Sciatica / piriformis issues

[toontra]

Anyone suffered?  Started about 7 weeks ago and it could have been caused by one of several things, all of which all happened within a couple of days.

Sudden slight pain in lower back when doing a heavy barbell squat (but I've had these before and always recovered in a day or two)

Lugging a lumpy soft bike bag with other stuff in it (so about 22Kg) awkwardly over one shoulder from Tenerife airport for several hundred yards trying to find my taxi

Not checking the seatpost height after rebuilding the bike in Tenerife and doing the first two 2k climbs with the saddle 2" too low 

For the first few days it was a constant pain in my left hip and leg, so bad I could barely walk, although still able to cycle (whether I should have or not is another question but I'd gone on a cycle training break so didn't want to stop).

It's gradually eased off but still there.  A physio who seems to know his stuff said he thought piriformis syndrome most likely but impossible to say without scans whether it was that or lower back-induced sciatica as the symptoms are very similar.

I've had to stop running & cycle training completely so that's all this years events wiped out.  That's bearable as long as there's hope for some kind of recovery eventually.

[L CC]

My Mum has piriformis syndrome. She finds cycling makes it worse (although it doesn't hurt on the bike) and pilâtes relieves it.
She's mostly (4+ years later) pain free.
I don't think she cycled as much as you, mind.

[Wowbagger]

I have suffered in the past. I had help (initially) from my brother, a teacher of the Alexander technique, and then from another teacher of said technique. Helped quite a bit.

I haven't suffered notably in about 10 years (I think that it was at its worst in the spring of 2011) and I've done a number of cycle tours since. Indeed, we rode Lowestoft to Ardnamurchan pretty much on the back of it being as bad as it was.

[toontra]

Thanks both.  Sounds as though there's some hope 

I'm still doing Pilates classes 3x a week which seems to help, and upper body weights in the gym - laying off leg stuff though.

[Hot Flatus]

Funnily enough I'm currently afflicted that started off with numbness and needle sharp pains on thigh near hip after doing audaxes, but this week is crippling lower back pain. Seems worse on waking and trying to get up, then eases during day. Big knot in glute as well

[cygnet]

Big knot in glute as well

Forgive me for asking a dumb question - how do you know/find out?

[Hot Flatus]

I can feel it

[cygnet]

Sorry, not meaning to be personal

I just seem to have gone from A OK to Ow that hurts. And I have no idea what to describe it as, for doctoreering purposes. With no reference points, it's hard to communicate the problem.

[Hot Flatus]

My advice would be to stump up and pay for a sports physio. It's what I will be doing.

[L CC]

I've stumped up and paid for sports physios who turned out to be talking utter shite. I may just have been unlucky.

At least if you wait for an NHS physio they can back up their shite and/or change their minds after imaging.
If you have arthritis, all the stretches and pilates in the world aren't going to stop the pain. Being fat has fecked my knees and hips and spine forever.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I've stumped up and paid for sports physios who turned out to be talking utter shite. I may just have been unlucky.

At least if you wait for an NHS physio they can back up their shite and/or change their minds after imaging.
If you have arthritis, all the stretches and pilates in the world aren't going to stop the pain. Being fat has fecked my knees and hips and spine forever.

You've been a fit, active person for decades. Still, greater load means more wear.
'fat shaming' is horrible and should be confined to the dustbin.
However, insisting that "there is nothing wrong with being fat, fat is fine" isn't helpful. There are consequences to carrying extra weight (whether it be body weight or an external load). My dad's back was stuffed from a youth lifting stupidly heavy sacks. He regretted it by the time he reached 40.

[barakta]

My advice would be to stump up and pay for a sports physio. It's what I will be doing.

I'd look for recommendations to find the best local private/sports physio.

I've had mostly good physios both private and NHS, but there are occasional ones who have been not-great or outright crap.

[toontra]

This has reminded me to self-refer to the HNS.  Not holding my breath for a speedy appointment but it may be the best/cheapest way of getting scans if the problem persists.