Oh No! Flats on my road bike ...

slowlanejane

If you see a short fat lady in trainers on flats on an otherwise smart Bianchi, ignore her, it's me.

I am about to get on the road again having slipped a disc back in early Jan. 2 months later and a few weeks of gently gently cycling on the turbo, I can go back outside. I've still got a lot of nerve damage that's not come back yet - pedalling at all is now possible, staying upright on a bike now possible, but clipping in & out not possible.

My expensive private health back consultant helpfully tells me it might never get better, just wait & see, am doing all the right stuff, just keep it up & hope for the best ...

I've made some tentative trips on the hybrid, and TBH I'll probably stick with that for a while, but I just long to be outside on the Bianchi just for a little bit. So I'm going to pop on the flats and have a little pootle tomorrow.

I'm trying not to think about the sartorial debacle or the uselessness of going round the block on a nice bike. I'm focusing on the BIG PICTURE which is what sustains me through the baby steps back to health: come the summer this'll all be behind me and I'll be fit(ish) & tanned and active again ...

Cleat Eastwood

yes think bigger - its all training - anyway I only ride in my spider man undies and string vest - so sartorially you're one up already.

I have a mate who damaged his back in an accident and he's spent a fair few bob on getting it right. Went to see a specialist who told him the best bet is to get back on the bike and slowly activate all of those supporting muscles that he uses. So I reckon youre doing the right thing - as in all things, baby steps will get you there.

team47b

Nerves can recover. Don't listen to negative people, especially medically trained ones, they have to say 'don't know/wait and see' etc.

Good blood flow through exercise is the best thing for nerves. They shrivel to protect themselves, then expand as they recover.

Most difficult thing is patience. It does take time. Just have a goal in mind and work towards it, one step at a time. You know you will do it, so just keep focussed on the positive, you will do it. It just takes time.

I have nerve damage in my hands, feet, legs and knees. I was not able to walk for four months, I used the exercise bike, then the hybrid, now on my new Cube all clipped in, did 80k on Tuesday!

You will get there.

napoleond

Good luck with the recovery, I broke my back last May and in the last few weeks I've managed a few hilly 60 milers. Slow steady active recovery...
Most of all, enjoy your riding!

andrewjoseph

I damaged my back over 20 years ago, followed medical advice to do as little as possible. spiralled downwards for 10 years.

for reasons i can't remember, I got on my nephews mtb and realised I can do some form of exercise and bought a cheap mtb.

I still have problems with my feet and balance and need a walking stick when walking any distance, but I am fine on a bike, have an mtb leaders certificate and have gone on several camping tours on our custom touring bikes. Doing JOGLE in may.

So, things should improve, but please don't expect to get back to before the injury. you may need to alter your position on the bike and your riding style. bigger tyres may help a lot. or a full suss mtb! :-)

ShutUpLegs

Just being fit enough to get your leg over something has to be a bonus

Secteur

Tandem (seriously)?

slowlanejane

Well, I did it, but it wasn't great and am stiff today, so maybe have to wait a bit before I try that again

Bought new pedals tho, got some Shimano PD-M545 from LBS who gave me a generous 20% off. Chose them as they're dual purpose and double-sided so no fiddling around fipping pedals to find the right face for the right shoe. I can pedal around in trainers for now, move up to the SPDs when ready as an interim stage before getting back to full road cleats. Then I can transfer them onto the hybrid, which I ride alot for general use and longer rides to commute & out with kids, where those dual prupose SPDs will come into their own and be worth the £55-odd quid.

But doing nothing today, let this spasm die down again. Had my MRI today so we can see what's going on in there.

And to use a Tandem I'd have to have a bikey friend, which I haven't got. Poor me!

Pross

I 'slipped' a disk playing rugby about 10 years ago and got regular flair ups. It was one of the reasons (excuses) why I didn't cycle for years. However, after one particularly bad flair up I was asked by the chiropractor what exercise I did. When I said I used to cycle he said it can be good for the condition as it helps strengthen the muscles that support the back and which needed developing due to me sloaching around at a desk all day. In the 2 years or so since I started riding again I have had far fewer back problems so it seems to work. Take your time feeling your way back into it but I don't think you need to worry about it long term.

slowlanejane

Tried to be a proper grown up about it but did in fact cry a little bit in the consultant's office today, when he talked thru the whopping prolapsed disc he was showing me on my MRI results. Oh well. Its done now and it'll get better we hope, although now nearly 3 months on and I still have very limited function on my lower left leg and alot of numbness.

Feeling a bit sorry for myslef. In December I was running 6 miles x3 per week and riding every day ...

On the bright side:
1. Having a steroid epidural next week - viva private heath insurance - which will hopefully improve things.
2. Can ride on the turbo - once this spasm has died down again
3. As I get better, riding will be the primary sport as it'll be a while before I'm running again.

Still focused on the BIG PICTURE - sunny summer, all better, tanned and fit ....

andrewjoseph

it's not easy but keep positive.

chippyk

If it's any help slowlanejane, I had a caudal epidural three weeks ago and I'm like a new man. It's not resolved the issue 100%, but I'm walking, sitting and running almost normally again. I'm told it can wea off after 1-6 months, but to keep active and hopefully the disc will repair itself in that period. Good luck with it, it's really improved my quality of life.

slowlanejane

Went to GP today to top up my dwindling painkiller supply, and to check out a niggling cough. Now have six - yes six - sets of prescription drugs:

Cocodamol muscle relaxants
laxatives to counter the unwelcome aspects of muscle relaxants
Big dose anti-inflammatories
some drug to counter the belly-rot that strong anti inflammatories give you
Antibiotics for the chest infection. How unlucky am I - chest infection with a slipped disc? Great timing.
Steroid puffer because my asthma is playing up.

Took them all at lunchtime, then had a little snoozy in the sun, I do feel better this afternoon - more comfortable.

Anyway, I am becoming an ill-heath bore, so unless I can think of something more interesting to post about, I'm going to shut up for a while.

See ya.

slowlanejane

Cycled 22 miles today on the Bianchi with cleats, around E Berks, with my new cycling buddy HonestAl. Getting there.