For those with back and disc problems, a question

[Hannathy]

Have to jump on the water exercise that others have recommended. If your Y has a water exercise class sign up but even if they don't get in the pool yourself and even just walk if you can't swim.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My mom has back issues. She is disables due to them. Water exercises do not bother her (not olympic diving or swimming, mind you ). And oddly---gardening doesn't bother her. Impact activity (including walking) and bouncing bother her. I'm not sure she could do sit ups either.

So if you can get in the water...it may work. Also if you consult a PT, they might ne able to direct you.

 

[minkydog]

I had blown my L5 disc outinto my spinal cord. A monster size hernia (biggest my surgeon had ever seen). I was in surgery 5 days after the MRI. Pain free the second I opened my eyes in the recovery room. They simply removed the ruptured part of the disc. No hardware or fusion.

Ow ow ow ow~ Glad you could get that taken care of.

 

[phorsenuf]

What exercises were you doing?

Before my herniation, I was running 2.5 miles a day and working out (hi weight) on the nautilus machines. Then the pain. Crippling, agonizing pain...down the leg. Leg and foot went numb. Chiro made it a million times worse. I couldn't sit, stand, walk, or lay down without crying in pain. My friend (a pain physician) sent me for an MRI. An hour after the test he calls me and says "Don't MOVE. I'm referring you to a surgeon. Until then, lay down and stop moving at all".

I had blown my L5 disc outinto my spinal cord. A monster size hernia (biggest my surgeon had ever seen). I was in surgery 5 days after the MRI. Pain free the second I opened my eyes in the recovery room. They simply removed the ruptured part of the disc. No hardware or fusion.

In Physical therapy post-surg I walked on the treadmill and lifted small handweights. Eventually graduated from PT only to have a setback when I returned to work on the farm. Surgeon sent me back to PT where we decided on more stretching and core stengthening and elliptical at the gym. No running or walking. Nautilus weight machines okay on LOW weight high reps.

Well me, being the brainiac I am, decided to get right into my old routine on the Wii fit. So I was doing yoga and some 'strength' exercises like leg lifts, torso twists and the plank, capped off by some hula hooping. Ya ya, not smart. Now my right leg is so bad I can hardly walk on it but I don't know if that's from the back or muscle pain.
Regardless, I guess I'll lay off those for now. I love the yoga though.
We do have a pool here where I live so I guess I could try to do some things in the pool.

I just need to add some kind of activity to help lose the weight. I'm not terribly overweight, 20 pounds or so.

3 of the discs are pushing into my nerves in my back so pretty much everything from the waist down is affected.

 

[Jennasis]

Well me, being the brainiac I am, decided to get right into my old routine on the Wii fit. So I was doing yoga and some 'strength' exercises like leg lifts, torso twists and the plank, capped off by some hula hooping. Ya ya, not smart. Now my right leg is so bad I can hardly walk on it but I don't know if that's from the back or muscle pain.
Regardless, I guess I'll lay off those for now. I love the yoga though.
We do have a pool here where I live so I guess I could try to do some things in the pool.

I just need to add some kind of activity to help lose the weight. I'm not terribly overweight, 20 pounds or so.

3 of the discs are pushing into my nerves in my back so pretty much everything from the waist down is affected.

Wow! You were busy! Gotta give yourself time to heal and then go slow. Physical therapy may be good because they will help you identify thigns you can do without hurting yourself. I'd also consult youy orthopedist about what would be a good course of action. You sound like you need low impact aerobic excercise, so that's pool work, elliptical (I HATE IT!!) or the bike.

I do 5 minutes on the elliptical (cursing like a sailor), then a circuit around all the upper body nautilus equipment plus the leg press and leg extension (low low weight high high rep) then another 5 on the elliptical then another circuit. Every week I add 2 minutes to the elliptical.