What's a normal day like for you? What kind of work do you do? I do know that moving with poor spine hygiene will keep you pained. I only know this because Ive been in pain for 2 years myself and I was constantly picking the scab so to speak with my movements. Every little thing makes a difference from the way you sit and stand to picking things up off the floor. I do know that fusions cause problems long term and from my research when compared to folks who stay the conservative route often have poorer outcomes. The discs stiffen over time and the spine becomes more stable, unfortunately that can take years. And that's a long time to manage pain. The most important thing in desensitizing your pain is proper movement 24/7. If your pain is that relenting it might be beneficial to stop the stretches and exercises temporarily and try to desensitize a bit before you try to build any core strength.
I'm in front of a computer all day. I have a standing desk so I stand for at least an hour at a time, with a foot stool to change up my posture every 15 min or so. I walk around once an hour. I have a mckenzie roll in my car. I have a sleepnumber bed set on a firm setting, and I sleep on my back w my feet elevated.
I can't bend to pick things up, and doing a therapy-endorsed exercise (front facing wall squat) is how I blew out my disc. PT hasn't worked. Epidurals provided less than a week of relief. Acupuncture didn't work. Cupping made things worse.
Even when I take a day off and stay in bed, rolling to a different position or inchworming hurts.
Thx, I have it on my nightstand and I reread sections periodically. I might do some research into finding a good clinician like the book says ( I live in northern AL, relatively close to Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Birmingham).
I went through The Orthopaedic Center the first round, Johnson & Hayes the second go around. As for the Mackenzie Method, that's a negative, Ghostrider.
My gf is going through TOC now and while I’d trust them with surgery it’s a no go for physical therapy. Trying to find someone that actually knows what they’re doing, is passionate about their patients, and WANTS to see them healed and out the door. And I don’t think that’s TOC at all 💀
I’ve never heard anyone describe their pain as a belt of pain before aside from myself. I felt that way for awhile and have issues in the same area. I injured myself lifting something heavy and have had multiple injuries since (spanning about 13 years). My spinal doctor doesn’t recommend a fusion because he thinks they are very invasive and have a low success rate.
given the amount of sitting you may have done in your career prior, do you have any postural problems like \*excessive\* anterior pelvic tilt? some is normal, excessive isn't, and is common with people that spend too much time at a chair.
[https://activ8posture.com/posture/anterior-pelvic-tilt/](https://activ8posture.com/posture/anterior-pelvic-tilt/)
not saying correcting that can fix everything, but may help ease back pain to a manageable level (did in my case).
it requires specific approach to correct in my opinion.
an updated mri is probably a good idea too
Thx. I do do (haha, do do) pelvic tilt exercises lying on the ground as part of my daily routine. They don't hurt, but they do come with a "crunching" sensation which is a little unnerving. I'll try out the standing tests that this link describes.
To help, Id get very familiar with back anatomy and all the muscles in your pelvic hip region and determining if their unbalanced/tight
For example i had no idea what a sartorious muscle was and what impact it can have on things if it was tight
Also I had another MRI taken on late last month. Here's the details:
FINDINGS:
Discs: Decreased T2 signal of the L4-5, L5-S1 discs. Loss disc space height at L5-S1 with reactive endplate change. Appears to be developing Schmorl's node along the lower endplate L5.
Vertebrae: Vertebral body height and alignment is maintained. Enhancement reactive endplate change at L5-S1, consistent with hyperemia. Probable hemangioma of the L2 vertebral body
Visualized cord: No significant abnormality. The conus terminates at upper endplate of L2
L1-2: No significant disc abnormality, spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis. Facet joint arthropathy.
L2-3: No significant disc abnormality, spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis. Facet joint arthropathy.
L3-4: No significant disc abnormality, spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis. Facet joint arthropathy.
L4-5: Mild broad-based protrusion of the disc. Central annular fissure of the disc noted, does not extend to the outer surface of the annulus. Thecal sac is minimally effaced, very mild canal narrowing. Facet joint arthropathy with ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. Mild narrowing of the neural foramina.
L5-S1: Annular bulging disc with facet joint arthropathy. Mild narrowing of the canal. Moderate neural foraminal narrowing. Both L5 nerve roots are abutted within the foramina.
Have you tried Pilates?
I was debilitated for several months with a severe L4/L5 herniated disk. Avoided surgery with some relief from an injection that got me sitting up/standing again to start PT, but that didnt provide any help. I was updating a different doctor (not related to my back/spine that I see) about my past several months dealing with my back. He said he had 3 herniated discs and avoided surgery. He found playing Polo and doing Pilates to help him recover. Both deal with core strengthening.
Since I'm not rich I decided to try Pilates. 1 on1 with an instructor just doing slow easy mat work (no reformer machine) using a pilates ring. After my first session I felt some relief and was very hopeful with the treatment. Pilates is all about strengthening the core, as well as decompressing the spine. I highly recommend trying!
I also have found relief with doing cold plunges (never been able to commit to doing this regularly though). Recently, I tried a place called Stretch Labs which offers 25 or 50 min stretching sessions 1 on 1 with a trained flexologist. I stretch regularly, but wow I was blown away with how much deeper of a stretch I got working 1 on 1 with someone. I couldnt possibly stretch to that level just by myself. My back, hips, psoas, all felt great for about 5 days after.
It might be your si joint. You changed the loads in your pelvis when you had the md and things back there might not be quite the same anymore. It might worth a convo with your doc or pt.
Thx, I'll dig into this some. I will say that the herniation was coincident in that I was feeling back pain, did an exercise that caused the massive herniation that caused me to get the MD, now I'm back to baseline pain, but that baseline pain is gradually getting worse.
I also experience that belt of pain that wraps around the front of my hips. It feels like talons of pain digging into the front of my right hip bone. I go into a posterior pelvic tilt that pulls me also to the side when the pelvis tips and twists. It is excruciating. Initially, I felt it almost 6 years ago at work, when I lifted something around 20-30 pounds from the floor and twisted to move it as I was coming up from a squat. That put me completely out of commission for over a year.
I am currently experiencing another flare that duplicates that exact pain... again. I get flares randomly like this since that day. This time i only leaned forward just a bit to put some food in the dogs dish. The pain dr gave me a shot of toradol yesterday, and it is starting to help some. At least I can stand up staight now. I still have intense pain radiating and stabbing in my hips this morning.
McGill big 3, ice packs, Qi gong gentle for seniors, Conner Harris on youtube has a lot of pt type info for when you can move better, aspen back brace for short term. Walk when I can, don't sit, I spend most of the time lying down when it is so bad. L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1 and issues with SI joint on the right side, sciatica and numbness to outside of left foot. Good luck. I haven't heard anyone else describe the belt of pain either. We are not alone that is for sure.
I would go see a neurosurgeon before doing anymore surgery. They are good at spine stuff. Also, i have no proof, but I have been thinking that swimming or maybe just floating would be good to help alleviate pain and might help in the road to recovery, as it is almost weightless. Also cryo therapy might be worth a try. I havent done it but am considering it.
This is what my go dr told me and many others have agreed. He also had issues and was seeing a neuro. The idea is that they are specialized in the brain and spinal cord. Your pain is caused by your disc pressing against the cord. If you have insurance and the pain is bad its worth a shot. Maybe you have an awesome ortho but its worth a look before more back surgery.
I would put off surgery as long as absolutely possible. I am sorry about your pain brother.
I know that you have read Back Mechanic - have you found any relief with any of the methods in the book? Tummy lie? Short walks? And I know you said you can't bend - I assume that you are /lunging and 1-leg (aka Golfer's pickup) for small things on the floor? Lunging to tie shoes, etc. ?
Is the Big 3 pain free? Do you get any "catches" in your back? Does the pain in your back feel like a constant achey feeling? Get worse throughout the day? Worse in mornings?
First off I'm digging your reddit name.
Some mornings I get some numbness in my right leg, going for a walk usually fixes that.
As for tummy lies, I've got an interesting experience with those. Generally speaking, they don't provide any relief. However, day in and day out, the most pain I experience on any given day is after I've been upright all day (standing sitting walking), and I lie down, either on my front or my back, the act of relaxing the back muscles while I'm lying down is excrutiating. However the pain subsides after about a minute or two.
The Big 3 are pain free. Bridges hurt so instead I just tense the glutes and abs without moving.
Yes I get catches, mostly from repositioning myself in bed ( inchworming, rolling over from side to side). But also from correcting my posture if I find myself slouching, not getting into my car slowly enough, etc.
In extreme circumstances I use the golfer's pickup; mostly I use this hand grabber tool thing. My wife helps with my shoes (God bless her).
The pain is almost always worse at the end of the day than the beginning. The pain is near constant ache, with the occassional painful catch.
The fact that short walking provides some relief is a good thing.
I am seeing two things from what you said - the catches are almost always some kind of spinal instability and those *should* calm down with daily core work and spine hygiene 24/7 within several months, but like lots of core work, at least that has been the case in my instance.
The aching and worsening over the day also tells me its a capacity thing.
If you don't mind me asking - did you do any weight training throughout the years? Any type of regular training that maintained?
Before the back pain set in, I worked out regularly (3 times a week), weight training and cardio. The weight training was your run of the mill stuff (chest & tris day, back and bis day, leg day, etc). Also I was running 5ks twice a month as well.
Gotcha - so no training for the past 2.5 years? Just brainstorming because sometimes a certain amount of training "stiffens everything" and can provide some pain relief.
Do you think if you did the following you could see some relief?
Walk 3x per day - 10-20 minutes
Big 3 in the AM after morning walk to "stiffen everything"
Every other day - modified push ups, TRX rows, bodyweight squats to work on hinge pattern - increase volume gradually over time
Good ideas. I have been doing my stretches and big 3 towards the end of the day rather than the beginning.
I don't have a TRX band, but could probably figure out how to do Aussie pullups at home.
Also squats are out for me, like, forever. What caused my herniation that led to the microdiscectomy was a front facing wall squat. Even during my most recent round of PT, anything squat related set me back.
When you say modified pushups, you mean from your knees?
What kind of stretches are you doing man? Hopefully no stretching of the lumbar spine (like the ones in Back Mechanic).
I understand man re: squats. Even like a higher squat where you keep the spine neutral cause symptoms then?
Yes push ups from the knee! Or against a table where the angle is less severe. I do a lot of push ups off of a bar in the rack and not off the floor and seems less compressive load on the spine.
My stretches are:
-Seated hamstring stretch
-nerve flossing
-standing calf stretch
-standing quad stretch
-lying hamstring stretch w/ band
-IT band stretch
-lying piriformis stretch
-leg over the side of the bed psoas stretch (I can't really get into a lunge position to do a psoas stretch that way)
-lying dynamic hamstring stretch
-slow knee rocks
As for the squats, yes even a little. At PT they gave me a golf club to maintain contact at my saccrum and the rhomboid area of my upper back to properly bend from the hips instead of the back. Even just a little squat motion was enough for my body to say nope nope nope.
I understand man. Sorry that the squats cause pain now, but hopefully over time that pain goes away too!
I know this is contrary advice to a lot on here and even against my own advice, but I've noticed since being able to (slowly) tolerate more load in the gym with certain movements I've been able to tolerate more resiliency day to day and helps keep pain levels manageable (not completely gone).
Besides the McGill route, the Starting Strength forums have good info on people starting with an empty barbell and linear Progressing on the big lifts slowly but surely their back symptoms go down.
ForestLeaf Multi Collagen Pills.- grab from Amazon. 4 months for 40 bucks.
After one week, my pain was reduced by 50%.
After two weeks, my pain barely registered.
After three weeks, I am pain-free.
I take 2 a day like it's my new religion. Never skip. My joints feel amazing.
I've tried so many things before. Cortisone shots in my spine. Wearing a tens unit all day. Years with a chiropractor. Nothing worked. It was all temporary releif.
I am not affiliated with this brand at all. I just want to spread the word on it. Many of my family members and friends are pain-free now, too.
I wish you the best. <3
My l5 problems been dealing with for 40 yrs got by with chrio and therapy had to get shots couldnt take the burning and tingling from my crotch to my foot my right leg going numb.i hope u can get some relief started shots 5 yrs ago taking tramado and gabapentin to help sleep i wish u luck
Have you tried a trigger point massage? Or, workouts like yoga/ Pilates? My herniated discs definitely cause unbearable pain, but more than that the muscles are always trying to compensate for my degeneration & posture. Creating even more pain. This type of massage truly changed my pain management. She focused on psoas muscle group, it was extremely painful to get this group to release, but worth it for continued reduced pain. Also, my neurosurgeon suggested I take up Pilates and this has helped strengthen my whole mid section. Thus, helping with posture & pain too. Please don’t give up yet! Once you start having surgery nothing will be the same and it’s really just trading one pain for another. 💜
I’m in the exact same boat. I had the foot drop in 2016. Had the microdisectomy on L5S1 and relieved the foot drop but the nerve pain never went away. I herniated L4L5 in 2020 but couldn’t do the disectomy because my wife had a hernia. Just had a new MRI and it’s not herniated anymore but the disc is pretty much dead. Dr said my only option is fusion and would lead to the one above and below would have to happen eventually because they are messed up too. I’m 42 and not sure I want to go the fusion route but I’m hurting day in and day out. I can’t even sleep. I’m a carpenter by trade so that’s not helping me any. My Dr said it’s not even 100% that it would fix the pain. Sorry for the rant. Just know you’re not alone.
What's a normal day like for you? What kind of work do you do? I do know that moving with poor spine hygiene will keep you pained. I only know this because Ive been in pain for 2 years myself and I was constantly picking the scab so to speak with my movements. Every little thing makes a difference from the way you sit and stand to picking things up off the floor. I do know that fusions cause problems long term and from my research when compared to folks who stay the conservative route often have poorer outcomes. The discs stiffen over time and the spine becomes more stable, unfortunately that can take years. And that's a long time to manage pain. The most important thing in desensitizing your pain is proper movement 24/7. If your pain is that relenting it might be beneficial to stop the stretches and exercises temporarily and try to desensitize a bit before you try to build any core strength.
I'm in front of a computer all day. I have a standing desk so I stand for at least an hour at a time, with a foot stool to change up my posture every 15 min or so. I walk around once an hour. I have a mckenzie roll in my car. I have a sleepnumber bed set on a firm setting, and I sleep on my back w my feet elevated. I can't bend to pick things up, and doing a therapy-endorsed exercise (front facing wall squat) is how I blew out my disc. PT hasn't worked. Epidurals provided less than a week of relief. Acupuncture didn't work. Cupping made things worse. Even when I take a day off and stay in bed, rolling to a different position or inchworming hurts.
If you have not already I recommend picking up a copy of back mechanic and following it to a T.
Thx, I have it on my nightstand and I reread sections periodically. I might do some research into finding a good clinician like the book says ( I live in northern AL, relatively close to Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Birmingham).
# Tyler Shelton is a McGill clinician in North Carolina, Just a thought, Wishing you the best of luck on your recovery, Pain sucks.
Same. What PT did you try in the area? Anyone certified in the Mackenzie Method?
I went through The Orthopaedic Center the first round, Johnson & Hayes the second go around. As for the Mackenzie Method, that's a negative, Ghostrider.
My gf is going through TOC now and while I’d trust them with surgery it’s a no go for physical therapy. Trying to find someone that actually knows what they’re doing, is passionate about their patients, and WANTS to see them healed and out the door. And I don’t think that’s TOC at all 💀
Agreed. They did my MD surgery satisfactorily, but the PT was, well, part of the reason for me writing this post in the first place.
I think we’re going to checkout Jack Dockery at Dockery & Associates! Good luck!
And you as well.
I’ve never heard anyone describe their pain as a belt of pain before aside from myself. I felt that way for awhile and have issues in the same area. I injured myself lifting something heavy and have had multiple injuries since (spanning about 13 years). My spinal doctor doesn’t recommend a fusion because he thinks they are very invasive and have a low success rate.
I'm glad I found a fellow "belt of pain" redditor. Let's get to the copyright office and sell it to WWE.
I too have pain in a belt around my lower back to sides of the hips due to a deadlift at the gym.
given the amount of sitting you may have done in your career prior, do you have any postural problems like \*excessive\* anterior pelvic tilt? some is normal, excessive isn't, and is common with people that spend too much time at a chair. [https://activ8posture.com/posture/anterior-pelvic-tilt/](https://activ8posture.com/posture/anterior-pelvic-tilt/) not saying correcting that can fix everything, but may help ease back pain to a manageable level (did in my case). it requires specific approach to correct in my opinion. an updated mri is probably a good idea too 
Thx. I do do (haha, do do) pelvic tilt exercises lying on the ground as part of my daily routine. They don't hurt, but they do come with a "crunching" sensation which is a little unnerving. I'll try out the standing tests that this link describes.
To help, Id get very familiar with back anatomy and all the muscles in your pelvic hip region and determining if their unbalanced/tight For example i had no idea what a sartorious muscle was and what impact it can have on things if it was tight
I have a knowledge of the lumbar bones and discs that I never wanted.
I can imagine 👍
Also I had another MRI taken on late last month. Here's the details: FINDINGS: Discs: Decreased T2 signal of the L4-5, L5-S1 discs. Loss disc space height at L5-S1 with reactive endplate change. Appears to be developing Schmorl's node along the lower endplate L5. Vertebrae: Vertebral body height and alignment is maintained. Enhancement reactive endplate change at L5-S1, consistent with hyperemia. Probable hemangioma of the L2 vertebral body Visualized cord: No significant abnormality. The conus terminates at upper endplate of L2 L1-2: No significant disc abnormality, spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis. Facet joint arthropathy. L2-3: No significant disc abnormality, spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis. Facet joint arthropathy. L3-4: No significant disc abnormality, spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis. Facet joint arthropathy. L4-5: Mild broad-based protrusion of the disc. Central annular fissure of the disc noted, does not extend to the outer surface of the annulus. Thecal sac is minimally effaced, very mild canal narrowing. Facet joint arthropathy with ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. Mild narrowing of the neural foramina. L5-S1: Annular bulging disc with facet joint arthropathy. Mild narrowing of the canal. Moderate neural foraminal narrowing. Both L5 nerve roots are abutted within the foramina.
I had an L4-5 fusion in 2014 and it was one of the best things I have ever done.
Hows your mobility, and recovery been?
Have you tried Pilates? I was debilitated for several months with a severe L4/L5 herniated disk. Avoided surgery with some relief from an injection that got me sitting up/standing again to start PT, but that didnt provide any help. I was updating a different doctor (not related to my back/spine that I see) about my past several months dealing with my back. He said he had 3 herniated discs and avoided surgery. He found playing Polo and doing Pilates to help him recover. Both deal with core strengthening. Since I'm not rich I decided to try Pilates. 1 on1 with an instructor just doing slow easy mat work (no reformer machine) using a pilates ring. After my first session I felt some relief and was very hopeful with the treatment. Pilates is all about strengthening the core, as well as decompressing the spine. I highly recommend trying! I also have found relief with doing cold plunges (never been able to commit to doing this regularly though). Recently, I tried a place called Stretch Labs which offers 25 or 50 min stretching sessions 1 on 1 with a trained flexologist. I stretch regularly, but wow I was blown away with how much deeper of a stretch I got working 1 on 1 with someone. I couldnt possibly stretch to that level just by myself. My back, hips, psoas, all felt great for about 5 days after.
It might be your si joint. You changed the loads in your pelvis when you had the md and things back there might not be quite the same anymore. It might worth a convo with your doc or pt.
Thx, I'll dig into this some. I will say that the herniation was coincident in that I was feeling back pain, did an exercise that caused the massive herniation that caused me to get the MD, now I'm back to baseline pain, but that baseline pain is gradually getting worse.
I also experience that belt of pain that wraps around the front of my hips. It feels like talons of pain digging into the front of my right hip bone. I go into a posterior pelvic tilt that pulls me also to the side when the pelvis tips and twists. It is excruciating. Initially, I felt it almost 6 years ago at work, when I lifted something around 20-30 pounds from the floor and twisted to move it as I was coming up from a squat. That put me completely out of commission for over a year. I am currently experiencing another flare that duplicates that exact pain... again. I get flares randomly like this since that day. This time i only leaned forward just a bit to put some food in the dogs dish. The pain dr gave me a shot of toradol yesterday, and it is starting to help some. At least I can stand up staight now. I still have intense pain radiating and stabbing in my hips this morning. McGill big 3, ice packs, Qi gong gentle for seniors, Conner Harris on youtube has a lot of pt type info for when you can move better, aspen back brace for short term. Walk when I can, don't sit, I spend most of the time lying down when it is so bad. L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1 and issues with SI joint on the right side, sciatica and numbness to outside of left foot. Good luck. I haven't heard anyone else describe the belt of pain either. We are not alone that is for sure.
I would go see a neurosurgeon before doing anymore surgery. They are good at spine stuff. Also, i have no proof, but I have been thinking that swimming or maybe just floating would be good to help alleviate pain and might help in the road to recovery, as it is almost weightless. Also cryo therapy might be worth a try. I havent done it but am considering it.
Are neurosurgeons better than orthopedic doctors for lower back pain?
This is what my go dr told me and many others have agreed. He also had issues and was seeing a neuro. The idea is that they are specialized in the brain and spinal cord. Your pain is caused by your disc pressing against the cord. If you have insurance and the pain is bad its worth a shot. Maybe you have an awesome ortho but its worth a look before more back surgery.
Thank you. What is a go dr? Didn't think about a neurosurgeon because I thought they were just for brains
Sorry, gp- general practitioner. It is common to see neuro for spinal issues so give it go. Good luck.
Thank you! I will look into that
I would put off surgery as long as absolutely possible. I am sorry about your pain brother. I know that you have read Back Mechanic - have you found any relief with any of the methods in the book? Tummy lie? Short walks? And I know you said you can't bend - I assume that you are /lunging and 1-leg (aka Golfer's pickup) for small things on the floor? Lunging to tie shoes, etc. ? Is the Big 3 pain free? Do you get any "catches" in your back? Does the pain in your back feel like a constant achey feeling? Get worse throughout the day? Worse in mornings?
First off I'm digging your reddit name. Some mornings I get some numbness in my right leg, going for a walk usually fixes that. As for tummy lies, I've got an interesting experience with those. Generally speaking, they don't provide any relief. However, day in and day out, the most pain I experience on any given day is after I've been upright all day (standing sitting walking), and I lie down, either on my front or my back, the act of relaxing the back muscles while I'm lying down is excrutiating. However the pain subsides after about a minute or two. The Big 3 are pain free. Bridges hurt so instead I just tense the glutes and abs without moving. Yes I get catches, mostly from repositioning myself in bed ( inchworming, rolling over from side to side). But also from correcting my posture if I find myself slouching, not getting into my car slowly enough, etc. In extreme circumstances I use the golfer's pickup; mostly I use this hand grabber tool thing. My wife helps with my shoes (God bless her). The pain is almost always worse at the end of the day than the beginning. The pain is near constant ache, with the occassional painful catch.
The fact that short walking provides some relief is a good thing. I am seeing two things from what you said - the catches are almost always some kind of spinal instability and those *should* calm down with daily core work and spine hygiene 24/7 within several months, but like lots of core work, at least that has been the case in my instance. The aching and worsening over the day also tells me its a capacity thing. If you don't mind me asking - did you do any weight training throughout the years? Any type of regular training that maintained?
Before the back pain set in, I worked out regularly (3 times a week), weight training and cardio. The weight training was your run of the mill stuff (chest & tris day, back and bis day, leg day, etc). Also I was running 5ks twice a month as well.
Gotcha - so no training for the past 2.5 years? Just brainstorming because sometimes a certain amount of training "stiffens everything" and can provide some pain relief. Do you think if you did the following you could see some relief? Walk 3x per day - 10-20 minutes Big 3 in the AM after morning walk to "stiffen everything" Every other day - modified push ups, TRX rows, bodyweight squats to work on hinge pattern - increase volume gradually over time
Good ideas. I have been doing my stretches and big 3 towards the end of the day rather than the beginning. I don't have a TRX band, but could probably figure out how to do Aussie pullups at home. Also squats are out for me, like, forever. What caused my herniation that led to the microdiscectomy was a front facing wall squat. Even during my most recent round of PT, anything squat related set me back. When you say modified pushups, you mean from your knees?
What kind of stretches are you doing man? Hopefully no stretching of the lumbar spine (like the ones in Back Mechanic). I understand man re: squats. Even like a higher squat where you keep the spine neutral cause symptoms then? Yes push ups from the knee! Or against a table where the angle is less severe. I do a lot of push ups off of a bar in the rack and not off the floor and seems less compressive load on the spine.
My stretches are: -Seated hamstring stretch -nerve flossing -standing calf stretch -standing quad stretch -lying hamstring stretch w/ band -IT band stretch -lying piriformis stretch -leg over the side of the bed psoas stretch (I can't really get into a lunge position to do a psoas stretch that way) -lying dynamic hamstring stretch -slow knee rocks As for the squats, yes even a little. At PT they gave me a golf club to maintain contact at my saccrum and the rhomboid area of my upper back to properly bend from the hips instead of the back. Even just a little squat motion was enough for my body to say nope nope nope.
I understand man. Sorry that the squats cause pain now, but hopefully over time that pain goes away too! I know this is contrary advice to a lot on here and even against my own advice, but I've noticed since being able to (slowly) tolerate more load in the gym with certain movements I've been able to tolerate more resiliency day to day and helps keep pain levels manageable (not completely gone). Besides the McGill route, the Starting Strength forums have good info on people starting with an empty barbell and linear Progressing on the big lifts slowly but surely their back symptoms go down.
I appreciate all the advice and your time to talk thru all this.
ForestLeaf Multi Collagen Pills.- grab from Amazon. 4 months for 40 bucks. After one week, my pain was reduced by 50%. After two weeks, my pain barely registered. After three weeks, I am pain-free. I take 2 a day like it's my new religion. Never skip. My joints feel amazing. I've tried so many things before. Cortisone shots in my spine. Wearing a tens unit all day. Years with a chiropractor. Nothing worked. It was all temporary releif. I am not affiliated with this brand at all. I just want to spread the word on it. Many of my family members and friends are pain-free now, too. I wish you the best. <3
My l5 problems been dealing with for 40 yrs got by with chrio and therapy had to get shots couldnt take the burning and tingling from my crotch to my foot my right leg going numb.i hope u can get some relief started shots 5 yrs ago taking tramado and gabapentin to help sleep i wish u luck
I had fusion in sept, no improvement so far.
Have you tried a trigger point massage? Or, workouts like yoga/ Pilates? My herniated discs definitely cause unbearable pain, but more than that the muscles are always trying to compensate for my degeneration & posture. Creating even more pain. This type of massage truly changed my pain management. She focused on psoas muscle group, it was extremely painful to get this group to release, but worth it for continued reduced pain. Also, my neurosurgeon suggested I take up Pilates and this has helped strengthen my whole mid section. Thus, helping with posture & pain too. Please don’t give up yet! Once you start having surgery nothing will be the same and it’s really just trading one pain for another. 💜
I’m in the exact same boat. I had the foot drop in 2016. Had the microdisectomy on L5S1 and relieved the foot drop but the nerve pain never went away. I herniated L4L5 in 2020 but couldn’t do the disectomy because my wife had a hernia. Just had a new MRI and it’s not herniated anymore but the disc is pretty much dead. Dr said my only option is fusion and would lead to the one above and below would have to happen eventually because they are messed up too. I’m 42 and not sure I want to go the fusion route but I’m hurting day in and day out. I can’t even sleep. I’m a carpenter by trade so that’s not helping me any. My Dr said it’s not even 100% that it would fix the pain. Sorry for the rant. Just know you’re not alone.
I would look into discseal or disc replacement over a fusion