![\"Estimated](\"https:\/\/www.bicycling.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/clock-regular.4ddebeb.svg\")
4 min read<\/p>\n4 min read<\/p>\n
Sometimes it happens with a bang, like when former Tour de France<\/a> pro Marty Jemison was racing Tour of Flanders in the late 1990s. His saddle slipped to be nose up. He thought \u201cno big deal\u201d until one of the steep cobbled climbs, where he was in the saddle cranking out maximum wattage.\u201cAnd my back just popped,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Jemison finished the race and the others that followed until he retired about 18 months later, though he had pain off the bike and for the first 30 or 60 minutes of riding, and knew something was wrong. That something was a herniated disc that became nearly debilitating after retirement, eventually required two procedures, and still flares up to this day if he\u2019s not meticulous about his bike position and on top of his core work<\/a>.<\/p>\n Other times, it\u2019s the proverbial straw that breaks the camel\u2019s (or the cyclist\u2019s) back, as was the case with avid long-distance cyclist Mark Elsasser of Philadelphia who developed some sciatica in 2018. He was able to ride through it just fine, but couldn\u2019t sit for any length of time before the pain was unbearable. The diagnosis: a herniated disc in his low back<\/a>, which he resolved with physical therapy and has kept at bay by changing his position on the bike, going from a 0-rise to 5-degree stem. \u201cMy spine is less compromised being a bit more upright rather than nose down on top of the stem,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Herniated discs are fairly common in the general population, occurring most frequently among 30- to 50-year-old adults, and men more often than women. Interestingly, you may have one right now and not even know it. \u201cWe know from radiographical studies that 50 percent of those aged 40 may have some form of disc herniation. We might consider it normal, age-related changes, and many of those won\u2019t be symptomatic,\u201d says bike fitter and sports physiotherapist Bianca Broadbent, co-owner of The Cycling Physios<\/a> based in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n In fact, one research review published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology<\/a> found that degenerative changes in the discs, which include herniated discs, are present in nearly 90 percent of adults 60 and older and often require no intervention. A herniated disc only causes pain<\/a> if it\u2019s pressing or otherwise irritating a nerve root in the spine \u200bWhat Exactly Are Herniated Discs?<\/p>\n Your spine is comprised of 24 vertebrae. Between those vertebrae are fluid-filled cushions known as discs, which act as shock absorbers for your spinal bones.<\/p>\n \u201cImagine your spinal discs as jelly-filled doughnuts,\u201d says Andrew Pruitt, Ed.D<\/a>., the founder of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine and CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center. \u201cA herniation happens when the jelly inside pops out.\u201d<\/p>\n You may hear people using other terms like \u201cbulging disc,\u201d \u201cruptured disc,\u201d or \u201cslipped disc.\u201d Technically, a bulging disc is just that: It\u2019s when the jelly inside the donut is pushing against the side enough to bulge out from the vertebrae but isn\u2019t leaking out. A ruptured or slipped disc refers to an actual herniation, where the doughnut cracks, allowing the gel-filled center to squeeze out.<\/p>\n A bulging and\/or herniated disc can cause pain by creating pressure on the nearby nerves. There\u2019s some evidence<\/a> that the leaked fluid from herniated discs also can cause chemical irritation and inflammation of the spinal nerve roots. What Are the Symptoms of Herniated Discs?<\/p>\n Again, it\u2019s possible to have an asymptomatic herniated disc where you feel no pain. When you do have pain from a herniated disc, however, you\u2019ll know it.<\/p>\n Pain from the herniated discs is sharp and radiating. Most cyclists experience herniated discs in the lower, lumbar back (we\u2019ll get to why in a bit). So you may feel burning pain often known as sciatica that radiates from your lower back into your glutes and down one or both legs, sometimes even into your feet. You may feel pain similar to an electric shock when you stand or sit or walk. You may also feel radiating numbness, tingling, and\/or weakness in your lower extremities.<\/p>\n How Are Herniated Discs Treated?<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/prone-press-up258-preview-maxwidth-3000-maxheight-3000-ppi-300-quality-85-642afb2971440.jpg\" "\\"how")
<\/p>\n![\"bird](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bird-dog-3377-preview-maxwidth-3000-maxheight-3000-ppi-300-quality-70-662ffbf336e50.jpg\" "\\"bird")
<\/p>\n![\"Headshot](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/588329bb-311a-442b-9bf6-573b712e4c5b_1734448745.jpg\" "\\"Headshot")
<\/p>\n