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Thread: Sciatica

  1. #1
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    Sciatica

    I guess after so many years post-car accident my back injuries are starting to catch up to me again. I get to start rehab again next week, 16 years after the initial injury. Brought on by nothing in particular, just a long two weeks at trade shows with a few full ski days packed in, oh, and one long night of boogie-down with Franti and Spearhead. The lower vertabrae are swollen and pinching my sciatic nerve, resulting in my left leg being completely numb. I can feel some pressure and tingles on my left interior above the knee, but otherwise no feeling from my left butt cheek all the way down to my foot. This has resulted in a funny kind of wobble when I walk, too. My hips are totally out of whack, and this is also causing some neck pains, which I have good experience with the past 4 years or so. Pretty uncomfortable to sleep. Muscle relaxers (flexoril) make me feel hungover so they aren't the most fun to take. Sticking to 800mg of Ibuprofen for 10 days.

    I'm told I'll need to rework the muscles surrounding my abdomen and lower back to help everything get back and remain in place. It's my fault for not paying much attention to my back as of late; I've been feeling great and I thought skiing provided a pretty good workout, but I guess it only goes so far.

    Anyone else suffer with sciatic nerve issues? It fortunately appears to be only pinched, no severe damage. But I'm going to Vail Summit Orthopedic tomorrow to get a second opinion.

    This sucks!

  2. #2
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    I've found a yoga pigeon pose (simple not king) to be helpful in relieving pressure, especially when leaning forward over the leg to strech the glutes.
    http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...-8&sa=N&tab=wi
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  3. #3
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    It does suck. I have a degenerating disk at l5-s1 that causes sciatica every now and then. A PT got me on a regimen of core exercises that helped reduce the attacks to about every five years. I also found that I developed some major muscle imbalances from bicycle racing that seemed to make things worse - at least the problems subsided when I "retired" and spent less time in the saddle.

    Good luck. Hope you are good to go soon.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by robgoose View Post
    I've found a yoga pigeon pose (simple not king) to be helpful in relieving pressure, especially when leaning forward over the leg to strech the glutes.
    http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...-8&sa=N&tab=wi
    That one helps me when I have IT band issues too.
    "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "Wow, what a Ride!"

  5. #5
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    Oh, yeah sciatica sucks! I've suffered from it since a gymnastics accident (fall off the beam) when I was 12. There were times it's hurt so bad I couldn't do anything at all. Walking would be painful. Carrying something would bring me to tears. Forget skiing or anything.

    The last 5 years I've been seeing a chiropracter generally 2-4 times a month. My sciatica occaisionally flares up b/c of some ski fall or something. But, since I've been seeing the chiro, it's been so much better. My health insurance doesn't gover chiropractic, but I'm on a plan with my chiro so I just pay a set amount every month and can see him up to 4x a week if I need to. It's been worth the $$ I tell ya. Before I sometimes felt like a cripple. Now, my lower back rarely bothers me to an extent where it would actually stop me from doing something.

    You might have something like I have. My back never healed right (should have gone to a chiro when I was 12, because my back basically grew out of place). As a result of my back being out of place it wore down the cartilige on one side of my vertebrea, basically resulting in a good dose of arthritis being diagnosed at the ripe age of 21. My chiro helps with the subluxation by popping it back into place and helping to train the muscles to keep it in place. It really does work.
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  6. #6
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    Let yourself heal before doing any sort of stretching or ab exercises. By jumping right into exercises you could create some longterm damage. I've had this problem for four years and it has really put a dent in my lifestyle. Things that I did that made it worse include a) putting off treating it (no insurance) b) yoga and stretching before healing.Don't sit for long periods of time, keep taking advil, get an MRI, go see a pt.


    Do a search on here because I started a similar thread about l5-s1 a little while back and got some good advice.

    If you piss yourself (seriously) go to an emergency room..

  7. #7
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    Not much useful to add here except sympathy. Had sciatica since about 1990. It ended my bike racing career in dramatic fashion. It's ok now as long as I don't ride a bike too much. I'm also used to the minor sensations I have most of the time (just thinking now, hmmmm, my left leg does in fact feel different from the right. Didn't notice. Oh well.)

    Good luck.

  8. #8
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    I've got another week before I can begin PT. At this rate, it seems like the pain will never end, but Mary Jane this past weekend was not part of the doctor's orders. I know, I'm stupid. But at the right pitch going downhill in fluff was just too easy! I couldn't ski firm though. Felt like total loss of muscle control in leg. Worried I was gonna really mess something up.

    So that's it. No skiing anymore, until I can control them at 100%. Sitting is getting the best of me right now, so I'm trying not to do it. I'm most sore in the morning. Walking around the block daily for now. I still have control of my bladder, but I'm lucky as I don't have much feeling above my naval around my waist, and my left leg is still numb down to the toes. Flexoril still prescribed, but I really don't funtion well at work. Ibuprofen regimen, too. I have a hut trip planned for the 20th-24th, and I'm starting to worry I won't make it... Core strengthening will be the main focus of PT. I'll be seeking a Chiro on my own, as it has worked well for me in the past.

    Man, this is starting to make me feel old. I've never had an injury that put me completely out of commision like this. I'm only 34...crap.

  9. #9
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    Jax - is your numbness actual numbness or pins and needles (i.e., it feels "asleep", like you sat on your leg, but you still have sensation if you scratch or tickle the leg?)
    "A local is just a dirtbag who can't get his shit together enough to travel."

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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by peterslovo View Post
    Jax - is your numbness actual numbness or pins and needles (i.e., it feels "asleep", like you sat on your leg, but you still have sensation if you scratch or tickle the leg?)
    Pins and needles mainly- but there are a few spots where I can only slightly detect pressure. Feels weird. Not total numbness. I still have control of my feet, too. No drop-foot. I've been to two different Dr.s, including a spine specialist/ Ortho with same diagnosis.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jax View Post
    Muscle relaxers (flexoril) make me feel hungover so they aren't the most fun to take.
    I've never taken Flexoril, but maybe try Skelaxin. It took it for a couple weeks when I had some whiplash-related muscle spasms in my neck. I noticed no side effects besides the distinct lack of painful muscle spasms.

  12. #12
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    Bummer Jax, good luck.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by telebobski View Post
    I also found that I developed some major muscle imbalances from bicycle racing that seemed to make things worse - at least the problems subsided when I "retired" and spent less time in the saddle.

    Good luck. Hope you are good to go soon.
    That's interesting. I have L5-S1 problems, and biking is my main form of exercise. I don't race or compete anymore, but I still ride with groups of guys who do race some.

    I tweaked my back golfing last summer, and aggravated it worse by cycling. Then I was pheasant hunting and that was the final straw. Had an MRI - herniated disc at L5-S1. I thought the ski season was over, but got lots o' drugs, and a cortisone injection. I took a late season fall, and aggravated it again. I'm geting better now, but it's really touchy.

    Sciatica sucks. I've been dealing with it for years - I think because of hurdling in high school...

    Good luck all you people with back problems. They suck like nothing else out there... People that haven't had back problems are really blessed but until they have, they never really understand the deal...

  14. #14
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    Man, it does suck. Can't sleep, walk, ski, bike.........anything!


    I had it in 2004-2005. It was miserable...but I've learned to "deal" with it. The pain is there everyday, so when it's less severe I consider it a good day. I do lots of stretching. Exercising the core and back are VERY important to me now, as I beleive that has what's helped me stay relatively pain free.


    If this were me, I would be taking muscle relaxers (Flexoril) and a heavy strength anti inflamatory. After the pain subsided I'd slowly work into exercises. I use a big rubber ball a lot......


    Good luck...it's no fun.

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