Advice welcome

Hi! I have DDD too and I also am 8 months post op from a Microdiscectomy/hemilaminectomy at L4/L5. I still have to take things easy and have difficulty lifting heavy things (so I avoid it) as well as I get flare ups from too much twisting or motion that aggravates the lower back. I have been walking a ton and recently started hitting the gym to do the treadmill at a higher incline. I still have to be careful.

It is discouraging. I have various exercises I learned in PT to help strengthen the core because that’s a huge thing to keep the discs safer. I would take this very seriously though and listen to your doctor. I’m 24 so I have to use my back for many years to come so I am trying to stay active but not exacerbate anything. I really do not want to need a fusion anytime soon. I remember how miserable it felt when my disc was so herniated I couldn’t walk - I don’t want to take any risks. I’m sad that I can’t go back to my other things I liked to do (cycling was great, but I need to strengthen my core more otherwise it aggravates me. For now, it’s swimming and walking and eating healthy!

Best of luck! Feel free to add me if you ever want to talk/complain about back issues!

Swimming is the best excercise for your back. I know this personally as I have a number of spinal issues.

I joined my local ymca as they have a nice Jacuzzi spa, swimming lanes for lap swimming, and a shallower area for lessons and water fitness classes.

I started when I was barely able to walk a few years ago. Now I seriously lap swim for 1 to 2 hrs @ five days a week. I went from a "potato person" to an "athelete"/"swimmer".

I am grateful to the YMCA to helping me to get to the place, where I need much fewer pain meds and am off opiate pain meds. I often recommend the YMCA to people.

How long have you been swimming and walking, what exactly are you doing, and how are you measuring your strength to determine that "nothing" has happened?

I wonder if seeing a physiotherapist or similar type person could help, in this case? Maybe they could give you a clearer idea of what you can do to get the results you want while being mindful of your conditions.

@jplay86 i forgot to tell you what stroke that i use on my back that eases lower back pain. It is the elementary back stroke. That is when your arms stay in the water and you do tickle-t-touch with your arms (hands to your leg side, then, move your arms to tickle your arm pits, then, move your arms back to a t position, then, move your arms back to your leg side) and your legs do the whip kick (which is basically the breast stroke kick on your back).
Today, i tried doing the back crawl for 45 minutes to see if that caused back pain. I could feel it in my lower back muscles, but there was no back pain. I could try swimming for a month to see if i do have lower back pain while doing the back crawl. If anyone wants me to do it, let me know. Or else, i may just do it and put an update on this thread. I haven't decided if i am going to do that yet.
Also, treading water with your hands out of the water for a minute is a good workout and doesn't hurt your back. I try to do it for at least a few times everytime i swim.
I wish the best of luck to everyone.

@jplay86 here is a video of the elementary back stroke. https://youtu.be/WPgt7djgloQ
I wish i had other suggestions of exercises you could do, but i only swim. I hope this helps. If you don't try it, i understand. Swimming can be a hard sport to learn for anyone. I wish you only the best.

jplay86 wrote: »

No don’t try anything that will make it worse. I’m not sure I understand what your explaining though. Maybe if you post a link to a visual of some kind so that we can see it. That would be awesome. Like a YouTube video. Thanks for that info non the less.

Lots of great swim instruction videos on YouTube. I watch lots of swim videos to get ideas of things to try, or things to fix, etc.