You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Went to get up from the table after breakfast and my right hamstring felt like it had cramped up. Over the day it's loosened off a bit but now aches from my butt through to my calf, and I've got pins and needles in my foot, so it seems to be sciatica.
Been moving about most of the day to keep it loose, done a few stretches, any other tips and suggestions to help ease it and hopefully keep me getting out for a few gentle rides over the Christmas break?
The standard answer I got from physios was McKenzie exercises, basically the cobra pose.
Also loads of piriformis and glute stretches.
Good luck.
Been on the stretches, off to Google McKenzie exercises....
Volterol from over the chemist counter, if you can't get a GP appointment and get a prescription of dichlophenac.
I affectionately called it my horse tranquilliser ~10 years ago, killed the chronic pain, but then had to be very mindful of not doing things that were doing damage I couldn't feel.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercises-for-sciatica/
These work a treat when i had it and keeps it at bay when it returns.
MrChrist has it - had my work health insurance not have covered it, I would have spent a lot of money for a physio to tell me the same exercises as in that link.
i have been suffering with sciatica for the past 6-7 weeks and it ****ing sucks 😞
have spoken with my doctor and got some stretching exercises and pain killers.
i have yet to do the stretching stuff i have to admit (depression and other stuff is my excuse).
i wish you well op.
Do the exercises. They really work.
Fixed mine almost for good with daily stretches of varied types, the ones in the link above are great. You will thank yourself so much if you can commit to doing them daily for a month or two and as has been mentioned, physios and chiropractors will give you these to do and charge for it.
Arghhh man I feel your pain!
Had to give up work due to this - sucked and is draining
Been suffering myself for almost a year now since i popped a disc, stretching does help but i'm lazy and never do them. Also i found that keeping mobile helped as well, becuase as soon as i sat in the car for ages, or was at my desk for days on end it would come back.. It's proper pants - has anyone had that moment where you're riding along and you can no longer feel your leg - that's weird..
@racefaceec90 - I’m in same boat currently
Stick in there bud! 👍
I still think crawling to the bathroom every morning suffering plantifaciatus (spell check please) for a month odd was far worse
Stretches and yoga solved my problems.Ys cyclists tend to stiffen up rather badly.Stress and tension might also be an issue.Had enough of Chrimbo?
thanks tdog ☺
Sciatica can be triggered by piriformis or a disc - my experience is that if it's a result of disc problem, stretches and exercises intended to fix piriformis problems will make it worse.
Best wishes to all who are suffering from either kind.
I still think crawling to the bathroom every morning suffering plantifaciatus (spell check please)
Plantar fasciitis
The problem with this sciatica lark, I'm finding, is that when your wife was born with a disability and lived all her life with reduced sensation in her leg and a limp, there's very little sympathy going round 🤔😂
I’m so jealous.
I asked for sciatica but all I got were these lousy arthritic thumbs.
I feel for you - prolapsed a disc in a car crash November 2018 and still have problems from that and piriformis due to muscle damage (same crash) which just isn't really getting better.
Today's unscheduled 3 1/2 hour car journey was not comfortable. Been instructed not to do more than 2 hours a day in the car as this really triggers it, but so does sitting... or standing... so I often push the 2 hour limit way beyond breaking (I shouldn't - pain reduces concentration and all that) and as a result as soon as we sell our house I am quitting my job and going to do something more interesting instead. Which may be unemployment for a bit. Physical engineering work is also not compatible with sciatica!
Yoga has helped with some aspects. Still a lot of numbness/pins and needles and just sparodic red hot searing pain - mainly after the aforementioned sitting/driving/standing and lifting type actions.
I had this last year, ufortunatley only way it eased was doing this video every day for at least two months.
I've definitely got off lightly - fairly numb foot, and pain focused in my calf and lower hamstring. Been making sure I walk every day and trying variations on the exercise routines suggested - Christmas indulgence means the gut gets in the way
Another sufferer here, went through a year of xrays, codeine and avoiding car journeys. Now i have to complete the stretches every day or it’s back with a vengeance.
I recommend trying to incorporate some hip stretching into everyday life. A couple of minutes an hour adds up in a day and if it keeps the dreaded shooting pain away its worth it.
Just been to try a bike ride - stabbing pain in the calf and a totally dead foot at the bottom of the pedal stroke soon put paid to that idea!
I had the dead foot thing.
It's mostly gone now through a combination of nerve flossing, mckenzie and the one that really seems to have sorted it, which is lying down, raise one leg off the ground, then with the other leg bent at the knee, raise your hips using the muscles in your backside. Repeat 10x, then switch sides. Sorry, I can't find any pictures on t'internet.
That’s called a single leg bridge. I’d start with using both legs first to get some strength & stability before going to a single leg. It’s a great exercise for your glutes and really helps my sciatica as it forces my arse to wake up and work properly; years of sciatica means my other muscles dominate when walking/running and I end up with compensation injuries.