Slipped a disk in my back (i think?)

[AllaSnackbah]

Hey all,

I popped something in my lower back in june doing some over-zealous dynamic clandestine crossfit operations. I was just a normal back strain ive done it before, few days on the couch no big deal. It healed up pretty well, after about 2 weeks I was pretty much good to go, but still taking it easy until I had a APFT test for the military about 3-4 weeks after the initial injury. Did the PT test, passed, but back was pretty sore after that, by the end of that week I was in rough shape, serious sciatic nerve pain shooting down the back of my left thigh any time I did anything, and lower back pain. Military has documented it, and im seeing a physical therapist and they've been making progress, also have an MRI scheduled for sept 8th, so I should have an official diagnosis but for now everything im told/have read is indicating a slipped/herniated disk in my L4/L5 sacrum area. Im not the most impatient person in the world, but im the most impatient person in the world, nobody has been able to give me an idea on how long it'll be before im back to being able to train regularly and im going insane. Im not going to rush into anything, that lesson has been learned.

I cant be the only guy to ever hurt themselves stupidly like this, anybody have any tips on easing back into a training regimen after this injury? Have you or anybody you know hurt themselves like this? How long did your recovery take? Did you ever get back to 100%?

Thanks all

 

[peterthefish]

There's no such thing as a slipped disc. A herniation or bulge is the result of the disc being compressed in such a way as to cause a protrusion that impinges on your nerves which is what causes the type of pain which readily distinguishable from a garden variety strain.

As we age the discs are more susceptible to this happening and heal more slowly. Take it easy, hydrate well, avoid tobacco and booze, and loosing excess weight are the best ways to recover and manage long term.

 

[92G]

FYI these diagnosis are made clinically. imaging (i.e. MRI) is secondary albeit helpful.

most of these injuries fully recover but can take 12+ weeks

if numbness, tingling or weakness anywhere then would get seen by an ortho-spine surgeon

pyriformis muscle stretching exercises can be helpful. google it.

 

[not new guy]

I had a similar injury right around the beginning of the year while deadlifting. The pain subsided after a week or so, but I was having a real rough time putting any sort of real compressive pressure on my lower back for maybe 2 or 3 months after that. I could still workout and move a couple of hundred pounds around through various exercises without pain or further injury, but 8 months later and I'm still not comfortable deadlifting heavy, though squats are back to normal somehow.

 

[enbloc]

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[GaryO]

Be very careful until you have a firm diagnosis. I was the type of person that always said the pain will go away. I now have L1-S1 fused with hardware and am going in Tuesday for a myelogram because I am having horrible pain in my lower back and front of my thigh. Everyday I wake up and my first thought is how will I get through today. My life hasn't been the same since I fell in november 2002.

 

[tuna]

Take some tylenol and drink water, pussy.

or

Or take it easy, light stretching and get well soon.


Whichever option you feel is best. Back aches suck, I only wish them on liberals.

 

[pupchow]

Persons aged 25-40 are the most susceptible to back injury. Are you in this group?

 

[DrBurnsides]

Gavity boots. Saved me. You can do inverted squats. Build core without compression. Recommend the door frame models.

 

[cockpitbob]

L5-S1 bulge here. Weak left leg, etc, etc. After an MRI the orthopedic doc sent me to PT. The PT employed the Mckenzie method to help move the bulge back in to place. I'm in my late 50s and have always had back issues so it took several months, but it really seemed to work.

I think the most important exercise for me is basically the yoga cobra pose. Everything I've ever known or felt from my back said "don't do this", but it helps move the disk back into place. Even on the days I punt my workout, I still do the cobra several times a day.

Good luck! Stick with the PT! If someone wants to start cutting, get a 2nd opinion!!!!

 

[GreenGoblin227]

I have degenerated discs. I've gotten the spine injections. Work great the first time. Second time didn't do shit. Have had back pain since 20. 35 now. Just take ibuprofen 800mg and I sel with it.

Left leg is weaker than my right. I wear a back brace all day at work. Sucks. I feel your pin.


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[AllaSnackbah]

Persons aged 25-40 are the most susceptible to back injury. Are you in this group?

I just turned 30.

 

[not new guy]

My only advice, and I'm guessing this will be echoed by everyone posting in this thread with back problems, is to take it very slow and easy. Slower and easier than you think you need to. The goal, as I see it anyway, is to still be able to do what you're doing today 10 or 20 years from now. I unfortunately didn't figure that out until I turned 40 this year, but getting hit with back and shoulder issues and a hernia all within a few months of each other drove it home.

 

[knoxy]

Ibuprophen to relieve inflammation. Touch your toes daily once the pain subsides. Inversion may help relieve pressure on sciatic nerve. Don 't sit with a wallet in your back pocket.

YMMV based on your condition. I've been free of sciatica for 10 years by just stretching daily.

 

[pupchow]

I just turned 30.

You're in the danger zone. As you age, the "skin" of the discs toughens, while the shock-absorbing "jelly" component lessens. Before that toughening is sufficient enough to help prevent a rupture, the dangerous years, a strain has a greater chance of causing damage (herniated disc). Strengthening the surrounding muscles is the best preventative measure, other than avoiding activities which can cause damaging strain. By the time you're 40, the discs are pretty tough. You just need to keep up with the muscle strength to keep things aligned. A muscle strain can push things out of alignment, and feel like hell, but is often only temporary.

I did a bunch of bad things to my back during those susceptible years, and ended up with 3 ruptured and 2 bulging discs, and 1 fractured vertebrae. The intermittent/subsiding pain finally became constant and intolerable, and I ended up getting a lumbar laminectomy which eliminated the pain immediately. Prior to, I'd gone through many sessions of physical therapy, which provided no real relief. I couldn't sit or stand for more than 15 minutes, had to crawl up stairs, couldn't shave or brush my teeth without kneeling and supporting my torso, had to slither out of a seated position, couldn't drive, etc. So, quality of life was definitely a factor in deciding to go the surgical route.

 

[GaryO]

My neurosurgeon was the department head at the Baptist and he told us that the spine was only good for 30 years and then you are on borrowed time.

 

[45collector]

I have occasional back issues. Most times it's just minor stiffness/ dull pain, but sometimes, it's severe and debilitating. The most recent was earlier this year and I almost had to miss the Excruciathlon over it. I ended up going PT and I got better pretty quick. I don't even remember what I did that was the initial "injury" or whatever it was. They diagnosed me with early Arthritis in my lower and mid back. It was more than that though. Something was strained/ pulled/ tweaked or whatever. I was miserable. Now I try to get in as much stretching/ exercise time as I can, as that is the best way to keep it from happening again.

Good luck Snacks!

 

[Sweeney]

Take it easy until you have the MRI and report. Have the MRI facility burn you a copy to keep. The true symptoms may not manifest themselves for some time especially if you suffered a rupture. When you tear the annulus and eject nucleus material (usually into the spinal canal) you immune system 'sees' it as a foreign body and attacks. This is similar to having a raging infection around the spinal canal and nerve roots and adds to the pressure on the nerves. This may take days to weeks to show itself.

Try to keep your lumbar spine arched, not bent forward as a forward bend serves to drive the disc material towards the spinal canal.

Play with the MRI on your computer and locate the suspected problem area. If you did rupture the disc it will be pretty evident on the MRI...one of those 'That doesn't belong there' moments.

I'm a veteran of three back surgeries... L5-S1 and twice at L4-L5. After the first surgery on L4-L5 the surgeon said there was a 3% chance of it re-rupturing. I thought 'Heck, I can do that'! A month and a half later...

Now I'm back to doing all the stupid things that bring me to see surgeons.

 

[Dvllsn]

Going on 10 years now with similar. Hurt on base in 07. Acupuncture, injections, pain pills, Tylenol, no dice. Too young to have them dig into my back, actually found a Veterans Yoga that has helped immensely. And doing with with other old grizzled mil-pals instead of soccer moms means I actually perform it. Don't do the knife man, you'll never be the same until you have no other option. Tighten up the core, do some yoga and hope for the best


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[Masswhole]

When this happened to me the common denominator from the various Drs I saw was to quit Crossfit.
The whole program is a recipe for jacking up your body.

 

[Wrench75]

Blew out a disk in my neck at 36. Lost the use of my thumb and 2 fingers. After surgery I got about 60% back. Right hand strength will never be the same. Permanent muscle atrophy. Now my spine is garbage. After the last MRI 2 yrs ago (5 yrs. after surgery) the neuro. doc said, and I quote, "It looks like your spinal cord has been crushed and flattened." Now I have to be very recoil conscious because the disk I blew is the C8/T1 disk, between C7 and T1. The one that lets you turn your head from side to side. I'm 42 and they already want to fuse 6 disks in my neck. One punch, bad fall, decent car accident, hell even a really hard sneeze, could paralyze me at this point.

The moral of the story is. If you're only 30 you need to slow the **** down!! Don't be me. I did this to myself by being "that guy" all my life. The guy who pushed, pulled, lifted, carried, climbed, vaulted, etc... shit that I never should have. Though, in fairness, the time the back of my head hit concrete after falling off a car doing 30 MPH actually wasn't my fault. Go figure...

 

[AM13]

My wife had a herniated disc(degenerative discs) in same area, injection worked the 1st time, then did nothing. Then had the disc shaved down twice only helped for a few months. Eventually had to have a fusion done

 

[Skeeter]

I herniated a disc in my lower back when I was in my 20's. The injury was a "trauma" injury and I was in great shape when it happened. I waited too long for treatment and thought I could tough it out and that I would be fine in no time. It took me 2.5 years to "get back." OP, the smartest thing you can do right now is wait for your MRI and official diagnosis. Don't push your body right now. You can recover from a herniated disc and from sciatica but you need to understand YOUR specific injury and give your body time to heal as it needs to. I did PT and 3 spinal injections and neither helped. When I finally saw a specialist he said he would have operated on me as soon as my injury occurred but too much time had passed and the disc material was semi solidified near my spinal nerves. I wouldn't have gone under the knife anyway. The stat I remember was the majority of patients end up in about the same recovered condition within 2 years whether they have surgery or not (I don't have a source for this though). I got pain relief through walking and stationary biking because I hurt more when I wasn't active. Yoga and certain stretching helped me. I also lived by and till use the Trueback (google it). After recovery I also found inversion tables to be a big help. I'm sue you want to recover right away but this is not that type of injury. Use your head and listen to what your body tells you. You will ultimately recover faster if you don't push it.

 

[MAD Geary]

My neurosurgeon was the department head at the Baptist and he told us that the spine was only good for 30 years and then you are on borrowed time.

Dr. Woodard? That's who did my L4/L5 surgery when I was 19. Been 8 years now and it's still feels better.

 

[GaryO]

Dr. Neumann

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[enbloc]

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[HorizontalHunter]

Take it easy and don't aggravate it until you get the MRI and can see exactly what's s going on in there. The longer the nerves are compressed the more permanent nerve damage can become.

I have an L4-L5-S1 fusion with hardware that was followed by a neurostimulator. (I'm actually on my second neurostimulator.)

I hope that it isn't a serious problem and that you have a speedy uneventful recovery.

Bob

 

[AM13]

Take it easy and don't aggravate it until you get the MRI and can see exactly what's s going on in there. The longer the nerves are compressed the more permanent nerve damage can become.

I have an L4-L5-S1 fusion with hardware that was followed by a neurostimulator. (I'm actually on my second neurostimulator.)

I hope that it isn't a serious problem and that you have a speedy uneventful recovery.

Bob

Does the nuerostimulator work well? they're talking to my wife about one

 

[SKumar]

A couple questions:

Are you overweight?

Do you work a deskjob?

If yes to either, some lifestyle modification is right up your alley (i.e. weight loss and standing desk/walking breaks). Either way, your paraspinal muscles need to handle its load.

My advice is to be as conservative as possible. You're a young dude and the last thing you need to is get sucked into the healthcare system. Ice pack directly over the affected area, and also get a lacrosse ball and lie your back over it (youtube how to do this).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JRS8ZM0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 <--This thing is great, and hits both sides of your erector spinae muscles
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D2IJP3O/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 <--use this is the lacrosse ball is too hard

Best of luck man. Keep stretching and keep the back moving.

 

[wahsben]

Stretches for the back, core strengthening. Using a pillow under your knees if sleeping on your back or between your knees if sleeping on your side. An inversion table or the gravity boots but the inversion table allows you to adjust the amount you invert whereas I believe the gravity boots are just hanging straight up & down. Suffered a ruptured disc several yrs. ago and by doing what I listed above I avoided surgery and resolved the problem. It took a matter of months but as long as I do the stretches and keep my core strong the back doesn't act up. Also watch your posture and make sure you don't twist to lift anything or lift stuff away from your body. Good luck & best wishes.