Back pain

Yap, except they messed up my neck and right shoulder over the summer. According to the tutors there, and yes I had an hour long meeting with them after a 2.5 months weekly treatment that I am a very special case due to my age and the complicated natual of my conditions. Basically I am far too young to have such a significant fucked up spine.

They said that a lot of their students are not really experienced enough to deal with my case, I can go back and they will try and hand pick students that they think have the ability to deal with me, and that everything will be under even closer supervison. However, if I am honest with you, I don't know if I am willing to risk it again.

That said, the BSO is an excellent place to go to, really pleasent experience barring the outcome, which to be fair to the students, they weren't to know, because even I didn't know it was that bad.

To anyone who is reading this, don't let my experience put you off, I don't suffer any lasting effect from my treatment at BSO.

It's a great shame it didn't work for me.

Plus you get to learn how to work on your own after a while.
In my case a combinaison of gentle streching combined with breathing exercise;
not as efficient as a physio,
but prevents any escalation.
Haven't had painkillers or seen a physio for a decade. :)

I am in a bit of a funny situation, just wondering if anyone has been through similar

Basically I had an accident a year ago, hurt my back and have had varying levels of sciatica since (pain changes but the tingling in my feet has been constant, been limping the whole time). The first MRI came back clear and the physio washed his hands of me when I wasn't getting better, so I was referred to a neurologist (today). 2nd MRI and EMG came back clear, and he thinks it is a musculoskeletal problem!

What am I supposed to do now? Going to physio in 2 days for my knee anyway, so of course will bring it up. Had a look at a private back specialist, anyone done this? They promise to fully diagnose you in a day

I'm riding long distance fixed rides (48-18 with two brakes) reasonably regularly. Here's an average weeks riding:

• 2 daily commutes of circa 25km each way
  
• 1 session on the wattbike bike i the gym
  
• 1 weekend ride of 100-150km
  
  

I've been doing similar mileage geared for a few years so am used to the time in saddle/distances.

Since stepping up the weekend rides i've developed lower back pain (usually on my hip bone sits a knot) as well as more recently pain in my glutes. As well as dull aching pain it feels like I can never stretch it out quite enough.

Stretching my hammies and glutes twice a day seems to help.

Is there anything else I can do to try and alleviate the discomfort in the first place?

Raise your bars, bend from the hips, stretch your hamstrings lots.

1. Develop a better stretching routine (more than just hamstrings and glutes - though that's a good start) - including hip flexors etc.

2. Do core strengthening (plank etc) exercises on a regular basis.

3. Sort out your bike fit.

4. Stretch your back during long rides.

5. Try to keep cadence higher on climbs and avoid overgeared grinds.

try a foam roller to get that knot out of your hip too. They are perfect for that kind of thing.

Just been to the BSO after a recommendation from the thread and they were pretty good, thorough and helpful. Got myself a nice annular strain to be getting on with.

which tutor was there? One of them is really funny, he never says more than 3 words as a time... he has funny glasses...

Anyone had good results with the back magic thingy? am considering getting one

Haven't tried the back magic thing but dan's advice above pretty much stopped my back pain.

which tutor was there? One of them is really funny, he never says more than 3 words as a time... he has funny glasses...

Some bald guy, i didn't get his name, he seem happy with the students diagnosis.

Initially things were getting better after the manipulation, the main pain has gone, but i'm getting spasms and groin numbness more often now. Hopefully they can explain this at my next appointment.

Core strength work and flexibility exercises work for my sciatic problems

If I don't do them for a few days pain soon returns, so I do them!!

^ Bravo!

I'd been a bit lazy with my exercises recently, have started doing them every day again for the past week and am already feeling much stronger... Absolutely no pain...

There's absolutely no way out of it... You gotta do those exercises to stay well!

What exercises are you doing out of interest?

Quad stretches, hamstring stretches, swan stretch, 2mins shoulder bridge, 2mins plank...

Takes about 7mins...

About 5 months ago over the space of about 20 mins I repeatedly lifted roughly 195kg onto my back. I picked this weight up the wrong way i.e. with a bent back, and I was fucked for the next two weeks. Gradually recovered after a month but then I had to spend a day lifting loads of heavy shit and I was out of action for another two months. Eventually recover, this time not a complete recovery, and I have to lift loads of heavy stuff again. Now it's worse than ever and I have unabating pain in my lower back. Can't lift anything, leaning down is very hard, sitting is painful etc. In fact everything is painful apart from lying in the fetal position. Been like this for 3 weeks.

I reckon my core is probably pretty good. No gym but for years I've been doing pull-ups, press ups and situps and I play squash and tennis and regularly stretch. Funnily enough my back doesn't hurt when doing my regular exercise but it does during/after squash and tennis. I think this is probably from having to lean down to pick up the ball.

csb

Anyone have any advice? I'm finally going to go to the GP on Wednesday but wondering if anyone here has experienced anything similar?

A friend who does gym/weights told me that hamstring stretches should fix the problem but after asking what type of stretches these were I found that these were already things I was doing daily anyway.

I'm no expert, but I think your core is not as strong as you think. I do all those exercises regularly too and yet was still told by an osteo that my core was lacking. More focused core exercises are what I would work on. In the mean time, it sounds like you have got inflammation in your lower back. Take anti-inflammatories and take it easy for a while.

#InternetdiagnosisbyEngineer

CORE!!!!

Moar core...

It's amazing how much impact missing a day of planks and stretching makes, I think.

/CSB

plank bitch

My glutes have been feeling quite tight recently, almost as if my sciatica was about to kick off again... Horrible feeling...

Thankfully, it's likely it's just a symptom of starting ITB stretches again... Plank is so hard, when I'm feeling lazy I only do a minute... Two minutes hurts...

Went to the GP and they were fucking useless.
She couldn't have cared less. Waited for an hour, she spoke to me for under a minute, no jokes, and then prescribed me some strong painkillers.
What the fuck?! I expected some kind of physio referral or at least some suggestions of how to ease the pain and recuperate myself. I asked if there were stretches or exercises and she looked at me and then looked away, I asked again and she said muttered something under her breath and when I asked what she said she pointed to the door and said I could pick my prescription up downstairs. I was all smiles, pleases and thank yous and it seemed like she was trying her hardest not to help me.

csb

I'm at a loss now.
I had to leave work at 14:30 today, the pain was too much, hence why I was in the GP.
I really expected some decent help. Feel properly let down.
Enough pain killers for three days, told me come back in 6 weeks?!