Hiking with Sciatica

[Praha4]

This topic has probably been covered before, but I'm tossing another log on the fire. Getting over lumbar disc issues is frustratingly slow. I'm slowly recovering from sciatica due to a bulging L4-5 disc pressing on the L4 nerve. Now in my 5th week of physical therapy, and symptoms have improved, but still not complete. I'm doing all the stretching and strengthening exercises recommended. My pack weight is not an issue, been reducing that for several years, it's as low as I want to get. I'm ready to get back on the trail, but worry about a setback. I actually think I'm close to the point where backpacking and hiking would help this heal up. My question for those who have this condition, and dealt with it without surgery, how many weeks/months did you take to get over it? Give any tips or comments on your injury, prognosis, and recovery, I'd like to hear some other hiker experiences getting over sciatica and lumbar disc problems. tia

[archie]

I had the same issue. It is not fun. It took me about a year to get to where I dared go for an extended hike. That was almost 3 years ago, and although I am not 100% I can hike without worry. My biggest issue is I cannot sit much and sleeping is difficult. I can walk without pain though, so all is well-as long as any rest breaks are less than five minutes!

I do take Naproxen as a prophylactic when I hike and carry stronger meds just In case. I find I do better if I remove my hipbelt and carry the load on my shoulders for five or ten minutes every hour.

Best of luck for a full recovery!

[soulrebel]

I've got a bulging disc. no insurance so no treatment. I had to take it easy for a few days with plenty of ice and ibuprofen. Few weeks of easy hobblin'. And pretty much limited activity for about 3 months. I do remember starting to ride my mountain bike after awhile, I went on a weeklong bikepacking trip that concerned me. I managed to survive, but it was a tough trip and I wokeup with severe campback every morning (sleeping on 3/4 prolite). After that I started riding more and slowly started lifting and doing some more exercise in the gym...rowing. Limited sets, reps, weight on deadlifts, situps, twisting motions. Didn't take long to go back to hiking after that and this year I hiked about 400 miles with very little fatigue (actually lost fitness backpacking). Each time coming back to high-intensity workouts, rowing, cycling, running, lifting. It's been a couple years now. I have to be careful when lifting heavy things off the floor, holding heavy things overhead or doing tons of situps. I really focus on proper form (coaching, videos, unweighted bar warmup) and I do plenty of hip/back extension exercises before the heavy stuff. Get well...

[Lyle]

Good news/bad news: Here's my story, in "state the facts" form.

- Ruptured L5-S1 in '85 while at work
- 6 months bed rest in attempt to treat conservatively, could not sit or stand for longer than 10 minutes due to pain.
- Drs. decided bed rest wasn't going to cut it. Recommended a chymopapain injection, but needed allergy testing first.
- 5 months waiting for testing etc.
- received the injection - near complete relief within 1 month.
- 1 year at reduced activity at work - I'm a paramedic - lifting and carrying patients up and down stairs is normal part of my workday.

After the year in dispatch, the Drs. cleared me for full duties. I have been virtually pain-free since then, and have done extensive backpacking. The Drs. advise against skydiving and skiing (any form) for the rest of my life. Also advise against anything that involves jumping from higher than two feet, and of course, I must lift properly.

When asked specifically about backpacking they gave their wholehearted approval as long as I take care to lift and put down the pack properly. In fact, they thought backpacking would be good for the back. My back has not been a concern, other than the above cautions, for getting close to three decades now, still work full-time as a paramedic, lifting and carrying patients. It did take time, however, and I did receive a treatment that is no longer available in the US. That's the bad news for you.

Just wanted to encourage you that a back injury does not mean no hiking, but I would take my Dr's. advise about how soon.

[garlic08]

I came down with mild sciatica over five years ago. I was a firefighter, and seeing a chiropractor regularly then. He said there was nothing he could do to magically make it better. He recommended walking. So I did. I hiked the CDT. He was right--no sciatica since then.

I had to adjust my pack weight distribution carefully the first couple of months. A too-tight belt was very painful, and too much weight on the shoulders hurt, too. But gradually, by the second half of the hike, the problems went away.

Good luck with yours.

[Just Bill]

Mike-
My wife suffered the same condition as you, although in her mid thirties, she was able to correct it without surgery.
Step 1- PT- no good way around it.
Step 2- continued PT and additional preventive work.

Can't quote you the exact routine, but likely your PT is giving you the right exercises and you are seeing improvement, I believe it was roughly 6-8 weeks of "light duty" exercises taking about 1/2 per day for her.
Once she checked back with her Doc to see that the bulge had receded enough, she added additional medium to heavy duty stuff. Primarily- various forms of Plank type exercises and walking. (In addition to her PT routine)
Eventually not only did she bounce back, but prior to pregnancy was even up to jogging 3-4 miles at a crack (unheard of for her).

After the initial burst of PT, sadly there is no easy way out, but if you fix your internal frame you'll find yourself a happier backpacker as a side effect. You don't need a six pack, just good total core strength to prevent re-injury. She is very disciplined and diligent in her efforts- after 3 months she was back to normal activity, after 6 months she tried jogging, three years later she is still going strong.

I have work related Scoliosis, as well as (now under control) several bulging discs since leaving full time field work as a carpenter. PT during flareups helps me get it back under control. I am a cronic "lazy a-hole typical male" my back issues constantly come back and I repeat the following pattern- start to hurt bad, do some PT, soak in the tub/take Vitamin I, grudgingly take up Pilates/Yoga for 3-6 months until I feel better. Take side jobs, get busy, get lazy, stop working out, and repeat. This seems to be an annual process. Not your problem likely, but failing to stretch my overdeveloped hamstrings is also a trigger.

Pilates/Yoga work fantastically for me- but only when I work on them. 20 min a day, 5 days a week seems right.
The good news- very fixable- with the huge benefit of more enjoyment while backpacking.
The bad news- you actually have to do it.

[Praha4]

Seeing some helpful responses here, thanks to everyone who has posted. I finished up 5 weeks PT today, still have some periodic sciatica symptoms in the glute on one side, usually aggravated by sitting too long. Just Bill nailed it for me, the importance of continuing home exercises, stretching, and core strength. The aggravating thing about this is it was brought on by my doing some yoga stretching of the low back/hamstrings too aggressively over a couple months. I've dealt with various hiking related injuries before, this one is probably the most frustrating as far as recovery. Anyone tried the Teeter Hangup inversion table?