# L5-S1 disc herniation - Any positive recovery feedback?



## MisterClean (Jul 1, 2004)

Not sure what caused my herniation. But I need to hear some positive recovery stories. There are some depressing lumbar injury threads here 

I rode a century at the end of September, 2017. 102 miles and 9k feet of climbing. Was feeling some mild sciatic pain so I quit riding and concentrated on stretching (Was worried it was RSI-related). And I was burnt out on riding/training anyway.

Also shifted focus to finish remodeling the stairs in my house. Had a fall backwards on said stairs. I stepped into a hole where I had pulled off a tread and my right leg got pinned under my body weight. It didn't really hurt at the time. I was more pissed than anything.

Three days later, I can't move (This is mid-November). Any movement caused excruciating sciatic pain down my right leg. For the two weeks waiting for Doc appt and MRI, I couldn't sit and couldn't lay down. I could only pace/shuffle around. At most, I would lay down in one certain position for two hours due to complete exhaustion, then spent 15 minutes in excruciating pain trying to get back upright again. Hands and arms started hurting from bracing myself on my desk/counters, etc. FYI, even the most powerful drug does NOTHING for nerve pain. there's no relief for that. Opiates? Nope, Dilaudid? nope... mind you I felt no back pain... it was all pinched nerve pain manifesting itself down my right glute, back of the thigh and into my calf.

MRI confirmed a severely herniated L5-S1 disk. and a mild L4-L5 bulge.

I did get one Cortizone shot which was also excruciating due to existing nerve pressure in the area, but it did eventually help reduce swelling and allow things to start healing. As you start to heal, the pain transitions from nerve pain in the leg to actual localized pain in the back, which can then be treated with NSAIDs.. 800MG ibuprofin 3x per day.

Fast forward 8 weeks with a great PT and I feel pretty good compared to where I was. Medication is down to one aleve twice per day now. 

Last week, PT had me running on a treadmill for 6 minutes! No back or Sciatic pain during the run, but man am I out of shape! Muscles were pissed off.

This week, PT guys put my road bike on a resistance trainer. I can feel a wee bit of sciatic pain when pedalling if I don't concentrate on keeping a flat back. I will stick to resistance trainer for the road bike. I don't need the shock from riding those skinny tires on pavement.

I'll start recovery rides on my MTB probably on fire roads. So glad I went with a 27.5+ as my latest MTB. Those 3" tires with 15 PSi should be pretty forgiving on top of full suspension.

Day-to-day, I feel great but a wrong move and I feel a pinch in my back and mild nerve pain radiating into my legs to my heels. 

Dr said it will take 8-10 moths for any bulge or herniation to get absorbed by the body... That's what we are hoping for.

Anyway, feel free to leave your positive Disc herniation recovery story. or stay tuned and hopefully mine will continue to be positive over time


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## MidnightFattie (Jun 13, 2017)

Look up Stuart McGill, he is considered by some to be a leading expert on using exercise to heal spinal injuries. 

Consider adjusting your cockpit for shorter reach, higher bars. Make sure your seat is not angled too far back, rotating your sacrum backwards. This will help keep your spine from rounding and keep your spine stacked up better to absorb impacts. 

Beware of the prevailing, western medicine treatment methods; opiates, epidurals, and surgery. Surgical outcomes are often very poor, opiates can destroy your life, and epidurals only numb the pain. Explore ways you can get the spine decompressed and into better alignment, through exercise and stretching. 

When your back is flaring up, take note of your posture or whatever you are doing that is aggravating it. I can be as simple as the seated position in your car, or the way you are lounging on the couch.


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## MisterClean (Jul 1, 2004)

Thanks, I'll look him up. I agree that western medicine is too quick to surgery and I have seen a lot of negative feedback around simple back surgeries gone very wrong... I'll try to stay out of that... Luckily, I seem to have no addictive tendencies so while I have taken opiates, it's only here and there as needed and for the right type of pain and not regularly.


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## Xterra123 (Apr 22, 2017)

Yes my friend in many cases it can heal on its own. The hardest thing is to be patient and figure out what works for you. Everybody is different. Be willing to experiment, listen to your body and determine what works for you. In my situation exercises that worked for the majority of people made mine worse and things like lite running which I had a doctor told me never to do actually made it feel better. 

At it's worst I had numbness in both feet and the occasionally sensation of wetting my pants. Body did heal itself. Got better very gradually over 2 years. It was a psychological battle as much as anything and I never dreamed I would be back to this level. Still have occasional very minor symptoms. Have done 4 half Ironman triathlons since hitting rock bottom. 

Hang in there!


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