Thread: L5 S1 disc protrusion and scoliosis advice

honestly, find another doctor. a sports medicine guy and/or a physical therapist that can give you direct help.

On an internet forum, with your condition, that is the best advice you can hope for.

Those problems are not something to take lightly.

I herniated my S1/L5 disc over a year ago bad enough that I saw an orthopedic surgeon, I ended up taking about 3 months off from training and over 6 months from training legs. I had 3 epidural injections, lived on Advil and Vicadin for about 3 months, and did spinal decompression therapy on a DRX9000 (highly recommended). At the end of my therapy I had ZERO pain in my back and legs, I resumed training including legs. After 3 months of leg training the pain started coming back and I stopped all leg training again. My only real leg workouts now are cardio and light leg extensions. I have no pain, but I am very careful at what I do in the gym and in everyday life.

As far as squats, personally I say forget them forever, it's not worth it. Along with squats I gave up many exercises, including seated rows, shrugs, dead lifts, and most free weight exercises.

If you still have pain after that many months that is not a good sign. This means that disc is still bulging out and putting pressure on the nerve, resuming training will not make it better, probably worse.

I did the stretches and I think its helping a little...my chiropractic told me that I must rest, my main pain is sciatica, but he thinks the disc protrusion its not what its making me feel the pain, that its maybe stress related (in fact the protrusion its very small) .. I have read in other posts that sciatica goes away on its own...

The pain its constant, but its bearable, I can walk, jump, run a little...lately its getting a little better, I will find another doctor, but in theory could I do exercises that doesnt involve the back at all, like stationary bike, and the laying down variety ? and I must repeat once again that the stretches are helping... besides the chiro gave me some leg stretches of his own, so maybe I can add a few of mine

Originally Posted by albertomac

I did the stretches and I think its helping a little...my chiropractic told me that I must rest, my main pain is sciatica, but he thinks the disc protrusion its not what its making me feel the pain, that its maybe stress related (in fact the protrusion its very small).

so you did get an MRI?

personally I don't have much faith in most chiropractors, but some are decent.

I did get a MRI, I found a site that says that a muscular imbalance its the most common cause of back pain, including herniated disk.. its very interesting, I think Im gonna give it a try

http://www.losethebackpain.com/sciatica_article.html

dude, if you have a disc herniation and it is pressing on a nerve that is where the pain is coming from, I lived with severe pain for about 4 months. if you still have chronic pain months later you have a problem.

my advice is look into epidural injections, they really help bring down the inflammation and alleviate the pain, after my second injection I could actually function with being drugged up.

secondly look into spinal decompression, i.e. the DRX 9000. this helps pull that disc bulge back in and heal the disc without surgery.

Originally Posted by Prince

dude, if you have a disc herniation and it is pressing on a nerve that is where the pain is coming from, I lived with severe pain for about 4 months. if you still have chronic pain months later you have a problem.

my advice is look into epidural injections, they really help bring down the inflammation and alleviate the pain, after my second injection I could actually function with being drugged up.

secondly look into spinal decompression, i.e. the DRX 9000. this helps pull that disc bulge back in and heal the disc without surgery.

I honestly, thought that machine was a joke! I see the commercials all the time and never once did I believe it!

My sciatic no longer shoots down my leg really at all. (Thank god) I do have lower back pain (feels like soreness really) almost every afternoon. Today i havent had any inflammatories. Sucks, even after all this time, I still have to have some advil everyday.

Originally Posted by Prince

I herniated my S1/L5 disc over a year ago bad enough that I saw an orthopedic surgeon, I ended up taking about 3 months off from training and over 6 months from training legs. I had 3 epidural injections, lived on Advil and Vicadin for about 3 months, and did spinal decompression therapy on a DRX9000 (highly recommended). At the end of my therapy I had ZERO pain in my back and legs, I resumed training including legs. After 3 months of leg training the pain started coming back and I stopped all leg training again. My only real leg workouts now are cardio and light leg extensions. I have no pain, but I am very careful at what I do in the gym and in everyday life.

As far as squats, personally I say forget them forever, it's not worth it. Along with squats I gave up many exercises, including seated rows, shrugs, dead lifts, and most free weight exercises.

If you still have pain after that many months that is not a good sign. This means that disc is still bulging out and putting pressure on the nerve, resuming training will not make it better, probably worse.

Holy crap Prince. Sorry to hear about that.

Prince, do you have any current pics of yo'self?

Originally Posted by AKIRA

I honestly, thought that machine was a joke! I see the commercials all the time and never once did I believe it!

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Prince, do you have any current pics of yo'self?

god no, that would be depressing.