Skiing with Sciatica

I also put my back out. A bit of physio then Pilates to strengthen the core muscles did the trick. Used an instructor who was also a physio so could tailor the exercices to my problem. Skied two trips after with no problems.

I still say, "listen to your body" !

I am not physicians but have had many injuries and over the years have learned the hard way to "listen to my body " !

Pain means,,,,, "hey Pavel something is not right,,,,Can not take this,,,,,,,,, Stop what you are doing"

Back pain MAY be a sore muscle from over using some muscle groups ( around back ) or more serious "nerve" issues !

I would not ski until I saw a specialist!

If you have read my previous post about my wife ( with sever upper leg and leg pain ) ,,not back pain. It turns out that during tennis her back muscles tore out a bone spur in their insertion points. Thus bone pressing on nerve. That bone section was very sharp!!! Another wrong move,,,,,possibility of cut nerve and,,,,,,,,,,,,, !


Please listen to your body! You only have one !

Respectfully,
Pavel

I quote below from Wikipedia..and this has been my own experience. of course a doctor will have confirmed the diagnosis

"Treatment

When the cause of sciatica is due to a prolapsed or lumbar disc herniation 90% of disc prolapses resolve with no intervention. Treatment of the underlying cause of the compression is needed in cases of epidural abscess, epidural tumors, and cauda equina syndrome.

Although medications are commonly prescribed for the treatment of sciatica, the UK's National Health Service reports that "There is no good evidence from clinical trials to guide the use of analgesics to relieve pain and disability", and suggests that recommendations for analgesic use are extrapolated from guidelines on low back pain.[10] Research has shown no significant difference between placebos, NSAIDs, analgesics, and muscle relaxants. Evidence is lacking in use of opioids and compound drugs.[11][12]

Research has failed to show a significant difference in outcomes between advice to stay active and recommendations of bed rest.[13] Similarly, physical therapy (exercises) has not been found better than bed rest.[14]

Elective surgery is the main option for unilateral sciatica and focuses on removal of the underlying cause by removing disk herniation and eventually part of the disc. In a controlled study, surgical intervention was found to have better results after one year but after four and ten year follow ups no significant differences were found.[15]

Moderate quality evidence suggests that spinal manipulation is effective for the treatment of acute sciatica, however, only low level evidence was found to support spinal manipulation for the treatment of chronic sciatica.[16] Spinal manipulation has been found safe for the treatment of disc-related pain."

I have suffered from a chronic degenerative back (Crap back) since 1997. I had slipped two disc's lumbar and sacral and this had led to nerve root herniation. This left me almost immobile with numbness in my right leg and partial numbness in the left. I was listed for an emergency operation in Jan 1998 when they performed a Lamenctomy and a Discectomy. (No option for keyhole surgery then, so I was filleted! :shock:)

It took me a while to recover however, was it a success? It has certanly helped my mobility and I keep a positive attitude towards keeping active with lots of walking, gym work and skiing. I seldom get pain with skiing as I seem to forget my problems with the planks attached. I still get pain and a degree of numbness when I take a brisk walk at dinner time having sat at the office desk all morning but thats why they call it a chronic back. I accept that I will have these symptoms from here on in and indeed these may become worse as I become older.

In fact, I have had to take it easy and lay off the gym for the past few weeks because I have been informed by my Doctor that I have degeneration between C6-7 in my cervical spine which causes nerve problems with my right arm, so all in all wreck springs to mind. Will I be going to Lech in January, Try and stop me! :D

Try and stop me!

Haha, that's the spirit!

stefan1980 wrote:

Try and stop me!

Haha, that's the spirit!

Absolutely!!
My sister had "sciatica" problems that needed a back op. in 2009.
Skied this last year no problems at all from that but other problems seen which have ended with her needing a hip replacement next month.
She has decided that skiing in 2012 would be a tad ambitous but has here heart set on skiing in 2013.
Never say die!!
She is a Doctor, done her research and is actually very fit, just some bits have failed.
Doesn't see why a couple of fused vertebrae, a plate in her back and a nice shiny titanium (or something) hip should preclude skiing.
That's the spirit too.
:thumbup:

OldAndy wrote:

stefan1980 wrote:

Try and stop me!

Haha, that's the spirit!

Absolutely!!
My sister had "sciatica" problems that needed a back op. in 2009.
Skied this last year no problems at all from that but other problems seen which have ended with her needing a hip replacement next month.
She has decided that skiing in 2012 would be a tad ambitous but has here heart set on skiing in 2013.
Never say die!!
She is a Doctor, done her research and is actually very fit, just some bits have failed.
Doesn't see why a couple of fused vertebrae, a plate in her back and a nice shiny titanium (or something) hip should preclude skiing.
That's the spirit too.
:thumbup:

Right on Sister :thumbup: 8)