Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Riding with a "Pinched Sciatic Nerve"

On occasion, I tweak my back. Some occasions are worse than others (some have put me down for weeks, others a day or two). The condition is known as "Sciatica," - which means a pinching of the Sciatic-nerve in the lower back. This is not conducive to motorcycle riding.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, see the pictures below.



and...




Anyway, we all share information to keep our motorcycles well tuned and oiled. Now I'm curious how some of you have dealt with this skeletal/nerve problem that has the potential of making your motorcycle riding a thing of the past.

Thoughts?

-BT

I always ride with a kidney belt which REALLY helps my Sciatica

Mine was bad enough to cause nerve damage, and had surgery. Now when it gets stressed, feels like I have a golf ball under the front of my foot. Usually riding will help with the back due to the posture. Here's a tip you may or may not believe. Cowboy boots help! A co-worker told me this about 15 years ago, I tried a cheap pair and have been wearing them ever since. Something about the posture change. YMMV.

later, Tom.

Corbin + backrest

Ouch!
One of the best things you can do for your back is stretching exercises.
Another is to strengthen your abdominal muscles through exercise.
Best wishes, sciatica sucks.

I pinched something in my back during the trip to GA (feels like an Ice pick between my shoulder blades, and a loss of sensation across the right forearm)...even short rides can cause it to flair up again...but when I was riding at the NH rally I had my wife on back...the additional support seemed to have helped greatly...so Im thinking a back rest may be the ticket...by I also wear a back support belt...

The cowboy boots tip is good as they're the "poor man's" orthotic insert substitute. Orthotic shoe inserts can really stave off sciatica attacks and they're realtively easily obtained. I have a number of associates who swear by the results, I'm just darned lucky enough that a bi-yearly chiropractic visit is all I've needed.

The other answer you probably don't want to hear: the cowboy vs jockey riding postion...back problems are less like to flare up if you ride jockey style and keep your weight on your legs and not on your spine/tailbone. Mid sets might be a quick enough solution to satisfy the Speedy/America design but I'm betting a sport bike posture is better in your situation supporting your body with your thighs and not your injured back.

Another issue is (I will attempt to describe the following with class) getting re-acquainted with my wife . Sciatica can also be devastating. Can you wear a Corbin backrest to bed?

-BT

Currently off work with slipped disc that's causing sciatica. I can't walk too far, I can't sit or stand for too long and as soon as I get in the car, I feel tingles down my left leg, worsening the longer I stay there. I can, however, ride my Speedie for as long as I want. :O) I suppose riding's a combination of sitting and standing, plus, it's a pretty stretched-out position.
It's still not stopped my boss from passing comment to others about it, despite him never ridden before (and probably never had a slipped disc, either). I'm pretty sure he's anti-biker and I'm also sure he won't appreciate the complaint I've put in against him because of his attitude. The post I read prior to this is something about things that bother you: mine is people passing comment on things they know sweet Fanny Adams about!!!
I've got to go and see the company doctor soon. Wonder how he's going to react when I tell him I can't get there. Why? Well, I can't drive and, according to my boss, I shouldn't be riding. It works 2 ways!!!

Stretching! Vigorous and at least twice daily. On your back, bend your knees to your chest, and hold that position for 30 seconds. Then cross your right knee over your left, and bend at the waist to your left, keeping your shoulders flat on the ground and hold for 30 seconds. Then do the opposite manuever to your right. Repeat this a process a total of 10 times.

I never had any back problems in my life, until I turned 50, five years ago. After that, the back has "gone out"(just like yours has, BT) at least a half dozen times since.(and usually because I fail to follow my own advice here)

My suggestion to you guys out there is to either start doing this, or.....NEVER TURN 50 FRIGGIN' YEARS OLD!!!

I have problems standing for long periods, this has been put down to Sciatica, I have to sit down then that depends on the position I am in. Sciatica, is one of those things that attacks different age groups.

The cowboy boots may help but I am getting ready to have both feet operated on for Mortons Neuroma which the Dr. says is normally found in women and is from wearing high heel, narrow toe shoes. Up until about 10 years ago I wore cowboy boots when not in combat boots. So if you get the cowboy boots, at least get the wider toes and walking heels.

Mark & Mark,
For God's sake (not religeous, this is a generic god), call Rick Mayer, he's an orthopedic nurse and grew up in the best touring saddle shop in the world.
You also need to think about getting a real motorcycle with footpegs under you butt. Forward controls can actually cause Sciatica, just like Mustangs, Corvettes and Camaros. Any time your butt takes all the action, your sciatic nerve and prostate can be damaged. I am now having problems with my left thigh and phlebitis - also related to an injury in Cambodia 32 years ago. Rick wants my seat back to adjust it to keep it from aggrevating my existing conditions. The guy is great at what he does. I am planning on keeping my America for as long as I live, and for bike night (i've regretted selling every Triumph I've ever sold) but we will buy a new bike for touring, and a few collectables. NO MORE FORWARD CONTROLS - I'm 53 and don't want added problems.
Let the controversy begin.

Three things that contribute to back problems (which sciatica is, usually a compressed nerve in the L-5:S-1 area of the spine) are genetics, injury, and physical fitness.

Can't really do much about the first two.

But the third is up to you.
See a doc, and then start weight training.
As a lifestyle change.
Make yourself do it for thirty days and it gets to be a habit.

Skillet,

Well, my friend, because I crashed my Speedy, I'm now riding this contraption. I have probably already fulfilled your prescription for footpeg position.

But seriously, these pinched Sciatic nerve episodes I have on a periodic basis vary in severity. Right now, I'm enduring an episode that is at it's end, and has lasted about a week. I've personally found that while I'm in a state of injury, the use of anti-inflammatories seem to help (like Ibeprofen). And, in the preventative sense, stretching similar to the same thing as Dwight prescribed seems to help.

But, let's face it, this is a common weakness among many of us.

-BT

Over the years I have had more than my share of back problems. I had surgery on a ruptured L5:S1 and have had ongoing problems with bulging disks at L3:L4 & L4:L5. I went through physical therapy last year and learned a bit about the mechanics involved. My therapist was emphatic about not riding the bike when I am having issues. Basically, when you are sitting like we do on the bike you put an inordinate amount of pressure on the front of disks between those lower vertebrae. They tend to compress in the front and bulge in the back and that bulge presses against the sciatic nerve. Sitting at a desk all day staring at a monitor doesn’t help matters either.

The most effective exercise for me was what she called a lock and sag. Do a pushup and when you lock your arms, relax and drop your pelvis to the floor, exhale and relax some more. Let your pelvis sag and you are putting the pressure on the back of the disk. This helps shift the “gel” inside of the disk back towards the front, relieving the pressure on the nerve in the back. I did this at least 4 times a day, and it really did help the pain.

I also had problems with muscles spasms in my lower back as well because of the “compensation“ effect. (Muscles tensing to try to compensate.) For this, I got a TENS unit. I pasted some electrodes onto the muscles that I was having problems with and it passed a low voltage shock through them. Alternatively, there are muscle relaxers, vicodin or a lidocaine patch, but if it gets that bad, you definitely won’t be riding!

Talk to your Dr about getting a referral to a physical therapist. They deal with these sorts of back problems on a daily basis and are very good at working out a non surgical solution. Good luck with it.

Find a PALMER Chiropractic College grad and get regular (when needed ) treatment. A good Palmer grad will also counsel on preventive measures, like strething and exercises. Palmer grads are the most educate on adjusting and a wholistic approach, and of course they should be the best, Palmer invented chiropractic.

Ask your doctor about a "TENS UNIT".
Transdermal-electro-neural-stimulation.
Mine has four adhesive pads about 2" square with wires that connect to a controll unit about the size of an MP3 player.
It send an electical stimulus that interrupts the pain message being sent to your brain.
I love my little "Frankenstein box"

The_Insane_Viking,

What you said is consistent with what I learned about 3 years ago. You see, 3 years ago I had one of these Sciatic episodes that lasted over a month. I was at the end of my rope. Now I usually don't trust Chiropractors because they invariably want to see you 15 times (at $100 per visit). They are also quite "intouch with their feminine-side," and get paid for getting a few audible clicks from the human spine (as if that is magic). But, since I was at the end of my rope, I went to see a Chiropractor that I had heard about. This guy was different. He had deer-heads on his office wall, along with huge taximdermied Steelheads, - was not lite in the loafers at all, and did not speak with a lisp. This was a Chiroprator after my own heart.

Anyway, he looked at me and said, "you're not standing straight." I said, "I know, - that's why I'm here" (I was listing to the left). Then he said, "you don't understand, you've got to push your spine back where it belongs." So, he made me lean against my left shoulder on the wall, and push my hip the exact way I didn't want to go, - into the pain. But, I did as I was told and after 5 minutes he told me to stand up again and, viola, I was standing straight. He said to do that same thing several times a day until I felt better and within a week I was fine. His message was that this is a condition that you must take control of.

So, your advise about getting into a push-up position and then dropping your hips down makes sense, and I feel better after only one try.

Thanks.

-BT

Some good tips here!

My back issue is really a hip issue, moderate arthritis in my right hip, caused by the hip socket is not as deep as it should be. I have pain that runs from mid right buttocks, to the center of my back just below the rib cage, however my right groin and right quad also become inflamed. For years I did not know what was happening. Went to one chiropractor, who did adjustments he wanted to. Then got a good chiropractor who assessed limited mobility in the right hip. I drive 1000 miles, in two weeks for work, which does not help. MD told me to move my hip as often as possible to lubricate the joint. There are times when my hip is not too bad while riding but others have caused shorter rides and some days the pain is so severe I cant ride at all. MD states I will need hip replacement surgery 2-4 years. I’m 51, prognosis for younger people with hip replacements in not as good as older persons, replacement should last 15-20 years.