Back pain & riding - TENS machine? And other suggestions...

[Fransurrey]

I suffered sciatica for about a year after my fall in 2007 and also went through all the posture changing crap that they tell you. I was on tramadol on and off for a long time!

The one thing which helped me was swimming, ensuring I used both sides equally (breathing to left and right front crawl) and NO pansy breast stroke (with head out of water like the ladies who chit-chat). I then followed up with the orthotics last year, when increased walking at worrk meant I started with foot trouble, too. My podiatrist tells me that he gets a lot of sciatica referrals who simply need to be levelled up.

 

[holzrokz]

My mum doesn't ride but has had chronic back pain for years!

Whatever you do, don't stop bending etc or you'll lose you're movement.

The best thing for it is low level excercise, pilates has been a godsend to my mum! She used to be much stiffer and in constant pain but since a doctor reccomended pilates and other low level excercises for her back for an hour each day she has improved greatly!

As someone else mentioned, swimming is also good as there is no extra strain on your back.

 

[sem9999]

Not a remedy, but to help whilst riding you could try a thinline pad. Very thin and super shock absorbent. Not cheap though.

 

[camilla4]

I suffer chronic pain due to an old neck injury and, like others on this forum, found that riding actually helps. In addition, whatever other therapy you try, it is worth getting some proper sports massage. You are bound to have extra stiffness/misalignment caused by the back injury and this will seriously help. I was sceptical about what massage can do until I had my first sports massage a couple of months ago - it hurt like hell but the results were fantastic. I had more benefit from three massages than I have from all the years of other manipulative treatments!