doctor tells you if you can ride a bike with a herniated disc
Lumbar disc herniation is commonly seen in people who engage in long-term physical labor, sit for extended periods, or are obese or excessively thin. Due to the increasingly fast pace of life and the growing pressures of work and study, the incidence of lumbar disc herniation is gradually increasing, and the age of onset is becoming younger, with many people developing this condition in their twenties.
For cycling enthusiasts, when they are informed that they have lumbar disc herniation, their first reaction is often: Can I still continue to ride?
Well, to answer the questions of cycling enthusiasts who are passionate about their bikes, we once again invited Codoon's special expert, Dr. Hao Ning Ma, an orthopedic physician at Wangjing Hospital and a Ph.D. from Peking Union Medical College, to provide some insights.
The question of whether people with lumbar disc herniation can ride a bicycle is quite complex to explain in detail. Generally speaking, for most patients with lumbar disc herniation, cycling is not affected and may even help alleviate symptoms.
The lumbar disc is roughly composed of an outer fibrous ring and an inner nucleus pulposus. The fibrous ring serves to constrain and connect, while the nucleus pulposus acts as a cushioning pad. When the fibrous ring becomes partially loose or torn, causing the nucleus pulposus to protrude, most of the nucleus pulposus is still constrained within the fibrous ring. In this case, the cycling posture can increase the intervertebral space, straighten the loose fibrous ring, and allow the nucleus pulposus to retract into the intervertebral space, thereby widening the originally occupied nerve channel and reducing pressure on the nerve roots, alleviating symptoms.
However, when the tear in the fibrous ring is large and its constraint on the nucleus pulposus is reduced, the forward-bending spine can exert backward pressure, causing the nucleus pulposus to protrude further. This can potentially increase pressure on the nerves, so when the degree of lumbar disc herniation is significant, cycling should be avoided.
Generally, patients who are still considering whether they can exercise have a minor degree of herniation, so cycling will not exacerbate the condition. Additionally, without considering this complex factor, as long as the bike frame size is suitable for the rider's height and the seat height is adjusted to the proper position, the knee joint will not fully extend during pedaling.When the disc herniates, the more the lower limb approaches full extension, the higher the tension on the nerves, making the nerve roots more likely to come into contact with the protrusion, causing mechanical pressure and inflammatory irritation.
Therefore, as long as the cycling posture is correct and the bike is properly adjusted, exercise will not be affected by disc herniation. Moreover, during cycling, the knee joint is not fully weight-bearing, which is why 'cycling' is used in many rehabilitation treatments for sports and neurological diseases.
Finally, a reminder to everyone: any exercise should be done within one's capacity, and an important indicator of whether to continue is the occurrence and degree of pain. Pain is a sign of muscle and ligament fatigue. In principle, the intensity of exercise should be adjusted, and training methods improved, especially when you have conditions like lumbar disc herniation. This way, you can achieve the best rehabilitation goals or more effective training results.
Some illustrations in this article are selected from 'Knight's Color Atlas of Orthopedic Diseases,' authored by Walter B. Greene and translated by Qiu Guixing.