Sciatica. Cycle or not?

[Gearoidmuar]

I'm cycling 40+ years. Have had the occasional disc problem. Currently I've sciatica which is quite bad, classical, pain in buttock down to heel, L4-5 distribution. Going on for 4 weeks or more so far. Taking an NSAID plus paracetamol.
The thing is it doesn't like standing and isn't keen on walking but is asymptomatic while cycling.
There is stuff saying cycling is fine...

Is there someone here whose sciatica cleared up while they continued to cycle? Or, the opposite?

Thanks for the help.
I'm a doctor and it's classical sciatica and have had MRI. You can't beat actual examples.

[Cugel]

I'm cycling 40+ years. Have had the occasional disc problem. Currently I've sciatica which is quite bad, classical, pain in buttock down to heel, L4-5 distribution. Going on for 4 weeks or more so far. Taking an NSAID plus paracetamol.
The thing is it doesn't like standing and isn't keen on walking but is asymptomatic while cycling.
There is stuff saying cycling is fine...

Is there someone here whose sciatica cleared up while they continued to cycle? Or, the opposite?

Thanks for the help.
I'm a doctor and it's classical sciatica and have had MRI. You can't beat actual examples.

In 1991 I fell orf the bike sideways on a ginormous diesel slick that had emerged from the uncapped tank of a fire engine on a fast left hand bend. WHOP! down on to my left side followed by a long slide, kicking at skidding car tyres to avoid sliding under them. Ooo-er.

I thought I had nothing but a bit of gravel rash and a mangled jersey but it turned out, later, to have induced a bone-jar via the pelvis that had misaligned or damaged summick in the spine and sacro joint so that sciatica gradually ensued. It was an absolute pain sitting, standing, walking or doing anything at all .... except riding a racing bike.

I went on a-one o' them racer prep holidays in Mallorca for a fortnight with this sciatica and did hundreds of very fast and vigorous miles with no problem - until I stopped and got off the bike to go eatin' & drinkin' that is.

Eventually the sciatica was fixed by an osteopath and several weeks of stretching exercises oriented at keeping his initial pushes and jerks working to keep me skeleton aligned aright. I cycled very vigorously through all that too. It was fixed by four months after the fall and never returned.

[Gearoidmuar]

Thanks!

[Pebble]

I'm cycling 40+ years. Have had the occasional disc problem. Currently I've sciatica which is quite bad, classical, pain in buttock down to heel, L4-5 distribution. Going on for 4 weeks or more so far. Taking an NSAID plus paracetamol.
The thing is it doesn't like standing and isn't keen on walking but is asymptomatic while cycling.
There is stuff saying cycling is fine...

Is there someone here whose sciatica cleared up while they continued to cycle? Or, the opposite?

Thanks for the help.
I'm a doctor and it's classical sciatica and have had MRI. You can't beat actual examples.

It is back problems that got me back into cycling, 2008 two slipped discs, sciatica down one leg and the femral nerve down the other (far lateral) - literally could walk or sit for about 3 months

when I did get back to my feet everything was agaonising, still couldn't sit, apart from a saddle seat. Neighbour lent me an exercise bike which I could use without pain. soon progressed to my old bike. could ride 5 or 6 mile but couldn't walk round the house.

65,864.5 miles later - riding still makes my back feel better - live mostly (95%) pain free now (I bet it took 7 years to get over the original injury) Regularly riding 40 - 50 miles (still walking is a prob, 2 mile tops, no hllwalking now)

Sciatic still trys to come back, but I have found a foam roller resolves it quickly, just find the painfull crunchy bit in the buttock and roll back and forward on it ill it stops being knotty crunchy.

best of luck

[gom]

I had classic sciatica 10ish years ago (in mid 50s). I was lucky enough to have my employer pay for physio*, who gave me exercises, recommended taking ibuprofen and said nothing about not cycling. He also said it would be about 6 weeks until things started to improve, which was exactly right. I didn’t stop my Sunday rides or cycling to work.

* I also got paid-for physio for tennis elbow and a shoulder problem and both times seemed to work a treat. I’d have to pay now, but definitely would if I had anything similar that did not want to go away. My experiences with physio very good.

[toontra]

I had pretty bad sciatica last year. Walking was painful and running was out of the question but I was able to carry on cycling both outdoor and on the trainer, but I avoided high power efforts & intervals until things eased off (which unfortunately took a few months in spite of physio and regular exercises).

[gcogger]

I had sciatica for many years and tried various things to sort it out. An osteopath made it worse, and Ibuprofen is no more than temporary (slight) relief.
Physio helped, but didn't fully resolve it (my weight doesn't help!), and the problem remained always there, but manageable.
Then a few years back I took up cycling and, over time, the problem pretty much disappeared.
Unfortunately, for various reasons, my cycling has tailed off so I'm doing very little at the moment, and I can feel the sciatica just starting to come back.

[Pebble]

they gave me Naproxen (which is a NSAID the same as Iboprofen) gave me a stomach bleed, ended up in hospital.

Tramadol was good though, was getting nice an addicted until wife realised, at which point she got rid of them - had to go cold turkey.

[Gearoidmuar]

Thanks for the info folks.
Didn't cycle today but decided to go for a walk. Three and a half miles. Hurt for the first mile and then stopped hurting and I'm back for nearly two hours and it's still painless...
This is the first time this has happened since this sciatica appeared....
Fingers crossed. It probably will recur.. but...
I'll cycle 20 miles or so tomorrow...

[Paulatic]

I’ve had many bouts of sciatica over the years and I’ve always got relief cycling. I think it’s the sitting straight and exercising evenly with each leg helps to straighten things out.
Back in 17/18 I went to Pilates classes for a few years and learnt some of the movements were extremely good of getting rid of early signs of sciatica.

[ANTONISH]

I used to get sciatica - my work involved a lot of standing - I took one of the B vitamins which seemed to help.
Cycling was OK - it seemed to give some relief.
It stopped entirely when I retired.

[Psamathe]

they gave me Naproxen (which is a NSAID the same as Iboprofen) gave me a stomach bleed, ended up in hospital.
...

I thought they prescribe Omeprazole with Naproxen to protect your stomach. I had Naproxen several years ago and they prescribed Omeprazole with it for stomach protection. (I didn't get on with Naproxen atall and stopped after a few days).

Ian

[Slowroad]

I had sciatica 25-odd years ago and cycling seemed to help. Despite looking really bad on the MRI I was nearly better by the time I got a consultation 3 months later. Hope yours resolves soon!

[Gearoidmuar]

I've been out twice. A very hilly really easy ride two days ago. A bit sore afterwards.
Yesterday, a short walk. No night pain.
24m flat easy ride today. Not getting worse at least!
Thanks for the good wishes.

Taking Aceclofenac (Vitafen). No dyspepsia, or bleed so far. I have a PPI in my stock if I get some dyspepsia. Also taking up to 8 Paracetamol as well. The combo is definitely better than just the NSAID.

[Gearoidmuar]

A few days ago my sciatica got less painful so I stopped painkillers. Now, today, it's distinctly less sore and though reacted to a cycle this morning, much less and for much less time. This is looking a bit optimistic. I'll keep you posted.