lower back issues need advice thanks

[GOING TRAINING]

Hi guys its been awhile not sure if this in the right section but here goes a little background 54 years old been training with weights pretty consistently for 35 years or so until recently Long story short I have a small broad disc bulge on the lower back L5 which gave me problems with training finally I had a MRI done which confirmed the bulge then I saw a sports doctor and he said the disc will heal in 3 months but no training for that period of time all I can do at the moment is walk swim and ride my bicycle a little and seeing a physio not in much pain during normal day to day activates so just a couple of questions thanks in advance

Is there any drugs that can speed up the healing process 3 months seems pretty conservative ?

Has anyone had similar problems issues with low back how long it take to go back to training ?

 

[Milton]

Welcome to the site!

 

[carverelli]

You may think you have issues now......keep training until that bulge ruptures then you'll have real problems. No disc problem is the same imo. What do you think started the problem to begin with?
It's possible you can train around the problem without making it worse. But for hells sake don't squat or deadlift. I live with a herniation and another broad based bulge. I don't deadlift and am very careful with squats, preferring leg presses and time under tension with less weight.
I've had issues before making impossible to wipe my ass.....and you don't want that, trust me.
Listen to your doctor and be careful

 

[luckypaul]

I have had a bulge disk l4-l5 for years. It changes things. I don't do heavy squats anymore. I can do pulldowns but I'm careful with rows. It can be debilitating if you are not careful. Follow your doctor's advice or get a second opinion.

 

[Teutonic]

Agree w others but am confused as to how a bulged disc will heal ? I m not a doc just a guy whose been smashed back fused , knee rebuilt, shot, 2 concussions shoulder pinned 2 hernia s etc.

I m not sure how a bulge heal s. I m curious really. Unless a movement or injury caused the bulge is it supposed to retract ?

No drug s like AAS will help that I know of but I agree w Cav. I ve never stopped training just modified with slow increments in weight, avoidance, in your case all squat s, dead s and overhead movements. A belt would be advisable too...I d do AL curls and as many thing s as possible sitting thus taking the lower back out of the equation. U can do stuff w impeccable form I m o.

 

[luckypaul]

I don't think it does T. A second opinion would be best.

 

[GOING TRAINING]

Thanks guys I guess what started my problem is 30 plus years of squats and deadlifts maybe ? I love them so much I finally found a good physio who spend some time with me and not just rush you off like some do and is pretty confident that he can fix me he said generally for my age my back is in pretty good shape He also said if you took MRI of 100 people my age you would always find some sort of problem with the spine this applies to people who don t even train with weigts so the plan is to take 3 or so months off from the gym heal up and slowly start back in the gym again defiantly will be reviewing my deadlifts and squats from now on and hopefully can still do a little bit of them

 

[carverelli]

Thanks guys I guess what started my problem is 30 plus years of squats and deadlifts maybe ? I love them so much I finally found a good physio who spend some time with me and not just rush you off like some do and is pretty confident that he can fix me he said generally for my age my back is in pretty good shape He also said if you took MRI of 100 people my age you would always find some sort of problem with the spine this applies to people who don t even train with weigts so the plan is to take 3 or so months off from the gym heal up and slowly start back in the gym again defiantly will be reviewing my deadlifts and squats from now on and hopefully can still do a little bit of them

I know it's not exactly the same but when you start back you might try deadlifts using a trap bar where you stand inside it and pull up from the sides of your body...way safer imo.

Imo, no lower back development is worth the pain I've endured from herniated discs and sciatica

 

[Gbrad]

Agree w others but am confused as to how a bulged disc will heal ? I m not a doc just a guy whose been smashed back fused , knee rebuilt, shot, 2 concussions shoulder pinned 2 hernia s etc.

I m not sure how a bulge heal s. I m curious really. Unless a movement or injury caused the bulge is it supposed to retract ?

No drug s like AAS will help that I know of but I agree w Cav. I ve never stopped training just modified with slow increments in weight, avoidance, in your case all squat s, dead s and overhead movements. A belt would be advisable too...I d do AL curls and as many thing s as possible sitting thus taking the lower back out of the equation. U can do stuff w impeccable form I m o.

A bulging disc doesn't heal you are right in your thinking. The outer "annulus" partially tears and some nucleus or disc material bulges out as a result. There's very little blood supply so it doesn't repair itself. There are companies trying to develop annular repair products and nucleus replacement products but nothing solid yet.

My .02 cents is go by feel and lighter weights and def utilize a physio for a PT plan and identifying weaknesses that may help fight the degeneration process.

Hope it helps bro

 

[maurij1]

Gbrad and Teutonic are correct bulged discs don't heal themselves. Both my L4 and L5 were bulged and the pain was so bad I couldn't walk and I was popping pain killers like they were Pez. A very good chiropractor was able to eliviate my symptoms and make the pain go away for the last 10 years but the discs are still bulged. I'm very careful when doing squats and deads and I now use a trap bar for deads and I stand on plates and use them for squats as well. Your back stays a lot more vertical with the trap bar so the lower back doesn't come into play...as much.

 

[3J]

i had the same issue in high school.. couldn't move my back..

youre going to have to let it heal then strengthen your core..

dont be sedentary... after a few weeks of healing do pt... there are specific exercises an stretches you need to be doing daily

 

[Therealkozmo]

stem cells and inversion table along with what they said. You can heal a herniated disc it just takes a lot of resources

 

[DucBase]

I'd love to hear more about the stem cells. I did my L2-L3 in and it's a glob of jelly running down the front side of my spine now.

I tried traction and hGH and a few rehab protocols but it's not getting better. Best thing I've found so far is injections into the area with corticosteroids