Newbie needing Advice on Back Injuries

misskylz

Hi guys & gals, I am just a newbie here, and would love to hear from anyone on here that has suffered a serious back injury and is improving by losing weight and would also like to know what exercises you are doing etc, as my movement is very limited at the moment. I fractured L5 and S1 18 months ago, and still currently have 2 torn discs and a prolapsed disc at L5.
Exercise is limited and painful but I push through on the advice of my Surgeon who keeps telling me the pain is all in my head, and if I simply lose 20kg my pain will go away!!! If only it was that simple!!!
Seriously, sometimes I wish they had a pain meter to measure the amount of pain people live with and they just expect you to simply get over it. I have gone from being extremely active doing kickboxing, netball, jogging, weights etc to painfully walking and swimming is about all my back can handle.
Any ideas??? I am determined to do everything I can to get my movement and my health back, and just pray that the pain gets better as I drop the weight.

socioseguro

Hi

Welcome to MFP

First of all, I wish you a speedy recovery.

My experience with MFP tool is that to lose weight you have to eat at a deficit.

This link may help you
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Second , I realize your activity range will be limited for a while. Focus on keeping a caloric deficit.
You may need to have physical rehab. I hope your medical insurance covers it.

I hope you do achieve your weight loss objective and the pain subsides.

Good luck in your journey

misskylz

Thanks, I will check out the link.
I have been having physical rehab & hydrotherapy for 18 months, but if I do the silliest thing, like bend the wrong way, or get up too quick it goes out again. I will just take it one day at a time, and focus on mainly my eating and limiting the amount of alcohol I drink, as that is the worst but helps with the pain :-(
I really appreciate your advice :-)

Sobeone

What did it for me was hunger for life with my eyes wide open. I am permanently totally disabled due to my L5 S1 so I do know where you are coming from. Was on large does of Oxycodone. I was in so much pain I didn't know what was real pain and what was in my head. 10 years went by in a blur. I wanted my Life back, so I quit the pain pills, signed onto MFP and started walking. For 6 months every time I would do some exercise my back would blow out and I could barely move for weeks. But I kept going. Month after month, suffering set back after set back. Now I haven't been laid up in over a month, walking 2 miles a day and doing 30 minute cardio videos online. Averaging over 10,000 steps per day. I still have pain but its manageable. I guess my hunger for life won out. Good luck!

BrotherBill913

Had surgery on my L5 so I understand where you are coming from. For me slow stretching helped, getting enty of rest ( which can be hard to do ) helped. Took a while and was painful but I did recover. Hope you do too

misskylz

I am at that stage too Sobeone, I am sick of being the fat broken one sitting there watching my kids and grandkids running around and feeling sorry for myself!!!
I know my weight is making the pain worse, but the exercise also makes the pain worse. I too do a few weeks of exercise and then it blows out again, so disheartening. This site is just what I need to know that it is possible, when all the odds are against you. I am normally such a positive person, but the pain and lack of sleep and the surgeons doubting me has really taken its toll.
And thanks BrotherBill91, I will try the stretching also :-)

phyllisbobbitt

:flowerforyou: hi, I understand what you are saying! I was in a car accident in 1998 and as a result my entire spine & neck are in bad shape! I just had another mri of the entire spine! my condition has gotten much worse even after losing over 100 pounds! next month I will be having surgery to try to get me out of some of my pain! on the scale of 1- 10 I stay about an 8 all the time! but I walk around 2 hours a day everyday! I was on methadone (high doses 3 times a day for 10 years) and had no life, just wanted to sleep all the time but still had the pain! the pain center at duke hospital wanted to put me on morphine and I refused it! so I found a surgeon at the spinal institute in Philadelphia, PA. that thinks he can correct some of my pain in the center of my back due to spinal stenosis! my lumbar area has my discs sitting sideways of each other! my neck is full of arthritis! hopefully surgery will help! I do know the more you loose the better off you will be! when I first started out losing I could not walk much at all but I walk 2 hours a day at a brisk pace now! I do not take any more pain medicine because I want to be able to have a clear mind, which when you take a lot of meds you can no longer function at all! hang in there because there are a lot of us out there in pain and the best way to cope is just take a day at a time!

I am sending you a friend request & together maybe we can support & encourage each other to a healthier life!

mahanaibu

I am so very sorry about this terrible pain you've been experiencing. Probably weight loss will help, and you don't need to exercise for that. Maybe it will help a huge amount.

I have not had a back injury as serious as yours, but what the back dr. told me back when I had sciatica is that doctors' diagnostic tools are of limited use when gauging spinal pain. Sometimes a spine looks pretty good and is causing terrible pain; other times an X-ray shows all sorts of problems and the person feels fine.

You're going through enough of a tough time without a doctor making you feel guilty about experiencing pain on top of everything else.

unknownexile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIq_CzIntrE&feature=youtu.be
what he says is dead true

justformel

I was in a car accident and got herniated discs in L5 and S1. I had gone and seen a dr who also told me if I lost the weight the pain would go away. I found another dr, as he made me feel like it was all in my head. I did lose weight and the pain was still there. I finally had a spinal fusion, and the dr said when he was in there, the damage was so much more than what was showing in the scans, which would explain my constant pain. 6 yrs later, I feel great, yes I do have pain from time to time, I have to watch what I do all the time, one wrong movement could ruin the rest of my back or take me out for a few days from pain, and when it first gets cold in the season or sometimes on rainy days, I feel it in my body. The surgery left me 25% disabled, but I don't let that ruin me. I know I feel a ton better after the surgery. I am also only 34 yrs old, I have many years left to deal with it.

My advice, take it slow, walk, don't run, proper shoes, and if you need a rest day, then take it.

misskylz

Thank you so much everyone for the advice & support!

I am actually blown away to know how common this injury is and that so many people just have to live with it because the doctors put it in the too hard basket.

I managed to walk for 20 minutes last night, and are feeling very uncomfortable today, mind you I sit at a desk for 9 hours a day, which really does not help!

It is nice not to feel alone in this journey, everyone's comments have made me feel like this is possible :-)

mikejholmes

My $0.02, for what it's worth? Do Starting Strength. Get a coach, and learn to deadlift. Start very light, and use perfect form, and go up very, very slowly.

If this story doesn't convince you, nothing will.
http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/index/barbell_training_as_rehab

ChvyGrl22

I've had surgery on both L3-4 and L4-5 (twice on this one). I have disc degenerative disease that effects not only those two areas but also L5-S1. I have lived with numbness and tingling down my left leg on and off since I was 19 due to the damage done, it has become almost constant now. Over the years I have yo-yoed in weight and I definitely can tell a difference when my weight goes down. It doesn't stop the pain, but compared to what it was at the higher weight, it becomes bareable. I had my nuerologist tell me once that each extra pound of weight was somewhere around 5 extra pounds of pressure on your lower spine, true or not, it makes sense.

Some things I have found to help me were stretching and vitamins that help with joint pain like Gluocosamine. Also, instead of taking any kind of heavy drugs when in pain I take Arthritis pain meds (Tylenol Arthritis and OTC Naproxen work best). One thing I did when I did when I had my first surgery that made the world of difference was, with my gym membership, used an elliptical and the nautilis machines that help do strength training for you back and shoulders. Both were low impact on the body so I wouldn't hurt myself using them but could push myself on days I felt like it. Being able to hold that weight up properly allowed me to have better posture and not put so much pressure lower in my back.

Good luck in your recovery! It is an everyday battle but it can get better.

dar981

having had major back trouble and surgery, i have been on the same goal that you have, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy for 16 months, joined the gym in feb, have to take it carefully and slowly, but im getting there...I wish you luck, remember to start slow and small, you will get there..hugs I know your pain very very well! I still feel it every day, but at least now I can cope with it...

I added that when my back does go out from time to time, we work around it, wear a belt, or support belt, whatever type you use, and try to do exercises that dont put any pressure on the back, after 6-8 weeks I can resume normal routine again if I do as I am told!

misskylz

I like the theory, but considering I can't even bend to tie my shoes or lift a washing basket off the floor, I do not like my chances of being able to deadlift. I used too before my injury, but I cannot bend at all without supporting my upper body weight by putting my hands on my knees then sitting down to be able to pick anything up off the ground

dar981

I like the theory, but considering I can't even bend to tie my shoes or lift a washing basket off the floor, I do not like my chances of being able to deadlift. I used too before my injury, but I cannot bend at all without supporting my upper body weight by putting my hands on my knees then sitting down to be able to pick anything up off the ground

You need to build up your back muscles before you can do that safely, my program did not start deadlift till 8 months in, we worked on my back, legs and arms, but did not do any deadlifting till about 1 month ago..and i have started on a very strict program with it, you need to build your strength up before you can safely do this... You should take professional advice with a trainer of course and every individual respond differently to different programs, hopefully they will find one that works for you!

misskylz

Yes I agree, I know how weak my back is and I definitely need to strengthen my core to support by back before I try doing anything that I know I physically cannot do at the moment. It gives me something to work towards though :-)

LGS1974

Consider hypnotherapy to help you deal with the pain. If you are stressed or anxious you will experience more pain.

I had a prolapsed disc so understand being in pain. After surgery and a pregnancy I'm back in the gym. I did pilates with physiotherapists and now do mainstream classes a couple of times a week which really help.

newfiecandy4

I injured my back two years ago and had discectomies on L4 L5 S1 S2 and I refused to take pain killers both before and after surgery so I had to learn pain coping skills in a hurry. It says you have been doing hydratherapy which is great. The first couple months after surgery I swam every day which really helped teach me how to once again gain control of my core muscles.

I started physio which helped but never really became pain "free" until I started with at trainer at my gym upon recommendation from my doctor. Of course we started out with very little weights (5 lbs was my max when I started) so he taught me to do muscle clenches (pull in muscles at belly button and tilt pelvis forward slighly, hold for 30 seconds) and stretches throughout the day that really helped. He then had me doing a lot of exercises on a ball, and I started to gain more core strength. I have worked my way up so that now I can lift 30lbs (if I do so correctly) without any harm, I have to be able to lift 80lbs to get back to my normal job so I still have a ways to go.

I would also recommend finding a yoga class in your area that focuses on those with back issues. Or ask a physiotherapist to place kinesio tape on your back so that you can train yourself how to properly move while keeping your back in a favorable position. This worked for me in just a few days, as you don't really realize how much you move your back incorrectly until you have a constant reminder.

Good luck!

lgrix

If you are up to swimming lengths, I have achieved very good results from swimming and consider it one of the best over all body toning you can do. If you don't know how to swim efficiently, consider lessons. I took them and it helped a lot. Back pain is the worst. I have not experienced anything like you have, but I'm sure it is not "all in your head".

mikejholmes

Yes I agree, I know how weak my back is and I definitely need to strengthen my core to support by back before I try doing anything that I know I physically cannot do at the moment. It gives me something to work towards though :-)

I feel like you didn't read the story. This guy had to pretty much shattered legs, and was told he'd never stand again. He now deadlifts 500lbs.

In your situation, I'd start with RDL, as deep as you can, using a broomstick. Once your form is perfect, force yourself to go 1cm deeper every time (which would be every other day). Once your form is perfect at depth, I'd switch to regular deadlifts, using a broomstick supported to the correct height, and then start adding weight. Probably 500 grams at a time, again, every other day.

The body responds to progressive loading.

Up to you of course.

momxs2

Hi! You can add me!

I had L5 S1 back surgery in 2008. I only push myself as far as I can go, I sometimes have trouble in group exercise classes because they move so fast that I'm afraid just the slightest movement will bring back that excrutiating back pain than landed me in the surgery. You just have to go at your own pace at all you do. I must say spinning seems to be what works for me now.

Just whatever you do: don't stop moving! Keeping active definately helps me! Good luck!!

misskylz

Yes I agree, I know how weak my back is and I definitely need to strengthen my core to support by back before I try doing anything that I know I physically cannot do at the moment. It gives me something to work towards though :-)

I feel like you didn't read the story. This guy had to pretty much shattered legs, and was told he'd never stand again. He now deadlifts 500lbs.

In your situation, I'd start with RDL, as deep as you can, using a broomstick. Once your form is perfect, force yourself to go 1cm deeper every time (which would be every other day). Once your form is perfect at depth, I'd switch to regular deadlifts, using a broomstick supported to the correct height, and then start adding weight. Probably 500 grams at a time, again, every other day.

The body responds to progressive loading.

Up to you of course.

No sorry, I hadn't read the story, I'm at work and had the Boss looking over my shoulder, lol. I have now though, and can see how it helped him. Thanks for the advice :-)

misskylz

I have added you, thanks heaps :-)

irishjune

I also have a long story of an accident, spinal surgeries, re-injuries, & chronic pain. Lack of mobility and lots of meds contributed to extra weight gain, which only made things worse. But I am doing much, much better these days!! I'm working hard to drop more weight and, with great care, am able to really work out again. Sending you a friend request...

pinkraynedropjacki

Walking is what saved me. I have L4 L5 & S1 discs all stuffed. I no longer take painkillers cause I spend all day walking. I had one Dr tell me that losing weight would help & then another go "well I never think that losing weight helps" that one was a fat Dr & the 1st one was skinny... I dunno...just a guess. All I know is losing weight did nothing for the pain. It's constant moving that helped & still helps.


Oh and it's that good I can run 10km easily. Do Zumba, I can dance as well. But lift weight .......no way. Extra weight on my back is not what it likes or needs,

Do what you think you can. Lose weight if you must for healthier reasons, cause it's not going to do crap for pain. But exercise will help it more than you think. Worst thing for back pain is being still... at least for me. If I sit for more than 5 mins a day...I can move right for a week.

mom2jj

I had a car accident in 08 and for 2 years tried all sorts of therapies to relieve my back pain. Finally I found a doctor who didn't believe it was in my head (my xrays were inconclusive). He performed a double fusion on me - L5, L6. It was a while to recover but I have had no pain for a long time now. The key for me is to do ab strengthening exercises. I do the ones they gave me in PT after surgery. I also have discovered that routine massages (not just the feel good, kind but deep tissue) have helped me a lot. I find I am not in pain when I do something to my back I shouldn't have because of the massages. I know if I lose more weight that would help too. When I do exercise tapes now I do what I know I can do and modify the rest. You can do this!

Catman50

I like the theory, but considering I can't even bend to tie my shoes or lift a washing basket off the floor, I do not like my chances of being able to deadlift. I used too before my injury, but I cannot bend at all without supporting my upper body weight by putting my hands on my knees then sitting down to be able to pick anything up off the ground

I know where ya coming from as this has been my life off and on also. Fed up of Doctors that didn't want to help or only give me pain killers and told to go away I recently decided to do something about it.

I changed my diet and found this website page.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson92.htm

I started at home using this website doing whatever exercises I could as often as I could. Then as Improved I started to add press-ups. I couldn't do 1 to start with as I couldn't lay prone in the press-up position as it hurt my back too much. I started kneeling and just used my top half. As I improved I started full press-ups..

I don't think healthy people with good backs realise just how debilitating a back injury is. I had a very very active life before hand & I certainly took it for granted.
Start slow and do what you can. Persevere and things should hopefully improve.

I just did these home exercises & I started using this web site to track my diet. Then as I improved I joined a gym. Im on my 3rd week and im loving it. Had a slight blip for a few days where I over did it and went back on the painkillers. But ive learnt from that and im back in the gym again feeling 1000 time happier than I was 3 months ago.

I hope this website can help you as it did me or if it doesn't then I hope you find something that works for you!!
Living in constant pain really really sucks.

Feel free to add me if ya wish.

Oh I nearly forgot. Over these months where I was trying to improve I left the car at home and walked as much as possible into town, to the shops etc. I just tried to spend less time on the sofa and being active. Even if that's starting small and walking around the house or to the end of the road etc
Good luck!

Catman50

Just to clarify by this website I mean the link I put in. Its a webpage with a load of exercises and stretches for your back basically

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson92.htm

Myfitnesspal.com is helping too but that just sorting out my diet and helping me to eat cleaner.
Just start with whatever stretches you can manage and build up from there.

misskylz

Walking is what saved me. I have L4 L5 & S1 discs all stuffed. I no longer take painkillers cause I spend all day walking. I had one Dr tell me that losing weight would help & then another go "well I never think that losing weight helps" that one was a fat Dr & the 1st one was skinny... I dunno...just a guess. All I know is losing weight did nothing for the pain. It's constant moving that helped & still helps.


Oh and it's that good I can run 10km easily. Do Zumba, I can dance as well. But lift weight .......no way. Extra weight on my back is not what it likes or needs,

Do what you think you can. Lose weight if you must for healthier reasons, cause it's not going to do crap for pain. But exercise will help it more than you think. Worst thing for back pain is being still... at least for me. If I sit for more than 5 mins a day...I can move right for a week.

Yes I definitely need to move more! I work in an office, so sit on my butt for 9 hours a day and it is the worlds worst thing for my back and the pain. I find swimming eases the pain a little and helps with my movement, but I definitely need to make the time to walk more!