Back pain: Doctor told me to quit cycling... what next?

Herbsman

The harder I ride the more my back hurts. I've followed my doctor's advice and done the exercises he recommended, been swimming regularly, got a firm mattress etc and a year later there's been little improvement. I went back to him, explained that I race on a bike, and he told me to stop cycling. I tried to explain to him that I want to keep riding, and asked if there was anything I could do, physiotherapy perhaps, and he completely dismissed it, giving me a very clear ultimatum 'either you stop cycling, or you suffer'.

To be honest I expected him to say that as he's a bit of a tosser. But what do I do now? I can't afford private healthcare - how likely am I to find someone on the NHS who won't try to make me quit the only physical activity that I enjoy, and will help me to reduce the pain and continue doing it?

Anonymous

Try getting a proper fit with Adrian Timmis at www.cadencesport.co.uk

He knows a thing or three about physio too.

I had problems with my lower back, hip, knees and shoulder.

Turns out I had a leg length discrepancy which he sorted and it's like magic!

Worth a punt for 100 notes....

If that doesn't work then, well......

shouldbeinbed

Get a decent chiropractor to have a look at you.

They're a bit helmets & marmite in people's opinion but Id been through physio & osteo with minimal change and had resigned myself to no bike & a lifetime on painkillers before finding my way to chiro

Herbsman

NapoleonD wrote:

Try getting a proper fit with Adrian Timmis at www.cadencesport.co.uk

He knows a thing or three about physio too.

I had problems with my lower back, hip, knees and shoulder.

Turns out I had a leg length discrepancy which he sorted and it's like magic!

Worth a punt for 100 notes....

If that doesn't work then, well......

I had already planned to visit him after reading yours and others' posts on here, ta mate

Just saving up at the mo, bit difficult since the landlord put the rent up by £50 a month!

The Ors

When I had a prolapsed disc my Dr told me I should give up waterskiing. I love skiing & for me that was out of the question. Obviously, I didn't ski for a while but when my back started to feel better I gradually returned to skiing. If I started to feel pain, I stopped. Even now, about 12yrs later, I sometimes give up after a few minutes & jump back in the boat.

My point is that if you are careful & accept that you may have to 'give in' occasionally, I don't think you have to give up doing the things you enjoy. You will know your own body way better than anyone else. Actually, I believe that the skiing has strengthened my back & helped it to heal.

I don't agree with the chiropractor recommendation; I think mine made me worse. Physiotherapy on the other hand resulted in huge improvements. (but I accept shouldbeinbed's 'marmite' comment).

Firm mattress? My Physio recommended I get the softest mattress I could. It works. If I sleep on firm mattresses I get backache. Soft mattresses support the whole of the spine without any unsupported gap at the small of your back. I would try folding a towel & sleeping with it under the small of your back or sleep on top of a soft, thick duvet for a while & see if your back improves.

I would also recommend a book called 'Treat your own back' by Robin McKenzie

HTH

Darren

Herbsman

Since I got the firm, pocket sprung mattress my back no longer hurts when I wake up in the morning... the old one was soft and gave me terrible trouble.

unixnerd

I used to get a sore back because I had too low a cadence, pedalling faster solved it but took a while to get used to. I'd also agree with those who suggest a bike fitting.

Wheelspinner

The Ors wrote:

My point is that if you are careful & accept that you may have to 'give in' occasionally, I don't think you have to give up doing the things you enjoy. You will know your own body way better than anyone else. Actually, I believe that the skiing has strengthened my back & helped it to heal.

I don't agree with the chiropractor recommendation; I think mine made me worse. Physiotherapy on the other hand resulted in huge improvements. (but I accept shouldbeinbed's 'marmite' comment).

Darren

^^ This. (Edited out the bit about soft beds as they kill me.. )

I had a neurosurgeon tell me 20 years ago my back was shot, requiring verterbral fusion surgery and a lifetime left of, at best, a nice walk. I had severe sciatic nerve pinching problems, herniated discs...the lot, all because I spent my first 30 years being such a fit and active athlete. Wore it out early apparently, and at 30 had a spine resembling an arthritic 60 y/o.

Thanks Doc. See ya.

Careful management, lots of treatment and therapy from people who actually CARED about getting me back out there doing what I loved, and some sensible adjustments to my activities, and I am still out there enjoying life on a bike, a golf course, a tennis court, whatever.

Get that bike fitting ASAP. Take some time off the racing for a while and let yourself get used to whatever adjustments they make, do a LOT of flexibility and core strength exercise and you will be back kicking ar$e on it for sure.

Herbsman

Ok. I had been doing yoga regularly (particularly core stuff like plank pose variations) and swimming semi-regularly, but since I started racing I've done less of that and it's definitely become worse since. Not that that is definitely the cause though - it got worse soon after I fiddled with my bike position

yocto

You could always ride a Recumbent

and enter into a race like this:
http://tinyurl.com/6leblen

Rooner

similar to one of the posts above, herniated disc and severe sciatica, including nerve damage (couldn't lift left foot properly). 1st doc said rest.....then I was told no running, probably ever. Now, running is my main 'sport', not too happy with this. So, wife booked me in to see private chiropracter, and psychologically he did wonders. Told me to take it easy but not rest (else you get even more problems), and look to be back running and cycling in 6-8 weeks.

Back to GP as the pain was severe, he then referred me to a NHS chronic back pain clinic, I'm sure if we have one in the little city there are more around! I then had weekly appointments with a guy there, who cracked various bits of my back and gave me some exercises (basically, do these exercises or have an injection in your spine or have an operation on your spine....guess I'll go with the exercises), and advised what exercise to do. 8 weeks after original injury, I was back running, albeit very slowly and in a lot of pain. But, ongoing stretching etc., and over 2 years down the line, everything is tickety boo.

I'd try a chiropracter, just to get a second opinion. And also try and find out if there is a back clinic locally who could help. Oh yeah, someone said about a book, I've got one as well and follow the stretching routine, seems to have helped (my problem might have been caused, or at least aggravated, by tight hamstrings after 15 years of running etc. with no stretching :oops: )

Don't give up, sometimes a sympathetic GP can put you in the right direction. Trouble is, the G stands for General, so unless they are specialists in backs, they can often be unhelpful at best, dismissive at worst.

Drysuitdiver

shouldbeinbed wrote:

Get a decent chiropractor to have a look at you.

They're a bit helmets & marmite in people's opinion but Id been through physio & osteo with minimal change and had resigned myself to no bike & a lifetime on painkillers before finding my way to chiro

+1 to this. used to have chronic knee and shoulder problems from playing rugby very hard as a young un. 6 months at the chiropractor and i felt like new. I go once a month and get adjusted and it keeps me tip top

Coach H

If you can't afford private Physio get your GP (or another in the practice) to refer you to their Physiotherapy service via the NHS. Depending how your GP's practice works this could be an NHS or private Physio. Most Physios (particularly the NHS ones) love to work with people who want to get better and be more active as at least half of the people they see are benefit scroungers and claim persuers who are not really interested in the hard work that can come with Physio.

As for Chiropractors, my best friend is a physio and spits on the floor at the very mention of them. He treated one of my work friends for free rather than see him go to a chiropractor (his main issue is that they are unregulated but does not believe their practices have clinically proven benefits), so as you say they are a bit Marmite.

My own experience is without a doubt that well managed activity is FAR better for back pain than rest as long as you are body aware enough to differentiate pain from ache.

plowmar

Physio is most likely the way to go, but perhaps a sports injury one the best.

Can you get an intro through your local footie club? or failing that through the association web site.

Get your GP to refer you, you are his/her boss not the other way round.

Good luck.

Andyb10

Have also had back problems over the last few years and was also told by GP to stop cycling.

Went to chiropracter instead. After 4 sessions including acupuncture and by doing core strength exercises for about 10 minutes at most every day back pain has virtually gone.

I have also found that if I spin more than trying to push bigger gears this helps as well.

Yes chiros aren't particularly cheap but mine told me that most people don't need more than about 4 sessions and then to have an occasional sports massage just to keep everything supple.

surreyxc

just keep going.

Out of the blue I got a bad back when I got a desk job in my 20s, the doctor helpfully told me to give up my career. It was that bad I quit, went and did other things. I also spent a fortune on treatments, physio etc no luck. Roll on 15yrs I am still cycling, running etc, everyday my back hurts, but then it hurts irrespective of what I do, so just keep going and enjoy.

Look after yourself, do all you can and keep going. For biking I went FS, changed the ride position, if I ride relaxed I am fine, go just over my limit and the back kicks in. But still done the South Downs, Kielder etc. It is frustrating knowing you could go faster but for the back.

I reckon physio is only good for acute injury, I think you would have more long term success with Alexander Technique and Yoga.

Pross

The chiropractor I went to actually recommended I start cycling again when I was treated for a herniated disk. I have certainly had less flare up since I have started riding again and wouldn't even consider taking GP advice on back issues anymore.

KulaBen

Herbsman, I have to say I agree with getting another opinion. I'm a doc myself (though not a GP) and whilst I think GPs do amazing work they have limitations on time which sometimes results in them not being able to explore all the options with you. Might be worth going back for another appointment as you weren't happy with what was said last time. A good GP should take the opportunity at that point to explain their thinking. The days of do what the Doctor tells you should have by now given way to them advising you and allowing you to make informed decisions. Physio would def be a good place to start, so ask about a referral

Hoopdriver

I had a very severely ruptured disc, emergency surgery and actually had to learn to walk again - very scary stuff. At the time the hospital physio said I'd never be able to ride again, or at best just down to the shops. The surgeon, however, didn't - just said to stay off the bike for a year and then go back slowly. I did and now every year on the anniversary of the surgery (7th anniversary this year) I go out for the hardest, hilliest century ride I can do in my neighbourhood - and love it.

Instead of the very negative hospital (NHS) physio, I went to a sports osteopath who was - and is - brilliant and at £30 a session (and frankly not too many of those) I've been fine ever since. I still go to him for check-ups every few months (or after really long plane flights) and to see that I am not letting things get out of kilter. Money totally well spent - and as I say, not really all that much in the scheme of things.

I'd also recommend getting yourself properly fitted on the bike, as has been recommended above.

But don't let yourself be put off cycling - go to an osteopath, preferably one who specializes in sports injuries, and get that bike fit.

MattC59

Tell him to f*ck off, and see another doctor !

I have a shoulder problem. My doc waggles my arm about, and told me to take 3 Ibuprofen per day for two weeks. Guess what ? It dulled the pain for two weeks, now I'm back to square 1.
I asked to see another doc and he's sent me to see a shoulder specialist.
Result !!

utgaardaolle

Only one way to go - GO RECUMBENT!

colsoop

Some really good advice posted. You should be able to find a way to ride.

I broke my back and had to have a lot of physio, at no point did any of the doctors or surgeons tell me what i couldn't do ! aside from the activity that caused the accident

I am able to ride, probably not as agressively or as hard as pre accident but still a reasonable pace to keep me satisfied.

I dug out a pic of one of my x rays:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

snailracer

Stick8267

I can't stand doctors that get to a point in a case and don't know what to do so just tell people to give up rather than admit they have reached the end of their knowledge and send the patient on to someone else (btw I am in the trade).

There is almost certainly something that can be done if you can get to the right person. Doesn't matter whether it is a physio, chiro, osteo or doc as long as they are competent and understand the whole issue.

Where are you based? There are an increasing number of sport clinics available on the NHS, operating as multidisciplinary units with physics and doctors working together. Failing that back clinics are common in physio services. Your GP may just not understand the services available or be reluctant to send you on for some reason.

Definitely get a proper bike fit but needs to be with someone who really understands your biomechanics as an individual.

billysan

I had similar experiences with my GP a couple of years ago when I was suffering with chronic back pain. The cause at the time was most probably a poorly fitted bike, the fact that I was riding a lot and not really listening to my body (telling me to stop), and a new job that had me sit hunched over checking technical drawings for 8 hours a day. It got to the point that I couldnt sit - at all! I ended up having 3 months off work.

Anyway my GP like you simply said give up. He referred me to a physio who said the same thing while at the same time prescribing a load of excercises that made the situation about 10 times worse. After this made it worse they did eventually book me in for a MRI scan, which revealed a badly herniated L4-L5 disc. There was then much talk is some quite intrusive surgery / joining vertibrae together etc. This I was not keen on. In their defense many of my symptons pointed towards a trapped sciatic nerve, hence the excercises.

At this point I got off the bike for about 5 months, didnt even try and tinker with them. In fact I sold all bar 1. I went to see a private osteopath to see if this helped, but he was no better than the physio. Then I went to see a chairopractor about a dozen times, but came to the conclusion that he was a fraud. Then when I was about to give up hope of ever recovering and riding again I found an amazing osteopath in Exeter. Without even telling her my symptoms she litterally put her hands on me and told me exactly what was wrong and where it hurt. I saw her about half a dozen times over the next year and each time I was noticably better within 72 hours of the treatment. about thsi time I got myself a 'retool' bike fit. This gave me a pretty good idea of what size and how my next road bike would fit.

This was about 2 years ago. Over the last year Ive weened myself back into doing some reasonable distances in reasonable time. I recently did a 90k sportive in the chilterns in 3 hours 2 mins. not race pace, but not bad looking back to where I was 18 months before. At the moment I can ride comfortably up to the 100 mile mark, and in reasonable comfort. It changes day to day however. Like the bloke who posted above about waterskiing and sometimes only lasting 3 minutes. I am similar. I can tell within 1-2 miles if my back will play up. If it does I turn round and go home. If not I can ride for the rest of the day and not need any pain killers at the end!

My advice here is to listen to your body. If it hurts - STOP! Make sure your bike fits PROPERLY. It sounds like you need a break from the bike too. I found it really tough to just give it up, but in hindsight I needed to to give it a chance to properly relax and start to repair. Im sure the osteopath I saw made a big difference too. The human body is amazing though and you'd be supprised how it can heal itself.

Good luck anyway, I hope you get sorted out.

El Gordo

colsoop wrote:

Some really good advice posted. You should be able to find a way to ride.

I broke my back and had to have a lot of physio, at no point did any of the doctors or surgeons tell me what i couldn't do ! aside from the activity that caused the accident

I am able to ride, probably not as agressively or as hard as pre accident but still a reasonable pace to keep me satisfied.

I dug out a pic of one of my x rays:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

You appear to have a headset implanted in your spine.

El Gordo

MattC59 wrote:

Tell him to f*ck off, and see another doctor !

I have a shoulder problem. My doc waggles my arm about, and told me to take 3 Ibuprofen per day for two weeks. Guess what ? It dulled the pain for two weeks, now I'm back to square 1.
I asked to see another doc and he's sent me to see a shoulder specialist.
Result !!

It doesn't mean you original doctor was an idiot though. So many people turn up at their GP's with minor problems that sort themselves out in a week or two that it would be daft to refer everyone on to a specialist straight away.

Redhog14

If your plumber does a bad job you go find another - Doctors are no different there are good ones and not so good ones. The problem with GP's is the world "General" - I have been to the doctors for a significant number of sporting related injuries over the years and been given advice akin to "if you were a horse we'd shoot you". Then I found a sports Physio Docotr who works with the Scottish Athletics and Cycling team who told me my knees were as stable as Ben Nevis, completely reversing another Doctors' prognosis! It is not to say you may need to adapt what you do but for sure getting the right fit for your bike may be more important for you than others so start there. Also heed that advice about your cadence it made a huge difference to my sore knees! I think however you may need to shell out for the right advice, sh*t I know but worth it if it keeps you moving.

MattC59

El Gordo wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

Tell him to f*ck off, and see another doctor !

I have a shoulder problem. My doc waggles my arm about, and told me to take 3 Ibuprofen per day for two weeks. Guess what ? It dulled the pain for two weeks, now I'm back to square 1.
I asked to see another doc and he's sent me to see a shoulder specialist.
Result !!

It doesn't mean you original doctor was an idiot though. So many people turn up at their GP's with minor problems that sort themselves out in a week or two that it would be daft to refer everyone on to a specialist straight away.

Other than the fact that I'd described the excruciating pain that I get when I try to do pretty much anything (putting a shirt on, changing gear in the car or carrying anything heavy for instance) and the fact that I'm not sleeping properly due to the pain, and the dull pain that I'm in constantly, no matter what I'm doing.
Oh, and the fact that when she was waggling my arm about, she induced so much pain that I nearly passed out.

I may be wrong, but that doesn't sound like a minor problem. It sounds like a doctor who's an idiot !!

Ands

I would get a referral to a specialist or physio. From what you say, your GP probably has no specialist skills with regard to back problems (it's why he's a GENERAL P and not a specialist). A specialist should help you address the root cause with targeted treatment, not a one size fits all approach.

Don't give up on the cycling - my husband had a knee op about 10 years ago, and was diagnosed with grade 4 osteoarthritis. He was told to quit cycling. He got a second opinion from a sports doctor (this was at the state institute of sport - not sure how easy it is to find sports doctors in the UK) and was told there was no reason at all to quit cycling. He has other methods to control he knee pain, and quitting cycling was not one of them. (In fact, it's the opposite - not riding weakens his muscles, which doesn't support the patella properly, causing pain.)

Good luck

Cakegirl

My GP said "why do you want to ride a bike for a couple of hours anyway?".

Really good physio who can work with you on correcting imbalances.
Lots of core and pilates work - have to be disciplined, this is boring
Definitely bikefit, if it started after a change.
Mine still hurts when I work hard, also when I sit too much at work or driving - work related injury, but the above has got me managing it OK. Sella Ronde 2800 m of climbing a few weeks ago hurt less than a day sat in the office (perhaps that might just have had something to do with which was more fun?)

Good luck!