1. No squats. Replace with wall squats. 2. No leg presses. Replace with wall squats as well. 3. No deadlifts. Replace with supine bridge. 4. No sit-ups. Replace with plank. 5. No standing hamstring stretches. Replace with wall hamstring stretch.
So basically cant workout. It would be much more appreciated to find a way to get back the spine balance. I cant imagine not be back to weightlifting anymore…
Thank you for such great advice! Would love see a video about how lumbar discs are healed by changes in the way someone moves, sits, exercises and day to day tasks.
Excellent tips. One more to avoid would be rotation of the cord avoid that too. Do pull ups, swim, deeps bars, but if one of these bother you avoid them too.
I understand and trust the process but All I heard was to “replace all your compound strength & muscle building exercises with body weight static hold exercises” 😢 I guess we do what we have to do to heal.
I overworked my lower back 13yrs ago, ever since it feels tight and causing me lots of issues, threw my back out a 3x now, woke up one morning with a pinched nerve-twice, that took me out for a week. Best way to describe it is it feels like the muscles clenched up and wont let go. There is very little strength in the lower back. Ive been seeing a chiro but I dont think its the answer for me, any ideas? Im not very mobile in the morning, putting socks on is a chore and a half. feels tight to bend over, tight hams dont help either I suppose.
oh my goodness!! this is soo helpful to me. I have been advised wrongly for the longest time and have come to these conclusions myself. You have confirmed my suspicions! Your videos are so so informative and helpful. Thank you.
I have fractures all over my back my neurosurgeon said and I can't do no exercise is that true? He said it's so bad that he can't even perform surgery on me.
Excellent advice... much appreciated. As a 68 yo engineer, who had (successful) L5-S1 surgery 12 years ago... but continues to pop that same disc every 3-4 years (because I continue to do things like finish the basement myself), even though I do daily exercises to strengthen to supporting muscles... I've become an expert at treating this with the McKenzie technique. I can usually resolve this, 90%, within 10 days. But, I've not figured out when and what exercises I can start. Your advice makes PERFECT sense. I think some people got the wrong picture from your video... they think they can NEVER go back to their previous activity level. That's not true, but the disc needs to heal sufficiently. I think you should address this in another video: the disc is made up of many layers of crosshatched fibers. The inner 2/3 of the layers have no nerves and so when damaged you don't feel pain. Only the outer 1/3 of the layers have nerves. So, when your pain finally subsides to only the lower back, it is the outer layers of the disc that are still healing. Only when that pain subsides has the "scab" of the outer layers healed a bit. At that point, if you do the right GRADUAL increase of weight loading on the disc, you can strengthen and align the crosshatching. This is where a physical therapist is probably very important... they're all PhDs now and have all the latest data on guiding this. Find one that specializes in the McKenzie technique.
Oddly enough, it wasn't deadlifting 300lbs or 150 crunches per session that reinjured my L5-S1, it was the Leg Press. That machine is bad for the back.
Thank you, I needed this guidance today. I'm 54 and I have been really cautious so far, but this has been very insightful for understanding herniated discs. Thank You.
Thank you! This was really helpful. I had a question in regards to the glutes. Does strengthening the gluteus maximus/medius help L4-S1 disc space narrowing/bulging disc?
Thank you Dr. Frank... Completely agree with the information you gave in this video... I was 40yrs when i was diagnosed with DDD... Took 6 month of precaution as advised, then gradually started with walking on treadmill... 5 days a week for 7 km a day... I managed to loose some weight as well...Thank God ... Sir can I start running as was an athlete... And I am 42 yrs now... Kindly suggest as your advise will be crucial for me...
Hello from India 🇮🇳... Thank you very much sir for this helpful information... I have a question> Can we replace wall squat with hack squat machine? Seems it keeps spine neutral.
Thanks Doc. I replaced squats with physioball dumbbell squats against the wall. I put the dumbbell on my lap and start with the ball at about belt height. I am careful not to perform the reps below parallel, so my spine stays in neutral position. Avoiding the exercises you listed has definitely helped my back recover, even though I miss them as an experienced lifter. I am 54, and I need to take my ego out of my training. I have been lifting weights for over 40 years for strength and esthetics, not for pain and immobility.
i like the cleverness of using muscle tension and not bend the articualtiont oo much of the back the wall bench and plank is clever about keepinng spine straight but working muscle i love the logic. of course we want fluid spine but not catback squat 1000 pound xD
Thank you for this video doctor. The bulge model is the best I have ever seen. I am 52 and have been a bodybuilder for 35 years. I have damaged L4 L5 S1 vertebrae, with numerous C and T damage also. May I ask a few questions? What about smith machine squats, spine remains upright and squats can be performed, although vertical pressure is applied, curving of the spine does not occur. Leg press done where the platform is only lowered to a level where curvature of the lower spine does not take place. Sit ups on a machine with a chest pad, where the spine again remains un-curved throughout the rep range. I think this is a topic practically untouched in the training and medical field. It's all 'you can only do this' or 'don't do it at all.' Kind regards, Lee.
Thank you for your very in depth question Lee. You are right in that these questions are untouched in the literature. As I always recommend to ask your doctor who is familiar with your case for specific answers. However many people still workout with disc bulges that are chronic and actually feel better when they do. Your suggestions of altering the exercises to maintain spine curvature are very insightful and would seem to make things a lot safer. Obviously if during an exercise you feel a lot of pain, stop. But please seek out someone who understands your specific issues if you are in doubt. In general, working out is always better than being sedentary. I hope this helps.
Hi Dr. I have been diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis, can I do these exercises or do you suggest any thing else .... Appreciate your response please, thanks, happy good day ....
Thanks for sharing. I can’t answer the question specifically for you because I don’t know your case so you should ask a doctor familiar with your case. However I have patients with stenosis who do these exercises and have done very well. Always stop if pain increases! Best wishes🙏
As an ameteur cyclist I had to quit cycling because of back pain. I was having difficulties sleeping due to pain. But what saved my back were deadlifts. Just after a few weeks my pain subsided and went away. Please reconsider your advice. - I would not suggest deadlifts after an accute injury, better to heal up first. But deadlifts are actually a godsend in the recovery process. To put it simply, they kind of bulletproof the back. (And start easy of course.)
try inclined one for les weight, at the end of the day its about how much presure on your weak pain point vs muscle weight workout if you do pec press sitted you do puishup exercise with upper body but your spine stay sit and dont work to stay horizontal (relax vertical) and your arm push your slpine back striaght into the back-chair (those gym pec pushup) stabilise your back (but make the core work less than pushup due to abs keeping body striaght)
Hi Dr, I have an L5 through S1 annular tear that is causing severe sacroiliac joint pain, this is what my most recent MRI shows, I thought I broke my butt bone it was that painful because I fell on the tile straight on my sacroiliac joint, however I am 50 years old and I have 30% fat and I also have bulging discs, spondylosis and disc degenerative disease however I have been battling this pain since age 33, I wondered if I have a annular tear from L5 to S1 if it is safe to slowly build my core because my core it’s in really bad shape, I am getting my fourth ablation next month and that is the only thing keeping me off opiates, I cannot be on my feet more than five hours,When I overdo it for 8 to 10 hours I suffer for a day or two, is it safe to build my core with the annular tear next month when I am out of pain,The pain doctor says it’s OK to build the core and physical therapy didn’t work and acupuncture didn’t work until the 13th Trai of the acupuncture doctor when he started hooking up electricity to the needles , I get one or two days of relief when he does this
Talk to your doctor or therapist who understands your case first hand. Everyone has different findings that require specialized recommendations. Thanks for sharing🙏
Excellent overview! So I take it that there is no real way to build the leg muscles all that much (beyond a certain point) with L5-S1 problems as any weightlifting is pretty much out of the question?
It all depends. I have seen patients with L5-S1 problems develop very strong leg muscles in the proper time frame. Speak to your doctor or therapist as to what would be right for you. Thanks for watching 👍
I have stenosis and had a hemilectomy on my L3/4 L4/5 the pain was gone for a year, had to get steroid injections because the pain came back, another set of injections this year already and now we're I'm looking like another surgery 🤷♂️
Got some of those rubber grommets to replace your discs ....from picking up those 200 lb weights from the floor.......Have done squats filling car tires for 16 years....has helped leg strength, with the glutes....
Thank you so much for being here I truly appreciate your knowledge. Even though I feel it's way too late for me. I do have a question for you if I may....Should I not be squatting (to pick up items and such if you will) if I'm now fused from my L3 down to my sacrum? I thought I was to keep my back as straight as possible? Unfortunately I misstepped causing me to fall 6 months post-op, and has led to my L2 and L1 bulging now also my disc is slipping / shifting at my L2 and L3. Definitely devastating news that I wasn't expecting to hear just two weeks. I had mentioned in the previous video I watched, this being my second one. I've been looking for my R lower SI joint pain since 07. I stopped my search in 2010 due to the fact that I truly thought it was in my head, well that's what I was led to believe anyways! I was told in 07 that I had a tilted pelvis, and issues with my pubic symphysis. Here in 2019 since I've been in bed with the same R SI joint pain. Actually it's between my R ribs and my R iliac crest, and goes to my R pelvic bone down my whole right leg and foot. Don't even get me started on my piriformis muscle that's hard as a bone still after two injections there. I do believe my R GL muscle and R Psoas muscle is a culprit as well! You could imagine what my walking gait is, it is horrific....I can barely lift my foot to walk at times. I've been forcing myself to get out and walk to be as active as my body will let me be. So with over 30 injections in my lower back region, including R buttocks, both hips, sacrum, a tailbone ablation. I remember being hooked up to an IV at one point (the name of that procedure slips my mind) all before my two fusion's one year apart from each just a year ago now. Yes, and how can I forget about my 3 R hip, R ankle surgeries and with the fall I had causing my new spine injury, I reinjured my R ankle and now my right foot too! Just yesterday I had another R hip injection hoping it could relieve me of some pain until they can figure out my R SI joint pain so I can withstand my 5th surgery in 5 years 😔 This continues to keep me in bed since February 23rd 2019.
Thanks! I have those disc problems mentioned, but also lumbar stenosis getting severe as I have to now walk with a cane, but really should be using a walker until I can get an epidural and maybe reduce symptoms. I tried everything else I could.
Oh nooo Squats & Deadlift.... How about I do dead hang after squats and deadlift to decompress?I am healthy and doing deadlift and squat for long time, its ok for me to continue?
Hi, doctor! During a crossfit training session, I injured my lower back and the pain never went away. After an MRI, I received the following report (Minimal diffuse posterior disc bulge at L5-S1 partially obliterating the anterior epidural fat / incipient discopathy). I have a personal question I'd like to ask. Is strengthening the core the only cure for my problem?
Strengthening the core is a great start, but you should also consider finding a corrective care chiropractor who can analyze your spinal alignment to check for abnormal bio mechanical pressure in those discs.
Does it means that (for a bodybuilder), once you have a prolapsed intervertebrae disc, that is the end of his bodybuilding career? Your replacement exercise is hardly adequate for bodybuilding.
Because I do t know your specific case personally I would recommend that you speak to your doctor who is familiar with you. I can say that pull ups if tolerated are usually fine with disc issues as they work the Lats and rhomboids as well as put you into a traction which usually feels ok with disc bulge. But as I said, speak to your doctor about your case specifically.
Thank you Dr! I truly appreciate this video. My question is, why does leaning forward & to the left seem to be the only immediate pain relief I can get, but when I lean back it flares it up? ...My L5 has a 5mm fissure. I was healing & then 3 months ago it flared so bad I still can’t even stand up straight. All the PT exercises seem to aggravate it. I feel like my experience is contradictory to this information, although what you say makes sense. I would truly appreciate an answer, as you clearly know your stuff! I feel like once I can finally understand this I can heal properly. 🙏🏼
Thanks for your comment. There are exceptions to everything’. The movement that helps you is based on where your disc bulge is and sometimes movements that seem contradictory seem to work. Always stick to what makes your pain lessen. I wish you well👍
Doctor i am 39 years old and i have been diagionsed with L4 L5 buldge in MRI. I am regular runner. I run 4-5 kms a day on the running track. Can i continue my running habbit. Please respond. I shall be grateful.
I have plenty of patients who continue to run after having a bulging disc but never during the acute phase where things need to heal. However as I don’t know your case specifically, make sure you speak to your healthcare professional that can give you proper advice for your situation. Thank you for sharing👍
Hi Dr. Frank . Thanks for all the nice and usefull informations . Dear Dr I have a question : can a person with L5 - S1 disc prolapse get benefit by doing pullups and pushups as long as they are not compressing the discs ? With best regards .
Thank you for the question Sir, pull-ups and push-ups can certainly help by making you stronger overall which is always good and as you stated they do not compress the discs.
Thanks for your comment. Bicycle riding can out the back into prolonged flexion which could aggravate disc symptoms. However, everyone is different so if it feels ok for you then it should be fine. As always consult your specialist that is familiar with your condition for a specific recommendation👍
Never give up. I have had patients who have gone back to powerlifting after having a major herniated disc. Things need time to heal but make sure to work with your health practitioners who knows your case for specific recommendations. The body can heal👍
