Starting from the bottom

[mehaffek]

Hi, I'm starting this thread to chronicle my journey from a low back disc issue to supermuscularity. In the beginning this log is going to be more about me trying to rehab my back and the effectiveness of various methods than it is about my new PR's

Quick stats: 23 y.o. 210-220 lbs (14% bf or thereabouts)
Gear history: 2 test-e cycles, one lasting 10 weeks and then a year later decided If I use I were going to go about it as a long term goal using blasts and cruises (100-200mg/week)

The injury: l4/l5 paracentral disc protrusion and some possible extruded disc material

Symptoms:sciatic pain for 5 years that has come and gone to various degrees until this most recent flare up that has effectively shut me down for 3 months. Numbness, tingling, pain sitting are all new with this most recent flare up.

Training history: Fucking around with weights for 3 years before settling on the DC method where I had absolutely marvelous results up until a few months ago when I hurt my back at the job and stopped all lifting and gear.

My plan for rehabilitating this injury will change based on my mri results I get next week (I have had a c.t. scan done) but for now include weight loss, stretching and mobility work and non-invasive therapies such as chiropractic.
Questions or input are all appreciated, thank you for reading. Peace

 

[mehaffek]

MRI results

I got the MRI results back which I'll copy below. I've gone to a chiro with a traction machine for decompression for the first time today and it seemed to offer some temporary relief. Other than that not much has changed. I've been doing some very light cardio either jogging or biking and getting my friend to help stretch my hamstring into the pain. So far, I'd say minimal progress has been made but i can sit for longer periods now before it starts to get too uncomfortable. Feeling like I do and relating it to flare ups I've had in the past I'm optimistic I'll be lifting again by october.
Light strengthening of the lower back continues to be hard to do due to my extremely limited capacity for forward bending.

"Alignment and vertebral body heights appear within normal limits. The lumbar spinal canal is developmentally somewhat narrowed. The conus has a normal appearance at the L1 level.
Due to the developmentally shortened pedicles, there is mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing at L1/L2 L2/L3 and L3/L4. Minimal annular bulging at these levels without a focal disc protrusion. No significant spinal stenosis at these levels.
At l4/l5 there is a small to moderate broad-based left paracentral disc extrusion with some superior extension of disc material in the left anterior epidural space. This does cause mild to moderate encroachment on the left lateral recess and left L5 nerve root sheath. There is likely mild to moderate right-sided lateral recess narrowing at this level as well. At least moderate left-sided neural foraminal narrowing at L4/L5 and mild right-sided neural foraminal narrowing as well. No significant spinal stenosis. The disc protrusion/extrusion does come in contact with the left L5 nerve root sheath as it exits the thecal sac and in the thecal sac with some mild inferior displacement of the left L5 nerve root sheath and the thecal sac.
At least mild left greater than right degenerative facet changes at L5/S1.
The L5/S1 level demonstrates a moderate to large left posterolateral disc extrusion into the left lateral epidural space and left lateral recess. This effaces the left lateral recess and causes significant encroachment on the left S1 nerve root sheath. Significant right lateral recess narrowing is not identified. At least moderate right-sided neural foraminal narrowing at L5/S1 as well."

Surgery remains an option and next I'll be looking for a consultation when my GP returns from vacation next week. Ideally I'd like to manage the pain with more conservative methods and continue training whilst keeping an eye on future flare ups rather than proceed with surgery