Sciatica & cycling!

[Tractionman]

Glad to find this thread and interesting reading of folks' experiences, and solutions/outcomes.

About a year ago I went out for a ride with my son, trying to keep up with him, I thought I had overdone things when the next day I started to suffer with leg pain and especially bad calf cramps.

A year on and I am still not right. The GP got me to see the practice physio in January, who gave me exerises presuming tendinopathy. And got me an ultrasound scan at the local hospital, which showed nothing. The chap doing it said I needed an MRI scan... which I am still waiting for.

But now I am wondering if really what I have is sciatica, the tight hamstrings and cramps (and muscle spasms/twitching in my calfs) sounds more neurological, and this takes me back to the bike ride a year ago--pushing off very hard on my left leg (I always push off on my left), in the wrong gear, on an uphill grade, could it be that I overworked the piriformis?

I am watching those videos now on stretching and exercises, and hope these might help.

Any other words of comfort/encouragement for me, most welcome!

[fatbikephil]

I'd recommend finding a good physio who understands your desire to keep pedaling!

And don't be surprised if the MRI scan results are 'normal for someone your age' which is what mine said after 18 months of back pain. 6 months of following the physios instructions and it was pretty much sorted.

[Tractionman]

Thanks, I've looked into local private physios, I guess I've got nothing to lose seeing what they say, the practice physio I saw seems to have sent me off down the wrong track, and reading things like this https://www.lorpt.com/blog/myth-hamstri ... f-the-knee got me wondering if really it's sciatica that's the problem.

I'm still on the bike but suffer afterwards, six months sounds a long time but gives me hope I can get through this.

Cheers,

Keith

[fatbikephil]

Interesting article that, I do that hamstring stretch where you hold your thigh and straighten the leg regularly.

One of the other things I learned was that you have to heal yourself, no-one else can do it for you, they can tell you how mind!

Good luck!

[Tractionman]

Thanks Phil, that's good to know, I'll make a start with the exercises and see another physio, fingers crossed, it's reassuring to hear you've come through it. Love the blog btw.

Cheers,

Keith