Herniated disc and exercise

drspoon2013

Hi all. I currently I have suspected herniated disc in my lower back and am waiting for test. Can anyone recommend any suitable exercise? I am getting nowhere with doctor/ physio as they are both suggesting different things! For example one said swimming is one of the worst things I can do, the other said it is the best. I am usually a very active person, working out every day and am really struggling with the idea of doing nothing.

JamieArbuckle

Hi there. First of all I'm SO sorry, having a herniated disc is the most painful thing I've ever endured. I herniated my L5-S1 last December so I know it's tough.

You may have already heard all of this, but here are some things that have helped me:

- Lateral exercises (lunges, Bulgarian split squats, single leg step ups etc) to correct imbalances or any weakness you may have in one side. If you notice either side feels particularly weaker, do more reps on that side (but stop if it hurts, you don't want to exacerbate the injury.)


- Core strength. GENTLE ab exercises that won't put strain on your back. No sit ups or crunches! I started by simply lying on my back and doing toe taps. Planks are great. Also get on all fours and alternate extending one arm with the opposite leg and using your core to stay balanced.

- Foam rolling. I don't know about you, but my pain was sciatic and I started getting all kinds of niggling trigger points in my glutes and my legs. Foam rolling has really helped loosen knots and keep them loose in between physio sessions.

- Heat pack. I have a wheat bag that I can microwave and it works wonders. Regular heat and gentle stretching.

- MOVE. I know it's the last thing you feel like doing but there is nothing worse for a back injury than sitting or lying still. Try and keep doing gentle movement like walking and swimming. I don't know what that dr was on about, swimming is a fantastic low impact exercise.


Things that HAVE NOT helped me:

-Yoga. Too much forward flexion. I tried yoga to help my back but all it seemed to do was make my injury worse. Your mileage may vary.

- Sitting at a desk all day. This one you can't control if you have a desk job. I have a timer on my phone to remind me to stand up every 30 minutes and stretch/walk around.


I hope there's at least something in this longwinded post that may help you

Best of luck!

amusedmonkey

I know from personal experience that swimming made things worse for me because the back is not supported and the spine is free to move around causing pain, especially when you get out of the pool and take your first steps. It could be individual so try and see if it affects you differently. People also react differently to hot or cold packs. For me, again, heat packs relaxed the back muscles leaving my spine less supported and causing pain. I found brisk walking to be the best thing there is whenever I have a herniated disk (and I get those often).

granturismo

I attended a pilates class provided by the physios in my local hospital, aimed spcefically at out patients with back issues.
Look for qualified physios offering pilates in your area. I think they will have a greater appreciation for the most beneficial exercises and also any exercises you should avoid.
I had lower back issues and found the back stroke (kicking mostly) was fine but any front crawl/stroke put pressure on my lower back and was uncomfortable for me.

yungbrah

Wait till you know for sure if it's a herniated disc or not. I would recommend no exercise as you don't know what's going on and you could
just end up making it worse. Trust me, I know it's hard taking time off but you're in this for the longevity. Best of luck!