# Riding with herniated / ruptured discs



## kaner3sixteen (Feb 15, 2013)

my main advice would be to watch out for anything that could bring on sciatica. i had torn spinal ligaments in 2010 which resulted in the alignment of my spine being slightly off. no big thing, no pain, no issues (the misalignment i mean, not the spinal tear, that shit hurt like anything). 

this January, i was knocked over by a skier and landed flat on my tailbone, causing bruising. the pain didn't go away, and a few weeks later, i caught an edge and went down pretty hard. i had a lot of stiffness in my lower back after that for about 24 hours, until my leg just clamped up. i couldn't stand on it, sitting or lying down made no difference, the pain was unbelievable. I was out of work sick for 2 weeks and am still feeling the effects.

basically, keep up the core strength stuff, watch for any tweaks, twinges or stiffness in the area, and try to keep as supple as possible. and don't let any skiers run into you :laugh:


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

I've got smushed discs and instead of low back, I have low-mid issues (L1-T11) where I have a full on kink that looks like a stair on xray.

When it gets too painful, I'll seek out a chiropractor, Chinese masseuse/acupressurist, acupuncturist or combination of them for a month or 2 of therapy.

Otherwise I try to ignore it and doctors, and stay healty and active.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Had two discs ruptured (C4/C6) in 2008. First weeks after the accident I thought I'd never be able to ride (horse or board) again. Had no feeling in left fingers for months and electrical buzzes in the arm whenever I reclined the head for years. Was very afraid of backwards falls the first seasons. Besides of trying to get stronger neck muscles, it helped me to ride with a neck stabilizing collar. First year a thick one, next season a thiner one, actually designed from a horse riding outfitter but it was helpful for snowboarding too.
Out of the USG catalog:








It won't absorb all energy of a backwards fall but it would prevent fast/extreme reclining.



kaner3sixteen said:


> . and don't let any skiers run into you :laugh:


Although the neck is fine by now and I almost got the same ability to move it as before the accident, I'm riding rather defensive if groomers are crowded, exactly because of this. If I get enough safety distance, I ride fast and with fun again.


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

I had a herniated L5-S1 this past November, missed half a season because of it. A lot of PT is what basically got me back on my feet. Snowklinger suggested acupuncture (thank you, man!) and it helped control pain and stiffness. My PT taught me stretching and strengthening exercises and taping the joint.


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## Ken2234 (Feb 15, 2013)

neni said:


> Out of the USG catalog:
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Maybe when i get older I'll have to get one of those, awesome! 

Usually towards the end of the day I'm forced to stretch and take an ibuprofen. (they offered me opiates but no thanks)

I broke my helmet this year as well on some thick ice. Im sure if I had this my neck wouldn't of hurt for a month like it did. 

Also that's one of the primary reason's I don't hit park anymore. I cant afford the big falls anymore.


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## jml22 (Apr 10, 2012)

Discs heal... that's what they do. It just takes some time to re-train proprioception and let them resorb.
4 years is plenty of time.
If you've been doign proper workouts and stuff you might not even notice you even had a herniation on MRI.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Inversion table helps me to release the pressure of bulging disks. I very much try to avoid flat landings in the park. This kills me!!! Some of our features aren't built well and shoot you off the end to a flat, no landing ramp what so ever. 

Between these two things it has helped me greatly


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## Ken2234 (Feb 15, 2013)

jml22 said:


> Discs heal... that's what they do. It just takes some time to re-train proprioception and let them resorb.
> 4 years is plenty of time.
> If you've been doign proper workouts and stuff you might not even notice you even had a herniation on MRI.


Its true, im forced to workout now or I suffer with tons of pain. Like you said after 4 years most of the original pain is gone and once in a while I'm sore or if I go for my jogs/ intense physical activity.


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## jml22 (Apr 10, 2012)

I would look for a functional movement screen trainer.
If you're still getting hurt it means you're missing an imbalance somewhere.
And i mean hurt, not sore.


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## Krato (Apr 29, 2013)

twist that shit out man. I always start with by taking a lax run to get that core warm then and twisting those arms standing up and bending over and get that lumbar mobile again at the base. reinjuries with these always happen when your spine is tight and enflamed.


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## P.Swayze (Aug 5, 2011)

Strech. Water. Spot your Landings. 

I have had two discoptamies for 2 herneated discs- Shit sucks. But just be smart and stay on your excersizes.


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

neni said:


> Had two discs ruptured (L4/L6) in 2008. First weeks after the accident I thought I'd never be able to ride (horse or board) again. Had no feeling in left fingers for months and electrical buzzes in the arm whenever I reclined the head for years. Was very afraid of backwards falls the first seasons. Besides of trying to get stronger neck muscles, it helped me to ride with a neck stabilizing collar. First year a thick one, next season a thiner one, actually designed from a horse riding outfitter but it was helpful for snowboarding too.
> Out of the USG catalog:
> 
> 
> ...


ah thanks for posting this. I felt a pinch in the middle of my back moving some stairs for my pool. Later that day when I was scraping paint off my barn, I felt stiff and pain. Normal thing for my neck once a year for some reason. 

Well this time, the next morning I was in hell. So much pain and couldnt move. Breathing deeply hurt. Next day, same but it seemed to move to the rhombus muscles. Next, back to the middle of the back.
Whats cool is Advil is actually working! Ive NEVER had advil actually work for me, ever.

So with that said, Ive never had a strain or injury that lasted more than a few days other than my knee which I tore something and am too chicken to go find out what it is, and def DO NOT want surgery.
The United States is full of doctors that dont know what they are doing but have great credentials. Infections are seemingly more commonplace than successes in my area, even though we have some of the best ratings for certain types of treatments, the others suffer. We get all the C and D students from med school here, as its not a major major city.

Anyway - hopefully my neck heals up. I assume it will but thats what I thought about my knee. I tore my knee because I turned in a ditch but my leg didnt , with about 100 pounds of rocks in my hands in a bucket.

Riding on the knee isnt so bad. Actually, the other knee has been causing me more fatigue. My back, aka skate leg.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Sincraft said:


> ... The United States is full of doctors that dont know what they are doing but have great credentials. Infections are seemingly more commonplace than successes in my area, even though we have some of the best ratings for certain types of treatments, the others suffer. We get all the C and D students from med school here, as its not a major major city.


Guess it's the same everywhere. Not only the quality of the physician but also his field of specialization will greatly influence his diagnosis. Had knee pain after jogging/riding bike. Went to a renowed specialist. After x-rays and measuring, he claimed that I have to get surgery or I wouldn't be able to climb stairs when I'm in my forties. Rather invasive one: cut the thighbone to change the rotation of the lower leg. Well, he was specialized in osteotomy... No thanks. Went for a second opinion and this one had more conservative therapy in mind, change the running style and I should avoid the most pain causing action, thus I skipped riding bike. Still doing lots of sports, but jogging with orthopedic soles, hiking with poles. That's ten years ago. No knee pain here.

Well, single examples never apply for the general, but still... if you get the diagnosis to do surgery, get a second opinion. Maybe there's a conservative way to help you.

BTW: sorry, I made a mistake. It was C4/C6 not L4/L6 discs that were herniated...


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## nyBoarder02 (Jan 23, 2016)

Noreaster said:


> I had a herniated L5-S1 this past November, missed half a season because of it. A lot of PT is what basically got me back on my feet. Snowklinger suggested acupuncture (thank you, man!) and it helped control pain and stiffness. My PT taught me stretching and strengthening exercises and taping the joint.


Hello, how long after you got diagnosed did you wait to return to the slopes? I have the same injury, happened about a week ago. Got an MRI and XRays. chiropractor said recovery would be 8-12 weeks...unfortunately I have a heliskiing trip coming up in two weeks. Did doctors want you to take the whole season off? 

Pain is manageable, stretching seems to improve my condition every day.


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