Herniated/Slipped Disk Surgery & Training

[Ponderosa]

With so many experienced lifters, athletes and body builders on this site, there has to be a number of people who have experienced a herniated or slipped disk (I've read as many as 30% of NBA players suffer from this). I've had the problem for about 4-6 years. It's in my lower back and when it comes on, it's a killer bitch. Luckily, I only suffer from it about once a year; and the effects only last about 1-2 weeks (of horrible pain). This is usually brought on by doing something stupid at the gym, or getting slightly lazy with my form. But recently it happened to me twice in as many months. So while I have never considered surgery, now I'm thinking about it so as to avoid additional relapses.

From those of you on this board, have there been ANY good results from lower back surgeries, especialy in the last several years? What are the bad stories? If I can avoid surgery, I will. But if there are stories of positive results, please share, including the type of procedure done (shaving the disk, fusing the vertibrae, etc). I've had a cort shot once, and it didn't do dick.

Need help if you got it...

 

[mikesa]

I had a diskectomy (part of the disc cut away) almost exactly a year ago. I suffered with lower back problems for years, trying everything to avoid surgery. I have no back problems any more and, upon reflection, should have done it years ago. That being said, I have stopped deads and heavy squats completely. That I will only start in maybe six months. Make sure you get a good surgeon who will advise you objectively.

 

[pretty ricky]

i ruptured 2 disk L4,L5 and i did everything but surgery to help and it took awhile.my doc put me on anti-inflamatory steroids therapy pain meds.all kinds of shit!the anti-inflamitory stuff helped,but the best thing was the therapy.alot of strtching the hams and lower back getting the muscles loose.i was lucky!

 

[inked1]

I herniated L5/S1 about 3 years ago
it has taken ages to heal, but its getting there. My best progress was from swimming, and doing "core' work with a swiss ball.
I started doing deads in december and reckon I have fewer problems now

good luck

 

[ash]

yeah i got a siatic nerve in my lower back that acts up from time to time. hurts like hell every once and a while it bothers me, usually before i max out every so often. i have been powerlfting for a couple of years an love it.. but i wonder how long i got left in me , this hobby does take a toll on your body, i was thinking about some type of surgery but i dont wanna be out of the game all togehter, also i dont want some doctor to tell me that i cant do squats, deads so i guess ill keep it up till i cant do it anymore


always been told "ya powerlift till ya break somethinng then ya bodybuild"

 

[Ponderosa]

thanks for the help/posts thus far. mikesa: the procedure you had is something that's been recommended to me once before, about 3 years ago. luckily i had it all under control, so i turned down the offer. i was able to do some pretty heavy shit with this back, iraq, etc. but all of a sudden, i've had two episodes in only two months! when it happens, i feel the disk "pop" and it's instant lock-up. from then on, the pain just increases exponentially, until it peaks at about 24-48 hours; then by about a week to two weeks it's gone. but i can't take this shit happening more than once a year, especially if i find myself in some gully in iraq, trying to sneak out of a bad situation.

the anti-inflam roids that pretty ricky speaks of may be a good recovery option...right now i do a massive dose of Alleve, which does the same...i would imagine.

as for using the swiss ball...i use it for abs, but for the lower back? huh, maybe i'll try some. i can do hyperextensions, but what else is there for the lower back on the swiss ball?

thanks.

 

[dude]

The answer to your question depends on how severe your disc herniation is. Did they say it was protrusion, extrusion, or sequestered disc? My advice would be to hold off on surgery if it is not functionally limiting you. If you can do everything youw would like except squat a couple hundred pounds then just modify your workout and perform leg presses or hack squats which will support your back. You should also focus on strengthening your abdominals, specifically the transversus abdominus. This muscle acts in conjuction with your deep low back muscles called the multifidi and when contracted acts as a corset around your trunk. If these muscles are strong enough and you are able to cognitively contract them and hold your proper posture it would be like wearing the biggest strongest weight belt ever.

 

[Ponderosa]

dude -

awesome advice. i'm moderately well educated, but i understood only about half of what you said. in short, gear up on abs more so than i probably am accustomed to. the (laymens) lower abs, upper, obliques, ?? or just hit it from all angles?

as for what kind of disk problem: when it "pops", the imagery taken thus far shows that the disk is bulging out, fairly considerably. but as noted, i immediately do a power regiment to remedy this: anti-inflams, ice, on my back knees elevated, ice, rest, ice/heat, and then light stretching. the last 4 times i've had this, once in a freaking war zone, i recovered to a tolerable level (50% or better) within 2-3 days. tonight it's been exactly 3 days, and i'm about 60%.

one of my good friends had 2 surgeries on his back. the last one basically killed him (due to medication complications and depression). as you noted, if i can avoid surgery i will. but earlier posts cited examples where surgery actually worked. that's precisely what i'm looking for: multiple, fairly objective stories.

thanks again.

 

[DADAWG]

ive had 2 back surgeries at the same time and a seperate neck surgery . i put them off to long and suffer from permenant nerve damage form bone spurs rubbing on the spinal cord . i had only 1 disc completely removed and replaced with a steel plate and some dead guys leg bone [ seriously ] the rest of the disc he cut/drilled to reshape to keep them from rubbing on the cord . if i had it to do over again not only would i have it done but i would have it done sooner so i dont have this nerve damage .

 

[inked1]

ive had 2 back surgeries at the same time and a seperate neck surgery . i put them off to long and suffer from permenant nerve damage form bone spurs rubbing on the spinal cord . i had only 1 disc completely removed and replaced with a steel plate and some dead guys leg bone [ seriously ] the rest of the disc he cut/drilled to reshape to keep them from rubbing on the cord . if i had it to do over again not only would i have it done but i would have it done sooner so i dont have this nerve damage .

thats rough mate, sorry to hear you have long term probs. How did you do them initially?

 

[DADAWG]

thats rough mate, sorry to hear you have long term probs. How did you do them initially?

all due to bone spurs , no actual injuries involved .

 

[dude]

dude -

awesome advice. i'm moderately well educated, but i understood only about half of what you said. in short, gear up on abs more so than i probably am accustomed to. the (laymens) lower abs, upper, obliques, ?? or just hit it from all angles?

as for what kind of disk problem: when it "pops", the imagery taken thus far shows that the disk is bulging out, fairly considerably. but as noted, i immediately do a power regiment to remedy this: anti-inflams, ice, on my back knees elevated, ice, rest, ice/heat, and then light stretching. the last 4 times i've had this, once in a freaking war zone, i recovered to a tolerable level (50% or better) within 2-3 days. tonight it's been exactly 3 days, and i'm about 60%.

one of my good friends had 2 surgeries on his back. the last one basically killed him (due to medication complications and depression). as you noted, if i can avoid surgery i will. but earlier posts cited examples where surgery actually worked. that's precisely what i'm looking for: multiple, fairly objective stories.

thanks again.

Sorry for the medical terminology but I have noticed that sometimes when I use layman's terms people tend to not take the advice. You can do ab exercises but the transversus abdominus is the deepest abdominal muscle. Ths muscle cannot be targeted by traditional exercises.

One way to target this muscle is to get on all fours and completely relax your abdomnals. They should hang a bit regardless of your muscularity. Then you want to focus on sucking you belly button in towards your spine while contracting all of your abdominals. Make sure it is your belly button that moves because many people will do this and use their obliques without every hitting the transversus abdominus. If you see a large indentation at the rib cage then you are mostly using obliques. Hold this contraction for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times for 3 sets each day. I have doubts that you will be able to hold the contraction very strongly for all 10 seconds but you can work from 5 seconds and progress. This is just one exercise of many. Have you ever heard of dynamic lumbar stabalization exercises? I wish I had a scanner because I have a whole program that you can progress through. I might have to borrow one.

The reason for strengthening this muscle is because it attaches to the connective tissue which ties into your lower back and the very deep muscles of your spine called the multifidi. If you can develop these muscles and properly activate them during your squats and daily activities then you will create a stable core that will not allow your disc to displace.

 

[Ponderosa]

Sorry for the medical terminology but I have noticed that sometimes when I use layman's terms people tend to not take the advice. You can do ab exercises but the transversus abdominus is the deepest abdominal muscle. Ths muscle cannot be targeted by traditional exercises.

One way to target this muscle is to get on all fours and completely relax your abdomnals. They should hang a bit regardless of your muscularity. Then you want to focus on sucking you belly button in towards your spine while contracting all of your abdominals. Make sure it is your belly button that moves because many people will do this and use their obliques without every hitting the transversus abdominus. If you see a large indentation at the rib cage then you are mostly using obliques. Hold this contraction for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times for 3 sets each day. I have doubts that you will be able to hold the contraction very strongly for all 10 seconds but you can work from 5 seconds and progress. This is just one exercise of many. Have you ever heard of dynamic lumbar stabalization exercises? I wish I had a scanner because I have a whole program that you can progress through. I might have to borrow one.

The reason for strengthening this muscle is because it attaches to the connective tissue which ties into your lower back and the very deep muscles of your spine called the multifidi. If you can develop these muscles and properly activate them during your squats and daily activities then you will create a stable core that will not allow your disc to displace.

Wow. great info! i've been to several "specialists" in the states, and none offered this level or scope of advice. i'm HUGE on building small muscle groups to alleviate problems - i.e., my shoulder is messed (separate problem), and i've done tons of very useful exercises to assuage this. now to tackle the back. i'll try to exercise you suggested (in a few days when i'm limber enough). but anything you can advise on dynamic lumbar stabalization exercises would be warmly welcomed!

Excellent info again. this really helps me. thanks.