Anyone out there with slipped dics/other back problems?

I have a re-occuring back injury from when I do heavy squats, but I keep doing it will probably end up destroying my back forever but YOLO

I have a degenerated disk at S2-3 and a tilting pelvic. Basically I keep going by paying for the college education of my Chiropractor's kids:)

I survive on 3 basic rules for either running or weights.

1) form

2) form

3) re-read #'s 1 and 2 until it is the first thought that enters your head when you see anything weighing more than a sheet of paper or requiring more force than a standard breath (sneeze...yes I've hurt my back sneezing:).

Recently I came to realize that my problems have lasted so long due to one big thing. Weak muscles in the lower back and glutes. I mean real weak. Before I started my 10 years of lazy I was able to do 200 sit-ups (military) but I had avoided working my back to balance out. For years all the Doctors disagree'd on everything except 1 idea. They all told me to avoid lower back exercise. Now, don't get me wrong, I respect doctors and know they need to be real educated to become such, but with my specific problems I think they were wrong. Perhaps not wrong per se, but perhaps they were unable to spend the necessary time during my appointment to get every existing fact. Gotta see patients to make money:)

I am making that assumption based on the last 4 months. I decided to experiment with Dead lifts. I started at body weight (adhering to my 3 rules) and built up to 135lb. I figured I was living at the chiropractors anyway so I'd give it a try. I found that after a couple months when I built my lifts too over 100lb, my visits to the bone cracker became fewer and fewer. Unfortunately I had to slack off a bit due to a wonderful case of tendinitis in my elbow.

Over the last 3 weeks I have re-entered the gym and started up again. This time I have added squats in along with the dead lifts. Pathetic is all i can say. In a sarcastic world you would think that using my glutes all day every day for 10 years to sit on while watching TV would have made them strong... Nope. It took 6 sessions before I could squat the bar without straining a ham or glute.

I've been running through all of it though. I know it hurts now, but not working through the pain (reasonable pain that is) is in large part responsible for where I ended up. I'm planning to go in the opposite direction this time.

I had a herniated disc in 2008, and spent a month on pain killers and laying face down on my living room floor. THAT was my inspiration to get in shape! I remember wishing I could do something as simple as a jumping jack or just to be able to touch my toes again! Oh I also have had long term issues with Sciatica. I did manage to lose the majority of my weight and use the threat of another herniated disc as my inspiration to NOT gain it back! My dad has suffered from back issues his entire life and has had a number of surgeries, I DO not want to end up on that path.

When my back is bothering me I find cycling doesn't irritate it, which is surprising since when I pedal I'm at a strange bent forward postition and I do a lot of mt biking so its not exactly smooth, But it works!

Make your core a priority, a strong back/abs will do a lot in preventing further injury caused by other exercises.

Have you seen a physical therapist? They should be able to give you exercises you can do in your current state and will at least be a starting point.

Good luck!

2 herniated disks in my low back and the only thing that has relieved my pain at all is running.

I have 2 herniated discs in my lower back...some days are good, some days really suck
I'm trying to help this my strengthening my core and back muscles along with losing weight to relieve the strain on my back

Scoliosis and slipped disc. Being fat makes my back hurt worse, plus being fat flares up some old hernia repair sites. So I diet constantly or else I pay in pain. Pretty good reason to stay on track (admittedly I've fallen to the point of constant pain way too often)
I find that jogging helps, so does lifting weights, although heavy squats are impossible.

I was in an accident where I pulled a back muscle and now I have chronic back pain. It'll be fine until I stand up for longer than 15 minutes. The same muscle still gives me problems to this day (it's been almost 3 years). I'm only 24 and I hate that it happened so young. I find that exercising (especially strength training) helps out my back. The more weight I lose, the less angry it gets with me.

Bulging lumbar disc since 2003. Eleviated all pain associated with it in 2005 by walking and strengthening my core. Then I got preg with #3. Fast forward 7 years and I'm just now starting the walking/strengthening program. I have tried running and all it ever did for me is put me in reverse from the pain and injury it causes me. I'd love to be able to run however, so that is my ultimate goal once my core can support my back properly.

I have scoliosis. So i always have back problems. When I take walks it hurts but I fight through the pain for as long as I can and when I can't take anymore I go home. I am 20 and I have had scoliosis since I was born. So I hate that i have it but I have gotten used to it, found ways to deal with it and it is just a part of me. I embrace my imperfection.

I don't know if my problem counts. Technically it's not an injury, it's a birth defect. My mother had me 3 months early. I was due in October but born in July. My tailbone never fused correctly. The top bone isn't connected, so there's a gap between my spine and tailbone in which the top portion of my tailbone is sort of...suspended between the 2. After 25 years, there's a lot of arthritis from my lower back up through my neck. Some days, it makes it difficult just to move certain ways or even walk. I don't have to do anything special to set it off. I can be walking through my house one minute and clinging to walls and tables another. I don't always have to be standing either. I can be sitting on the floor or a chair and one wrong move ensures I'm in pain for a bit.

When discussing it with my physician, his suggestion was to lose weight and work on my abs. I wish I could post a video of that conversation. Imagine a VERY large man trying to sensitively tell a young girl she needs to work out more. haha He said that a stronger core would help reduce the stress on my spine and would help with support. Also, moving around more keeps me from being so stiff.


***I'm sure there are technical terms for all of this,but I don't know them.

From my obesity, age, lack of fitness, a lower-back injury in my 20s, and a dislocated vertebra in a car accident, I had a lot of issues. Here are some things that helped.

- Losing weight
- Ultrasound treatments
- Lower-Back massage
- Heat and hot tubs
- Good shoes
- Hydration!
- Back belt for the gym
- Managing my standing and sitting time at work (chair!)
- Stretching
- Core exercises
- Anti-inflammatories
- Not picking up heavy objects.
- Chiropractic treatments
- Balancing loads as small as a few bags of groceries (like 2 in each hand instead of 4 in one.)

I was in bed for 15 weeks with the dislocated vertebra. Due to aging, it "went out" a lot and I'd be down for days. Now I run 40-50 miles a week, and I am still a very careful about picking things up, opening doors and exercises that twist. I can tell you that I am virtually pain free!

I had a herniated disc in May 2013 and had to go to therapy, pain killers, etc. I also have a sciatica. I have found that doing Viniyoga to strength my back and align my hips works very well. I also do a lot of stretching. These types of pain can have you feeling like you want to give up, but dont!! Pay attention to form and take note of what works and doesn't work for you. I have purchased a lot of low impact workouts that are not too hard on the body. One of the main things I know I cannot do several days in a row is run! And even though I love to run I have to take it easy on my body. 80% is eating and 20% is exercise so keep up with your eating habits because you can still lose weight even though your not in the gym for hours

Yes hurt my back 2 months ago.The Chiropractor helps a lot! I had to stop the insane working out.

3, 4, 5 in my back- so 3 problems in a row

walking actually helps it a lot, so that is an exercise I can definitely do

avoid jarring activities

swimming is great

I went for physical therapy about six years ago, and they taught me some weight lifting and yoga moves to help strengthen my stomach muscles (all muscles that support your back are actually in your abdomen)-- if you've never had therapy or have not had it recently, I really recommend going and letting someone show you "the moves".

I try to be very careful with my back when exercising, and for the most part exercise makes it feel better, rarely does exercise make it hurt- but again, I am careful what exercise I do.

I have something wrong with every vertebrae in my lumbar. I have been recovering with DDP Yoga
www.ddpyoga.com