? for those on here with mobility issues

carimiller7391

I know that MFP people are not docs, personal trainers, or other health professionals.

With that said.... I have a bulging disc at L5 that sits right on the nerve running down my left leg. I have a hard time walking but tonight I am going to attempt a 10 minute walk.

I was just wondering if anyone here might have good ideas for videos, you tube videos or exercises they do.

Thanks in advance!!

Cari

persistentsoul

The best thing to sooth my back is swimming. Not my favourite thing to do when this size but i have been swimming while well over 300lb. I think it is L4 that i have trouble with, it is not in the position it should be in , i saw a chiropractor and an osteopath years ago but they made it worse. The osteopath said it had got worse after he treated me but that it was not his fault, my muscles responded in opposite way to how they should have. I have been too scared to let anyone mess with it again. The actual injury is from when i was 9 years old and fell back wards on some ice landing badly on my lower spine. Doctor just said it was bruised at the time and although it was prone to aching after that i did not have serious trouble with it until mid 20's when it went without warning and left me crawling around on floor a lot for couple of weeks. That is when i sought help but help did not help.

What i have found helps when it gets bad is having a hot water bottle tucked down top of my trousers all the time, rubbing joint ace gel in to area and swimming. Sometimes the pain gets so bad that my embarrassment about swimming gets over ruled and i just have to go. I usually then go daily for up to 2 hours at a time until pain is greatly reduced. at that point i find walking becomes easier and walking alone can help my back i think. I do not very often manage a long walk but i go to my local shops and i am sure it makes a difference. My back tends to get worse when not active. I should go swimming regularly but i tend to wait until i have to go then only go until back is more comfy.

I tend not to do anything more energetic than swimming or walking as it always ends badly when i have tried. Last time i put my back out was in first session of supervised gentle yoga. That took a good 10 months to totally settle down again. So very much not worth the risk for me. Walking and swimming I trust.