I have a longstanding back problem- I damaged the disc between L3 and L4, 26 yrs ago and it has gradually degenerated. Had MRI last year, and the disc has now totally disappeared, the vertebrae are quite worn either side, with mild spondylolisthesis. My GP talked me out of seeing a specialist and told me to go away and not worry. But, I’ve had intermittent problems with my thigh muscles feeling weak and painful when cycling, and this has become persistent. I’m getting really worried about it. I wonder if if could be caused by my back problem? Has anyone else experienced this?
I don’t know whether to see my GP or a physiotherapist.

GP.. a guy who used to work for me started getting wierd pain weakness in legs.. diagnosed as a crumbling back.

My problem may be different to yours so don’t take this as gospel and what will happen to you but as a reply to your thread title ? – yeah…it can.

I shattered T6 & T9 vertebrae along with various fractures of other vertebrae and bones in 1991 and whilst the surgical team at the time managed to rebuild my spine with enough Titanium to build a nuclear sub it has only been in the previous 6 years that i have started to experience issues such as you mention, thigh muscles that are tight feeling/painful on walking and cycling, absolutely no strength to the point i can barely get them round the pedal stroke without rocking side to side on the bike and also tight/painfull calf muscles, been mtb’ing and racing since 1992 and 10 odd years ago i used to ride rigid single speed everywhere and could quite happily do lap after lap of kirroughtree (full red & black) in under 2 hrs per lap then on the way home decide to pop up cairnsmore of fleet (2500ft) on the ss for something else to do, i used to average at least 500 miles per week so i was pretty fit.
About 2007 i started to experience a weakness in my legs which caused my right leg to start dragging a bit and i went to the docs, they just said i had been riding too much but the problem got gradually worse and they sent me for various tests etc – eventually the spinal team decided that the only explanation was the original damage i had done to my spinal cord was finally catching up with me and i had to live with it as there is nothing they can do, for the past few years it has been getting worse and at the moment it’s **** me right off, i can barely get my leg muscles to turn the pedals so i can cycle the 4 miles home after spending a day standing and moving at work, i stumble about with just about every step and by the end of the day it’s a struggle to get each leg to move never mind walk properly, any idea i have of riding my beloved single speeds are fubard for ever and by the time i get home after work (dunno how long my current work will last as if this is what i have to look forward to for the future then i’m going onto disability so i can at least cycle a little bit) i need to rest with my legs raised as my muscles will barely allow me to walk through the house, if i go anywhere i cycle as even walking a few hundred yards is practically impossible without stumbling everywhere. For an entire day after being at work i can barely move round the house and getting on the bike is a chore but it’s the easiest way to get across the town, the lack of strength is really pissing me off as i used to be able to power up anything (i used to be able to do 10 climbs of heartbreak hill at kirroughtree on the ss for training) but i’m now reduced to the point that my mum who is 62 can pedal up hills faster than me and in a bigger gear.

At the moment i have quit one of the two jobs i had as it was too much for me to work 5 or 6 days a week and i’m now down to doing 1 job for 2 or 3 days per week.

I also realise i have a problem with very tight hamstring muscles due to years n’ years of grinding up hills on the ssalong with 25yrs + of cycling and not really having a stretching regime so i’m currently trying to get my doc to refer me to a sports physio but that doesn’t seem likely to happen as i’ve been hassling them for 4 months so i’ll have to try and fund that myself somehow out of a dwindling minimum wage.

Go back to your doctor and ask to be referred for proper testing whether that be by a sports physiotherapist or by a specialist spinal team as anything you can do to improve your current situation has be taken now.

GP +1! Get referred ASAP, dont leave things…. Put your foot down where necessary with regards to the docs. Keep us posted! I can just hear the osteopath BIL saying “why didn’t you see me earlier?!?!?!”

Thanks for your replies. I’ve been seeing a physiotherapist a few times a year for a few years, but not since the leg problems became more persistent. I thought it was a symptom of depression but now I’m not so sure. I will make a GP appointment tomorrow, and I already have a Physio appointment for next Thursday.
Somafunk- sorry to hear about your problems, it must be horribly frustrating.

Again, short answer – yes.
I was of work for 6 weeks last year with sciatica. Pressure from the disc on the nerve root caused numbness down my shin and complete loss of control of my left quad for a few weeks.

Pressure needn’t only come from a bulging disc. Bony growth or displacement can do the same.

Go see your doctor.

Compared to everyone else who was in the spinal unit when i was admitted i consider myself to have no real problems to moan about, i was the only one in the 6months i was in there to be able to walk out of my own accord and whilst i was always told my injury would eventually catch up with me i always thought it would be in old age, not my late 30’s/early 40’s.

Get yourself sorted out, don’t take no for an answer and if you have to, go above your GP till you get a suitable response and treatment that satisfies you.

Good luck! 🙂

Firstly, don’t panic. Yes, your back problem could be causing weak thigh muscles. The L4 nerve innervates the quad muscles, so any nerve compression could affect strength, reflexes or sensation. As long as you don’t start losing control of bodily functions or getting numb dangly bits – then you can panic! All the way to A&E 🙂

The best thing you can do is see someone who is a specialist in orthopaedic diagnosis, treatment and most importantly REHAB. Get a referral from your GP to a consultant to discuss it and get reassurance if you need to, but you will need a decent chiro, osteo or physio (doesn’t have to be sports) who specialises in spinal and movement rehab if you want long term benefit. Spinal stability and movement pattern training is the way you need to go. (If you want to research stability, look at Prof Stuart McGills stuff). Many get good results from Pilates.

Btw FYI I had a discectomy at 23yrs, and was told at 26 after further prolapsed discs that I had stenosis and the spine of a 60 year old. All my lumbar discs are black on an MRI (i.e. ****). With core and mobility work and the right treatment and knowledge (I trained as a chiropractor) I have almost no issues with riding or day to day activities.

Also (sorry for rambling a bit) – for chronic back issues (particularly cyclists), stability is often not the only issue. Movement patterns are usually screwed too. For example the glutes can become weak and inhibited, largely due to tight hip flexors, and over recruitment of the hamstrings. This leads to a poor “hip hinge”, poor pelvic mobility and too much tension in the lower back. Again McGill talks about how this can happen in his work but the Mtb strength coach (bikejames.com) talks a lot about the hip hinge and how important it is in mtb to avoid poor movement patterns.

I hope you get it sorted. Keep your head up and don’t worry too much 🙂

You could talk to your GP about Nerve Function Test. I had some recently following borking some nerves further down my legs but the tests were done for my lower back too as I have some mild lumbar disk probs too. It would maybe rule out whether the back issues are contributing to anything that seems to be going on with your legs. As above, you’d expect other symptoms if they were – around the netherlands and the khyber pass. Aside from those tests – which help detect if/ where a nerve signal is blocked – you’d expect any muscles that are controlled by those nerves to start to atrophy and a physio would be able to see that, but if its something thats happened gradually you might not have perceived it yourself.

I had/have a kink in my spine which causes weakness in my hamstrings. Physio sorted it.

Thanks guys.
Had a good laugh at “the Netherlands and Khyber Pass”!

I’ll keep you posted.

I had/have a kink in my spine which causes weakness in my hamstrings. Physio sorted it.

EDIT! I went to a chiropractor not a physio. I would advise you to see a chiropractor as well as your GP.

Try this guy http://www.cosgrovephysiocentre.co.uk/ he’s the only fella who could sort my back problem out (seen other physio’s chiropractors doctors and specialists) over the years but Stuart is the only one that sorted it, he was recomended to me and i have sent many to him since and he has sorted them all bar one (who needed a hip replacement)
He’s a good guy and situated between wigan and bolton on the A6
Best of luck