Long term change of exercise after prolapse?
Posted , 4 users are following.
Dear fellow patients,
I have had a major herniation in my lower back (L5/S1) and am only in my 30s. I understand that the herniation will never fully heal and I am aiming for keeping my herniation pain free the rest of my life. I have sciatica but it seems to be getting better.
Am I at higher risk for recurrence of pain than the average, non-herniated person? For example, other people can jump from great heights and land on flat surfaces as well as do forward bends (e.g. yoga) with a rounded, lower back without experiencing pain. Can I live such a care-free life again after my pain is gone? Or am I somehow more prone to further back pain and therefore need to limit my lifestyle?
If I need to limit my lifestyle, how much is it that I cannot do? Alpine skiing? Yoga? Carrying heavy backpacks? Standing in the kitchen with my neck (but not lower back) bent forward? Do I need to ask for help when moving anything heavier than e.g. 10 kg?
I have Googled around and cannot really find any information on risk factors for re-herniation (except for re-herniation after surgery, which is not applicable in my case).
BR,
Uli
0 likes, 4 replies
Guest uliVonHornobol
Posted
This is a complicated question. All patients are a bit different.
Some herniations can be more or less reversed over time with good physio and core training. Others can't and end up needing surgery.
If I we're you, I would start physio and hold off doing anything demanding (like carrying heavy objects, extreme forward bending or twisting, jumping etc) until you have successfully stabilised the joint with physio.
if you have sciatica then that is a sign that the nerve is under pressure so you need to be careful. If you arent then the herniation could get worse, leading to weakness and permanent nerve damage.
But to be clear, some people make a good recovery (if not 100%) on just physio. It really depends on your disc and other factors.
sarah_jane89592 uliVonHornobol
Posted
hi I had the same problem in 2016 July but 3yrs before that I had the same pain with my back but then I ended up having a operation because the pain came back.
wish you all the best and good health take care ask doctors advice about excise has it may be good for you to stay active
craig07920 uliVonHornobol
Posted
Hi Uli,
I'm so sorry to hear about this terrible pain and circumstances you have been going through. I do empathise with back pain and more recently neck pain, it's such a horrible thing, and I've been lucky that my lower back issue only showed a disc bulge and not a herniation and still been able to be active, but it still got me so down and really affected me so much. Just wanted you to know I'm thinking about you.
One book that I bought that is really good is called 'Back Pain Decoded' by Robert Shanks. It talks about different and alternative gadgets and treatments and explains them in a simple and non-clinical way unlike a lot of back books. I think you can get a black and white copy for £20 (UK money) on Amazon.
One other thing that I would highly recommend is an alternative therapy called Bowen Therapy. It helped me dramatically for sciatica, it was almost like a miracle cure for it (thanks to God only), when I had a bad spell of sciatica and nothing else was working. It can help with all sorts of aches, pains and conditions and is very non-evasive and safe, maybe worth looking into seeing if anyone practices it in your area.
Hang in there Uli, I believe God is the great healer and that you are going to be pain free again and able to lead a fully and healthy life again - trust in the Lord, He's our hope. Thinking of you.
Craig
uliVonHornobol
Posted
Thanks for all your replies - I am taking your advice to heart and have started physio!