back question

[NadiaMac]

hello
this is possibly slightly off-topic. I've currently got a pretty messed up back-- herniated disc at S/L5. It's tough for me to sit/stand for more than a couple of hours, so I have been spending some time lying on my back trying to work on my laptop (which I prop on my knees or on a large pillow). As you might imagine, this isn't very comfortable for other body parts, such as my neck, hands and arms. Also the angle of the keyboard is not correct.

Anyhow, I was wondering if any of the formerly-back injured or health care professionals on this board could recommend a stand for holding the laptop while I lie flat on my back. Thanks!
NM

[KnottedYet]

Why are you lying on your back instead of your stomach?

Which direction is the disc bulging?

[NadiaMac]

it is bulging back, to the left side and paracetal. lying on my stomach does not feel crash hot. lying flat on my back is better, especially if I put a small pillow under my knees. why do you ask?

[KnottedYet]

Because if it is a posterior bulge, lying flexed (on back and especially with pillow under knees) will gap around the bulge and do nothing to put it back into place (though it will give some pain relief since you are letting the bulge flop waaaaay out without touching anything). Lying in extension (on stomach, especially with pillow under chest) will press the bulge back into the body of the disc.

If it is a lateral relevant (meaning it is also bulging to the side and extension makes it bulge out FARTHER to the side even as the posterior portion is pushed back into position) you would need to lie prone with the same-side (in your case left) knee drawn up to the side like a commando crawl or prone with both hips shifted to the right.

Whichever prone position your PT has you doing to push the disc bulge back into place you can just put the laptop on the floor, like a kid reading a book while lying on their stomach.

I've had quite a few patients who worked with their laptops while correcting their disc bulges lying in one of the prone positions. It's actually pretty handy.

[NadiaMac]

thanks, I will try that. I am not sure how easily i will be able to type in that position, but it should help for reviewing stuff on the laptop.

[malkin]

I had a L5 S1 herniation, and what was comfortable seemed to change from moment to moment, day to day. Mostly nothing was comfortable.

The good news is that now, 10 years later it is much much better. I did PT at the time, and still do my stretches and exercises and cycle, and I never did have surgery.

So hang in there.