Hello TE members,

I was hoping to hear what experience people had with back problems and biking. Recently, my DH did the usual "Y-chromosome" activity of lifting very heavy things he shouldn't (lawnmower, heavy boxes, etc) in an effort to help move his dear mother. This was also in the setting of being pretty deconditioned. He developed acute severe back pain immediately, which was followed by tingling in one leg. When the pain and nerve symptoms persisted, we resorted to getting an MRI and seeing a neurosurgeon. Turns out he has bulging of two lower lumbar disks (no herniation or nerve root impingement, nothing surgical) and likely severe musculoskeletal injuries. This was two months ago and the pain is slightly better but still present and fairly intense. It will definitely take months to heal. I feel really bad for him!

My question to the group is whether they know people who have been able to return to biking after such an injury has healed. The neurosurgeon recommended swimming and possibly biking once the pain improved but I wonder if the stooped-over position of riding a bike will ever agree with him. He is pretty discouraged because he already has orthopedic problems that prevent activities like running and hiking and playing tennis. He was atleast hoping that he could bike. I don't think he'd ever be a serious hard-core biker, but I could see him wanting to mountain bike and road bike on weekends (especially since I am trying to get back into biking).

Any thoughts from the group? I have searched the archives and couldn't find a thread about this particular problem.

Thanks!

Georgia