Michael--Snake Alley 1999I hate this term. It sounds so clinical, describes my condition, but in most cases the ruptured/herniated/compressed/slipped/bulging disc (all terms used to describe this miserable injury) takes care of itself with "conservative" treatment. I have to be honest: I was in so much pain two weeks ago that the steroid shot seemed like the only option but the procedure is not one I would like to go through again.
I guess I'm more interested in alternative therapies. In fact, I'm more interested in how this injury can actually make me a better athlete and put me in better condition than I've ever been before in my life. I'm most interested in how core strength/flexibility/and getting very lean again can help me. From what I've heard--this is how a lot of people who are athletes have overcome a predisposition to this condition. I went down this road before in a much milder version in 2003, I'm not going to let this happen again.
My extended family has been down this road before, also. Michael was involved in a 35 man pileup on the last lap of the "cage match" called Rock Island in 1998 (other notable cyclists in this pileup included Jujunga). He twisted his neck so badly that one of his cervical discs was bulging toward his spinal cord, which 8 months later effectively ended his collegiate season at Indiana that year. He was messed up to say the least--much of his arm and right side of his body was going numb. The Dr. had him scheduled for surgery in February of 1999--but he said no to all that and through intensive physical therapy, yoga practice, Rolfing, and therapeutic massage he was racing at Snake Alley in 1999 and in Europe in 2000. In fact, the above photo is of him at Snake that year.
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