Exercise/lower back issues

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ashanderson724
ashanderson724 Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
For years I've complained about my back hurting but it wasn't until a sciatica flair up that I had xrays and found that I have deterioration in my lower discs. I had just started seeing a trainer and ever since the sciatica flair up my back has hurt daily. Dr. wants me to schedule an MRI but until then I was just wondering if anyone else has issues with their lower back and what exercises they can still do. Also, what exercise seems to help their back pain.

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  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
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    Lots of stretching and yoga help me. I ha to stop doing high impact exercise like running, but I still jog from time to time. Low impact like walking, elliptical, and zumba if I skip the jumps are good. Anything in a pool is my favorite :)

    A lot of people will suggest core strengthening exercises, and that is right, but you have to take it slow and be careful as well. For example, push ups are very good for core strengthening, but because of the place where my degeneration started I am not supposed to do them. So just go slow and be careful :)

    Good luck!
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
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    I keep my posterior chain loose... hams, glutes, lower back. Lots of rolling and stretching. It's made a big difference.
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
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    I went to physical thereapy for my back issues. I was already limber compared to their usual patients, so I did a lot of strength work, and continue to work with resistance bands at home. If you can do PT and get a customized plan, I highly recommend that.

    I haven't had time to do them for the past few weeks because I accidentally took on volunteer work lugging costumes and changing sets at the theater, and I can attest that I felt much better doing my specific therapeutic exercises.
  • meggs9605
    meggs9605 Posts: 55 Member
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    Lots of glute work really has helped my lower back issues (although I deal with SI disfunction, not sciatica). If you uses good form (engage core and tuck pelvis) you *should* be safe doing basic glute activation exercises like bridges and thrusts. But of course, I would clear it with your doc.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
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    Bit of a cautionary tale, in 2016 I'd been lifting for whopping year and change, and I decided I was well-versed in fitness to DIY a workout routine. If some volume is good, more is better right? Well, this expertly crafted program involved deadlifting 3x/week. Now that itself may not have caused problems but I was also trying to consistently add weight to the bar and read an article about how great kettlebells were, so I bought one... a 45lber. As one might expect I started having lower back pain. We'd hit our deductable for the year so I went to a sports ortho, got an MRI and learned that I had L4-L5 facet arthritis, highly likely from hyper-extending my back under load (i.e. exaggerating the DL lockout, and KB swings). Stopped lifting for a month and got on a real program instead of what I cobbled together. Occasionally I'll feel a slight flair up where I don't sleep on my back well, but it's manageable with proper form and recovery.
  • karenesg
    karenesg Posts: 318 Member
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    Three of my lumbar discs have some level of damage... a bulge here, a tear there... took me years of flare ups, pt, giving up some of my favorite activities (rowing, diving, running after my kids, yoga) to figure out what I *CAN* do. PILATES. Find a good studio, learn about proper alignment, move slowly, learn to use muscles while relaxing others. A strong front (and sides, and hips and quads) are needed to support a painfree back. Listen to your body, honor its limitations, don't let anyone tell you to work thru the pain. You'll be stronger and feeling better before you know it. Went white water kayaking a few weeks ago. What a blast! Best to you.
  • wiigelec
    wiigelec Posts: 503 Member
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    https://startingstrength.com/article/back-pain-and-back-strength
  • Clairin
    Clairin Posts: 95 Member
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    I hear you. I have scoliosis. What others have said rings true for me. What I have to add is I believe the collagen, turmeric, boswellia supplement I'm taking makes me ache less.
  • mfp4kc
    mfp4kc Posts: 29 Member
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    One other thing to note if using turmeric is that there are challenges with absorption. Forms that are hydro-soluble absorb better.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    ashanderson724 wrote: »
    Dr. wants me to schedule an MRI but until then I was just wondering if anyone else has issues with their lower back and what exercises they can still do. Also, what exercise seems to help their back pain.

    There are many different causes of back pain, and what helps one person might make another person's pain worse, so i'd ignore generic advice on the web. Best thing is to get a referral to a sports physical therapist, who can customize a workout after assessing you.

    In the mean time, ask the trainer to ease up on the training volume. :+1:
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Appropriate amount of volume of deadlifts/squats and their variations helped me to never miss a day with a herniated disc and what I presumed was sciatica. I've also rehabbed many people with both without any major setbacks.

    Load management is always the key.

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