Riding With Spinal Fusion

In article <rVcBg.3663$yO4.2888@dukeread02>,

winnard said:

I was an avid rider in 2004 and had to quit due to a spinal injury in
my neck, which resulted in two discs removed and three vertebras
fused. I've been feeling much better and decided to ride again, got
my Cannondale r600 tuned and ready, but I'm worried about hurting.
Does anyone around this newsgroup ride with spine problems, and if
so, how do you cope?

Not personally but I do have two friends that ride post-disk surgery.
They did adjust their positions with the assistance of a physical
therapist. In both cases they are riding with the handlebars about
level with the saddle and a couple of cm closer, so that they can
maintain their normal lumbar curve when they ride. Both are doing very
long rides (200-1200 km brevets, for example) comfortably.

Of course, your surgery is in a different location, but I would think
that you'd want to avoid craning your neck to look up the road. The
same position modification might be of use- higher bars and probably a
shorter reach stem.

My advice would be to take your bike to your physical therapist to
review your bike fit.

Well, my lower back is all messed up, about the only time it doesn't hurt is
when I am riding my bikes. I know others with lower back issues that use
recumbents instead of regular DF frame types of bikes. But for me a
recumbent hurts too much, so I think that it depends on how or where the
injuries or damage is located. When I first got back into cycling after a
extremely long hiatus, my neck and shoulder muscles bothered me a lot too.

I would do some test rides and see how it goes. Maybe take it easy and do
some short rides and work up to the longer rides. Your neck and shoulder
muscles aren't going to be used to it. So you will likely have some issues
with sore muscles that have to be toughened up over time. If it seems to be
bothersome or you have problems looking forward, you could run an angled
stem so that it raises the handlebar higher which would help in that case.

"winnard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:rVcBg.3663$yO4.2888@dukeread02...

Quoted message said:

I was an avid rider in 2004 and had to quit due to a spinal injury in my
neck, which resulted in two discs removed and three vertebras fused. I've
been feeling much better and decided to ride again, got my Cannondale r600
tuned and ready, but I'm worried about hurting. Does anyone around this
newsgroup ride with spine problems, and if so, how do you cope?

thanks,

winnard

In article <[email hidden]>,

Earl Bollinger said:

"winnard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:rVcBg.3663$yO4.2888@dukeread02...

Quoted message said:

I was an avid rider in 2004 and had to quit due to a spinal
injury in my
neck, which resulted in two discs removed and three vertebras
fused. I've been feeling much better and decided to ride again,
got my Cannondale r600 tuned and ready, but I'm worried about
hurting. Does anyone around this newsgroup ride with spine
problems, and if so, how do you cope?

Well, my lower back is all messed up, about the only time it doesn't
hurt is when I am riding my bikes. I know others with lower back
issues that use recumbents instead of regular DF frame types of
bikes. But for me a recumbent hurts too much, so I think that it
depends on how or where the injuries or damage is located.

According to a physical therapist I talked to, that is indeed the case.
If you have spondylolisthesis (sp?) apparently you are more likely to be
comfortable with your lumbar curve flattened out- as when riding a bike.
Other (more typical) types of disk problems are aggravated by flattening
out the lumbar curve. I am developing some problems along those lines
myself. I find that there are some back exercises that help a lot.

winnard said:

I was an avid rider in 2004 and had to quit due to a spinal injury in my
neck, which resulted in two discs removed and three vertebras fused. I've
been feeling much better and decided to ride again, got my Cannondale r600
tuned and ready, but I'm worried about hurting. Does anyone around this
newsgroup ride with spine problems, and if so, how do you cope?

Actually, I started riding after a spinal fusion in 1989. It was part
of the recommended physical therapy after the surgery.
<http://www.caltriplecrown.com/Fame.htm#PK>

Since it is in your neck it might be different than that for people with
lumbar issues.

I suspect you'll want to raise your stem or flip it. You may want a short
stem too. You will need to try and see. Some issue will be that you
haven't ridden for a while and haven't needed to hold you head in a riding
position.

"winnard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:rVcBg.3663$yO4.2888@dukeread02...

Quoted message said:

I was an avid rider in 2004 and had to quit due to a spinal injury in my
neck, which resulted in two discs removed and three vertebras fused. I've
been feeling much better and decided to ride again, got my Cannondale r600
tuned and ready, but I'm worried about hurting. Does anyone around this
newsgroup ride with spine problems, and if so, how do you cope?

thanks,

winnard

winnard said:

I was an avid rider in 2004 and had to quit due to a spinal injury in my
neck, which resulted in two discs removed and three vertebras fused. I've
been feeling much better and decided to ride again, got my Cannondale r600
tuned and ready, but I'm worried about hurting. Does anyone around this
newsgroup ride with spine problems, and if so, how do you cope?

I've had two major surgeries and a fusion, but in my L section where
yours is the C. While I am just fine, I'm unsure if my situation is
relevant to yours.

My friend, due to C problems, doesn't ride bikes with drops any more. He
just made up a nice Jake the Snake with flat bars which is his road
bike. I'd suggest strongly that you go very easy on any bike which puts
you in a road position. I'm not discouraging you from trying, but this
is a serious thing to play with. As much pain as I've had with mine, I'd
rather mess with an L problem than a C one.

-paul

Earl Bollinger said:

Well, my lower back is all messed up, about the only time it doesn't hurt is
when I am riding my bikes. I know others with lower back issues that use
recumbents instead of regular DF frame types of bikes. But for me a
recumbent hurts too much, so I think that it depends on how or where the
injuries or damage is located. When I first got back into cycling after a
extremely long hiatus, my neck and shoulder muscles bothered me a lot too.

Curious. I too am most comfortable on my road bike including in the
drops. I'm very uncomfortable standing and in fact, can only do so for
fairly short times.

Yet I can ride for hours. My short try on a recumbent caused me great
sciatica.

This poster may have better luck on a bent due to his problem being in
the C area.

-paul

"Paul Cassel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

winnard said:

I was an avid rider in 2004 and had to quit due to a spinal injury in

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

neck, which resulted in two discs removed and three vertebras fused.

I've

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

been feeling much better and decided to ride again, got my Cannondale

r600

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

tuned and ready, but I'm worried about hurting. Does anyone around

this

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

newsgroup ride with spine problems, and if so, how do you cope?

I've had two major surgeries and a fusion, but in my L section where
yours is the C. While I am just fine, I'm unsure if my situation is
relevant to yours.

My friend, due to C problems, doesn't ride bikes with drops any more. He
just made up a nice Jake the Snake with flat bars which is his road
bike. I'd suggest strongly that you go very easy on any bike which puts
you in a road position. I'm not discouraging you from trying, but this
is a serious thing to play with. As much pain as I've had with mine, I'd
rather mess with an L problem than a C one.

Thanks for all the input, guys. I just finished a 13 mile ride, the first
in two years, and I'm feeling pretty good. I adjusted everything so I'm not
bent over and looking up so much. Advil is my friend, btw, will I flunk
any Tour De France races with it? 8^)

winnard