8 weeks off bike..or ride in 20 minute blocks...advice

Ands

Hi
Following a disc herniation at Christmas I have been trying to build back fitness, not helped by a 3 week flu-wipeout in Feb. I had just started to feel good again in my legs but have set myself back (ii think caused by 6 hrs on the rollers last week, very fixed position as opposed to stop-start on the road and frequent change of position) and am riding with constant hip pain. This week the physio told me to take 8 weeks off the bike, and take up swimming instead. The issue is nerve irritation.

I have had a second opinion...better news but not great. I can ride in 20 min blocks but have to do back stretches in between, which limits me to the turbo. I'm thinking I can do a fair amount of intervals this way.

I'm panicking as I've got mountains to climb in July, and another 8 weeks off the bike is going to give me only 2 months training before my holiday.

How can I maintain and build fitness, increase leg strength, etc in the coming weeks? Is swimming a better option than doing loads of intervals?

Any advice/suggestions welcome
Thanks

alihisgreat

My advice is perhaps re-evaluate the mountain trip in July.

Ands

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

My advice is perhaps re-evaluate the mountain trip in July.

. For what reason?

The holiday is a family holiday and I'll take my bike anyway, and I'll give everything my best shot. I guess what I'm really asking is about damage limitation. I may not be in the best shape by the end of July but I'm not going to quit at this stage - I had been making good progress. I just want to maximise training given the limitations I'm under.

sloppyschleckonds

Is your physio professionally/ medically qualified?

oldwelshman

Ride on the turbo with back upright. Why only 20 mins?

Ands

oldwelshman wrote:

Ride on the turbo with back upright. Why only 20 mins?

20 mins is the max he wants me to spend seated/bent forward, then I have to get off and do back stretches to counteract pressure on the disc. (He also said 20 mins max sitting down at desk/work etc, before I have to get up and walk around. ) I have been thinking about this more as I've got some skinny mtb tyres so I could put the mtb on the turbo to keep me more upright - however, even only slightly bent forward is pressure on the wrong side of the disc so not sure he will approve of this! I tried swimming tonight, for an hour. It was good in that it was pain free, and should help me maintain some fitness.

oldwelshman

You do not need to hold the bars on a turbo or rollers. Do 20 mins upright no hands, then get out of saddle :-) no need to stop just change positions, anyway two mins stop stretching wont hurt