The end of my bike riding career? I hope not !

[Dai]

Looks like my riding days are going to be seriously curtailed.

After 35 years on the saddle it looks as though age has finally done the dirty on me and the casualty will be bike riding.

Not totally ruled out but severely curtailed.

Why?

After 50 years of puttingh my body through all kinds of abuse it has retailated and my lower back has "spat the dummy"

Had a n operation 6 years ago that supposedly fixed the problem, prolapsed discs at L4-L5 .L5-S1 and S1-S2.

I Spent 5 months in hospital after that one recovering from the infections I received whilst there, and learning to walk again.

For the past few weeks the back has been very sore and I have been looking at getting the suspension rebuilt. I held off too long through lack of funds and now I doubt if any amount of suspension rebuild is going to make it easy on the lower back. Last Friday whilst moving the bike down my drive I had recourse to put the bike on its side stand, guess what I didnt extend it fully and the weight of the bike caused it to topple over. In toppling over it came to rest on my thighs and knees, pinnig me against the side of the house.

I had to resort to lifting the bike off my body and righting it in an incorrect method. Ping, the back goes and agony sets in.

Spent the weekend hobling around at what can only be considered a snails pace. Not sleeping at night as the back will not allow me to get into a comfortable position for very long.

Came to work this morning, actually rode the bike and hav3e spent the last 2 hours paying for it. NZ roads, even your motorways, are very bumpy.

The girlfriend has insisted that tonight I go to the doctor. It was an accident so hopefully ACC will cover me.

My only worry is that they may claim it is a pre exsting injury and refuse me ACC, if this happens I'm screwed as there is no way in hell I can afford the costs of medical care in NZ.

Rant over. Back to work (ha ha, only one in the office today).

Feeling very sore, uncomfortable and sorry for myself.

[MSTRS:Me]

Bugger. But I suspect it will be the 6" between your ears, rather than the 6" of spine that stops you....
Good luck with the rest of it

[crashe]

Never say never..........



Wait until you have seen the doctor....... you may be lucky.




Or get a TRIKE to ride or switch from sportbike to cruiser bike.



I have a shocking bad back and a cruiser is fine for my back.

[eviltwin]

ACC are fuckin useless!

ignore the 'old' injury, tell them you fucked your back (new injury) dropping your bike and get it sorted.

you have to get right up in their face if you want to get yourself fixed up bro, my x-wife broke her back and they basically kick her to the kerb after 12 months.

i did my fuckin nut at the cunts and finally got her back on track, if they don't hear you they won't listen.

re the bike: sell it and get a lighter one!

good luck bro.

[zadok]

Sorry to hear mate. Maybe a different bike with a better riding position to suit you and a back brace might do the job.

[Joni]

You are only defeated once you accept defeat...

See the Doctor, hear what he has to say... dont make presumptions you never know what he will say.
Then remember you are the master of your own destiny... the mind is an amazing tool!

Good luck!

[heyjoe]

Go and see the Doc to the get the ball rolling to get some answers I suggest. Get an opinion. Ask questions. Get another opinion if you don't like the first opinion. Discuss and be informed.
Good luck.

[avgas]

you cant give up man - my leg still feels like its been shot with buck shot when i ride.....i just have to take more breaks etc.
Hope things all work out for you ACC wise.
Best of luck

[imdying]

Shit bro, you're 50 and have a girlfriend, it's not all bad

[magicfairy]

Where are you ? Wellington by any chance. Get your doctor to refer you (or refer self once ACC are involved) to the back clinic at Wakefield Hospital. ACC will pay most if not all.
Helped my other half get back on his bike after trying to catch it when it fell and prolapsing the disk. Doctor was useless, treated him like some ACC skiver trying to get time off work. Back clinic gave him excercises, goals to work towards and lots of education about what he had done and how to fix it, avoid it again.
Not the only person I know who the back clinic has helped in a big way.

[davereid]

Yep, shorter trips, maybe a lighter bike. But if you want to keep riding, you will.

[Skyryder]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune Dai. If ACC gives you any shit 'troop' of down to your local MP. You have paid a shit load in tax now you need it back by way of ACC.

Skyryder

[Beemer]

Shit bro, you're 50 and have a girlfriend, it's not all bad

Seconded! Get to see a doctor, hopefully it may be less serious than you think and you could be right as rain in no time. Getting a lighter bike is a good idea, but a trike? Lord spare us! You may find that an upright trail-type riding position may be okay too, which is an alternative to a cruiser.

[Deviant Esq]

Bummer mate, sorry to hear about your misfortune. Don't blame yourself for using incorrect method to pick the bike up again, anyone else would've done the same, myself included. Time to visit the doctor, but as has been mentioned, treat it as a new injury with ACC. I think enough time has passed since the last one that it should be considered a new injury anyway. Try not to put any more stress on the back, and for god's sake don't go to work! Your back matters too much to risk it getting any worse by working. Hell, even better, retire! Plenty of time to mend it properly and get back on two wheels.

Best of luck to you, here's hoping all goes well. Keep us posted.

[RT527]

And what ever you do do not take advice to lie on your back for a week...that will only intensify your problem, rest, does help but only in moderation with exercise of the back , dont arch but rather stoop forward.....I went to the doc with a very saw back and was told to lie on my back for a week, I immediatly went for a 2nd opinion at another doctor and he referred me onto a Chiropractor who x-rayed then did and electrical impulse test , or what ever you call it and found about 8 discs which were not in the correct posistion , or slipped , and after about 2 days of work with him on my back i was able to walk normally , well as normal as knuckle dragging will allow lol.

Thing is dont trust the 1 doctors opinion , even if youve been going to them for years.And if i was 50 with a girlfriend I`d be wanting it fixed ASAP!!!.