Re: Bulging Lumbar disks and biking

[yellow]

I have one bulger (L3-L4) and one completely blown (herniated) disk (L4-L5).

I went thru PT, have been on diclofenac for months, etc., but the pain wouldn't go away. I don't want surgery and my orthopedic doc has been very helpful with helping me figure out how to live with this thing. He knows my activity level and he has encouraged me to stay as active as I want.

I went from whining about the pain to getting angry about it. Once the swelling was under control from my last trigger (sleeping on a *%@&ing cot), I made three changes that have changed my life. I can't believe how much better my back feels. The changes are:

1. Sitting on one of these at work. No more regular chairs.
2. Every morning I do 100 "good mornings" with just a ski pole (no weight)
3. Crossfit 3-4 times a week...by far the most beneficial thing I'm doing

For me the key was even more core strength. I was already pretty strong, but my front was way stronger than my back because I had been protecting my back for a long time. I can now sleep through the night without pain and I feel way, way better. I will have to keep it all strong for the rest of my life (unless I want to be in pain). I have quite a lot of OA also, but so far that's something I can control.

When you have back pain your initial response is to baby it. That didn't work for me...I had to get aggressive with tackling it. I am finally in control of it; it's no longer in control of me. And it feels GOOD! I am able to do anything I want.

Encourage him to get serious about core strength and staying active. Back pain really sucks. I hope he finds relief soon!

[Tuckervill]

I had the surgery (twice, the second time due to reinjury, both back in the early '90s), and I've never been happier about that decision. I was bed-bound and losing sensation in my right leg, so my blow-out might have been worse than someone else's.

I don't have any back pain anymore. But I do second the idea that you need balanced strength on both sides of you body.

Karen

[GeorgiaPeach]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I was just wondering when you all felt like it was safe to start exercising. Do you wait for the pain to be nearly gone or do you begin exercising with the pain. He is two months post-injury and it still feels like "a soldering iron in my back." It is somewhat better than immediately post-injury, but is still rather severe and barely tolerable. His job demands a lot of him too so the last thing he wants is the pain to get worse.