Is cycling good for herniated disk? [Spinal problems and Cycling]

When my doctor and my physical therapist suggest that I switch from running to cycling to treat my herniated disk – I was very skeptical, and confused. Many questions went through my head from “Is cycling good for herniated disk?” to more deep dives like:

• What about the cycling posture? Will that cause it to bulge more?
• Do I need to take a cycling or spin class to help my back?
• How often should I bike for my slipped disk if I don’t take a class?

In short, the answer to the question is: biking is quiet possibly the best thing that you can do for your herniated disk. Cycling was the way I was able to avoid surgery and eliminate the majority of my flareups. And since pairing my biking with the exercises that my physical therapist gave me, I have been happy ever since. I originally thought that I had to do something more invasive, but these two changes have led me to happiness.

In this post, we will answer the above questions. We will also go over some other ways that you can help heal a herniated disk. At the end of this post, you should have enough knowledge to be able to have a constructive conversation with your team about the best roadmap to living a sustainable life with your herniated disk.

Knowledge is power

These related articles may be of interest to you:

• Is cycling good for spinal stenosis?
• Stationary Cycling and Sciatica
• How to Engage Core while Cycling

Is cycling good for herniated disk?

Yes, cycling is good for herniated disks. Cycling is great when (1) your bike is fit correctly and (2) you pair riding with the correct core exercises. For cycling with a herniated disk, you don’t need to get a special bicycle. You need to get a bike that is the right size for your body and you are happy to ride on consistently. The core exercises that are most helpful are planks. These are the best for getting into the inner most muscles of the abdominals to support the back.

It is recommended that you ride consistently, starting at 30 minutes a day for about 3 times a week. You’ll be happy with the results. While riding, you should look try to stay away from other more impactful sports like sprinting, tennis, or anything that you feel would send waves of any force through the body that the back and spine must support.

Other Questions

Many other questions get asked about cycling posture, if a cycling class is needed to be in a specific regiment, or to cycling “correctly.” To be frank, as long as you are riding, and your bicycle is comfortable on your back, that is what is most important. The reason why you are cycling is to increase blood flow, and not cause the back to become inflamed through exercise. Almost any bicycle will allow that to happen and it is not needed to overthink. I personally use a road bike because I like exploring the headlands, and throughout Marin, though any bicycle at any budget will do, from higher end road and gravel bicycles, to big box store bicycles, to online bicycles online that you build yourself.

How else can I heal my herniated disk?

After seeing the change that cycling made in my life, I made it a point to make some other changes that also helped my back. The main purpose of these changes is to decrease inflammation, stretch and exercise the body and minimize the amount of impact that I used to have on my body in comparison to different workouts that I had on my body – like squats, cleans, and sprinting workouts.

• Hot Yoga: Before clicking the back button, just hear me out. It’s an hour and a half in a very hot room that although it does not literally melt the pain away – after 2 weeks of going 3 times a week – it will feel that this is the case. What is most important is that you stay in the room even if you think that you cannot finish all 26 of the exercises.
• Ice and Epsom Salt Baths or Floats: Depending on how I am feeling (and how deep of a sleep that I want, I will lay ice my problem spots after a workout, or I will do a warm Epsom salt bath. There are many places for “Floats” around where you can lay in a pool of Epsom salt – though my at home alternative is to purchase Epsom salt in bulk and add about 1 pound of salt in my own bathtub for an at home float. Add candles and it’s a true relaxation station.

Conclusion

Is cycling good for herniated disk? Yes, cycling is good for herniated disk. Many doctors, physical therapists and other medical professionals recommend it as an alternative to surgery. It is great to know that there are great lifestyle changes that you can make to help alleviate major levels of pain so that you can be happy with your body and the places that it takes you.