now , but on to another problem i had a knee problem about 2 years ago but that seems to be coming back !

popette

Paul Hewitt does bike fit and is always spoken of highly on this forum. I have been to see him and he spent a lot of time with me. I would definitely go back to him again.
He's based in Leyland (Nr Preston I think) and his website is www.hewittbikefitting.co.uk

Good luck