Lumbar Microdiscectomy Surgery for Herniated Disk

[greaser13]

Keep one thing in mind, pain can mask other pain. Once you get the surgery at the L5-s1 level, you may find that you have pain stemming from the L4-5 level plus the degeneration that affects the levels listed.

Good point. It wouldn't surprise me if something else was out of whack but it just seems like background noise now.

 

[greaser13]

I had a Lumbar Microdiscectomy Surgery for a Herniated Disc at L5-S1. 6 months later the remaining part of the disc collapsed putting pressure on the nerves once again. I had to get that level fused. This led to adjacent levels herniating and multiple level fusion surgeries. You’ll need to give up exercises like heavy squats, rows, and deadlifts or you’ll probably be looking at fusion. If you take care of your back it may do very well after the surgery.

Ugh, that sounds awful! Were you doing those exercises after surgery and if so, do you think that's what caused the collapse?

 

[whacked]

Not to be Debbie-downer (and I’m in the same camp probably headed for surgery at some point myself) but when you read the prognoses 2 years out from Surgery it’s very dismal and u impressive.

I’ve read that in the majority of surgeries, 50% saw no improvement (or the pain returned) after 2 years. Those are some very disappointing results/stats.

Perhaps those poor outcomes more typically occur in the lazy obese unhealthy slobs ….but still. It doesn’t exactly make me overly optimistic for having to go through such a crappy surgery to begin with. Lol.

 

[headtrainer]

Ugh, that sounds awful! Were you doing those exercises after surgery and if so, do you think that's what caused the collapse?

No, I was not doing those exercises after surgery. I believe stomach crunches caused it to collapse.

 

[greaser13]

No, I was not doing those exercises after surgery. I believe stomach crunches caused it to collapse.

Man, that is awful. How are you doing now after the spinal fusion?

 

[Bio]

Not to be Debbie-downer (and I’m in the same camp probably headed for surgery at some point myself) but when you read the prognoses 2 years out from Surgery it’s very dismal and u impressive.

I’ve read that in the majority of surgeries, 50% saw no improvement (or the pain returned) after 2 years. Those are some very disappointing results/stats.

Perhaps those poor outcomes more typically occur in the lazy obese unhealthy slobs ….but still. It doesn’t exactly make me overly optimistic for having to go through such a crappy surgery to begin with. Lol.

That's part of the issue, you don't know what shape the people are in prior to surgery and what they do for recovery after the surgery. All of us are a different group of people. We get up and go to the torture chamber without anyone telling us too. We just do it because we're a bunch of sick fucks! I've been through so many PT sessions prior to and after surgery. They have their moment but for the most part, none of those sessions stand up to a grueling workout.

@greaser13 if you don't know, most of my neck is fused, C3-T1, and L4-L5s1 are fused. I also have Ankylosing Spondylitis, which is responsible for some of my cervical fusion. I haven't squatted or deadlifted in many years. I keep telling myself it's time to start light and see what I can do with those lifts...we'll see. I'm 54 and I've accepted where I'm at with everything. Upper is still decent and I'm still fairly strong.

 

[greaser13]

Not to be Debbie-downer (and I’m in the same camp probably headed for surgery at some point myself) but when you read the prognoses 2 years out from Surgery it’s very dismal and u impressive.

I’ve read that in the majority of surgeries, 50% saw no improvement (or the pain returned) after 2 years. Those are some very disappointing results/stats.

Perhaps those poor outcomes more typically occur in the lazy obese unhealthy slobs ….but still. It doesn’t exactly make me overly optimistic for having to go through such a crappy surgery to begin with. Lol.

I've looked at a few studies so far and they seem to be all over the place, but it's still not very reassuring. However, given the physical condition of the average American, you're probably right that most of the patients are sedentary and obese -- or at least borderline. I would definitely suffer through the pain and try more conservative therapies if it wasn't for the risk that my sciatic nerve might actually die from strangulation, leaving me with a gimpy leg for the rest of my life.

 

[greaser13]

That's part of the issue, you don't know what shape the people are in prior to surgery and what they do for recovery after the surgery. All of us are a different group of people. We get up and go to the torture chamber without anyone telling us too. We just do it because we're a bunch of sick fucks! I've been through so many PT sessions prior to and after surgery. They have their moment but for the most part, none of those sessions stand up to a grueling workout.

@greaser13 if you don't know, most of my neck is fused, C3-T1, and L4-L5s1 are fused. I also have Ankylosing Spondylitis, which is responsible for some of my cervical fusion. I haven't squatted or deadlifted in many years. I keep telling myself it's time to start light and see what I can do with those lifts...we'll see. I'm 54 and I've accepted where I'm at with everything. Upper is still decent and I'm still fairly strong.

Damn brother -- I didn't know your medical history. That must have been Hell to go through!
You're right though: the average person will circle a parking lot for 20 minutes to avoid walking 100 yards and that's probably who the majority of these surgeries are done on. They are not like us.
You seem to be at peace with the reality of the situation which must help. I'm still at the stage where I'm processing everything and wondering if I'll spend the rest of my life worrying every time I pick up something heavy. It's pretty overwhelming.

Can I ask what you do for lower body? I've been doing Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells to avoid (directly) compressing my spine. I f'ing hate them but I think they're helping slow the decline in my legs.

 

[Bio]

Damn brother -- I didn't know your medical history. That must have been Hell to go through!
You're right though: the average person will circle a parking lot for 20 minutes to avoid walking 100 yards and that's probably who the majority of these surgeries are done on. They are not like us.
You seem to be at peace with the reality of the situation which must help. I'm still at the stage where I'm processing everything and wondering if I'll spend the rest of my life worrying every time I pick up something heavy. It's pretty overwhelming.

Can I ask what you do for lower body? I've been doing Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells to avoid (directly) compressing my spine. I f'ing hate them but I think they're helping slow the decline in my legs.

In the last couple of years I've only done a few leg workouts. Due to the AS I've been struggling with a very inflamed right SI joint which causes bursitis and quite a bit of pain in general. I'm okay with where I'm at now and the longer cargo shorts hide the atrophied quads and hams...oddly, calves are still ok. The other day I went to the bank in shorts and a tank top, the security guard said, "I'm sure you hear this all the time but you're jacked!" Trust me, I'm not jacked by bodybuilding standards, the average person...yeah, but not bodybuilding. So, as long as I still get comments like that, I'm good where I'm at.

 

[greaser13]

In the last couple of years I've only done a few leg workouts. Due to the AS I've been struggling with a very inflamed right SI joint which causes bursitis and quite a bit of pain in general. I'm okay with where I'm at now and the longer cargo shorts hide the atrophied quads and hams...oddly, calves are still ok. The other day I went to the bank in shorts and a tank top, the security guard said, "I'm sure you hear this all the time but you're jacked!" Trust me, I'm not jacked by bodybuilding standards, the average person...yeah, but not bodybuilding. So, as long as I still get comments like that, I'm good where I'm at.

It's funny how much a compliment from a random person will make you feel better about everything!
I'm glad you're good with where you're at, but the pain still sounds pretty rough. My calves have always been shit even when I could train pain free to you've got me there!

 

[lookslikesausage]

In the last couple of years I've only done a few leg workouts. Due to the AS I've been struggling with a very inflamed right SI joint which causes bursitis and quite a bit of pain in general. I'm okay with where I'm at now and the longer cargo shorts hide the atrophied quads and hams...oddly, calves are still ok. The other day I went to the bank in shorts and a tank top, the security guard said, "I'm sure you hear this all the time but you're jacked!" Trust me, I'm not jacked by bodybuilding standards, the average person...yeah, but not bodybuilding. So, as long as I still get comments like that, I'm good where I'm at.

the few times you've trained lower body, what was your pain level (if any) like after the workouts? Me for example, before my microdiscectomy, any time I did my lower body, didn't matter if it was just bodyweight only squats, bodyweight lunges, GHR, just bodyweight shit, didn't matter, I'd still get some degree of low back pain. Wasn't unbearable but it wasn't comfortable either and it was a given that it would happen literally every time no matter what. I still get it now too, just not nearly as bad. I still haven't put a loaded bar across my back or done any variation of deadlifts and I'm not sure at this point that I will. I know that I'm grateful I'm able to wrestle a few times a week now and that's all I can ask for.

 

[TrippplePPP]

Ugh, that sounds awful! Were you doing those exercises after surgery and if so, do you think that's what caused the collapse?

If one level is fused the other above and below level generally get more force through then than prior to the fusion leading to accelerated degeneration. All activity would lead to this and not just one thing. But the more force applied to your body the greater the repercussion.

 

[TrippplePPP]

the few times you've trained lower body, what was your pain level (if any) like after the workouts? Me for example, before my microdiscectomy, any time I did my lower body, didn't matter if it was just bodyweight only squats, bodyweight lunges, GHR, just bodyweight shit, didn't matter, I'd still get some degree of low back pain. Wasn't unbearable but it wasn't comfortable either and it was a given that it would happen literally every time no matter what. I still get it now too, just not nearly as bad. I still haven't put a loaded bar across my back or done any variation of deadlifts and I'm not sure at this point that I will. I know that I'm grateful I'm able to wrestle a few times a week now and that's all I can ask for.

I agree with you. I have lumbar issues but never had a surgery. I don't see a reason to do heavy squats or any deadlifting. For the amount of benefit the compression on your spine its not worth it. I wish I could go back and tell my younger self to lower the weight overall with my leg workouts and deads. I get great workouts now but do a lot of one leg exercises and bodyweight movements. Im 40 and don't have my 20 year old tree trunk legs but my legs nice for my age and I rarely see kids 20 years younger in the gym with as nice of a set.

 

[Bio]

the few times you've trained lower body, what was your pain level (if any) like after the workouts? Me for example, before my microdiscectomy, any time I did my lower body, didn't matter if it was just bodyweight only squats, bodyweight lunges, GHR, just bodyweight shit, didn't matter, I'd still get some degree of low back pain. Wasn't unbearable but it wasn't comfortable either and it was a given that it would happen literally every time no matter what. I still get it now too, just not nearly as bad. I still haven't put a loaded bar across my back or done any variation of deadlifts and I'm not sure at this point that I will. I know that I'm grateful I'm able to wrestle a few times a week now and that's all I can ask for.

For me it's the pain from Ankylosing Spondylitis. I have arthritis in the knees, spine, etc from it along with the SI Joint issue. I've been dealing with it for 37 years, so at 54 I'm at the point where things that cause me too much pain just aren't worth it. I'll get back to doing some type of leg workout and it will be trial and error to figure out what works.

 

[TrippplePPP]

For me it's the pain from Ankylosing Spondylitis. I have arthritis in the knees, spine, etc from it along with the SI Joint issue. I've been dealing with it for 37 years, so at 54 I'm at the point where things that cause me too much pain just aren't worth it. I'll get back to doing some type of leg workout and it will be trial and error to figure out what works.

I would start with some planks, lying straight leg raises, lateral lying leg raise, on hands/knees leg kick backs. Progress to doing this standing (except the kickbacks) and then do some ball against the wall and back against ball squats with limited ROM. Add a couple foot circles and dorsi/plantar flexions and you got a nice well rounded leg and hip workout that should spare your spine and knees.

 

[headtrainer]

Man, that is awful. How are you doing now after the spinal fusion?

I have less pain but I still hurt.

 

[headtrainer]

I would start with some planks, lying straight leg raises, lateral lying leg raise, on hands/knees leg kick backs. Progress to doing this standing (except the kickbacks) and then do some ball against the wall and back against ball squats with limited ROM. Add a couple foot circles and dorsi/plantar flexions and you got a nice well rounded leg and hip workout that should spare your spine and knees.

Never do straight leg raises if you have lower back problems. Kick backs on the knees are worthless. The best exercise is walking after the disc material is removed from the nerve root.

 

[headtrainer]

In the last couple of years I've only done a few leg workouts. Due to the AS I've been struggling with a very inflamed right SI joint which causes bursitis and quite a bit of pain in general. I'm okay with where I'm at now and the longer cargo shorts hide the atrophied quads and hams...oddly, calves are still ok. The other day I went to the bank in shorts and a tank top, the security guard said, "I'm sure you hear this all the time but you're jacked!" Trust me, I'm not jacked by bodybuilding standards, the average person...yeah, but not bodybuilding. So, as long as I still get comments like that, I'm good where I'm at.

I now have arachnoiditis in my l-5/s1 are from past surges causing scar tissue build up. It makes training legs a challenge, and then some. I hope you don’t develop it.

 

[TrippplePPP]

Never do straight leg raises if you have lower back problems. Kick backs on the knees are worthless. The best exercise is walking after the disc material is removed from the nerve root.

I agree that walking is one of the most important exercises for spine and what you should do if you cannot do anything else. I often ask the doctors and PTs I work with what would be there #1 exercise to recommend to any patient with a spine issue and I get various answers. But my answer was always walking and slow marching. But to disregard both straight leg raises and kick backs makes no senes. If you cannot do either or find benefit from either then you have some sort of dysfunction somewhere along the line allowing for these to effect you negatively. I look at it as if the dysfunction is the issue and not the exercise.

 

[headtrainer]

I agree that walking is one of the most important exercises for spine and what you should do if you cannot do anything else. I often ask the doctors and PTs I work with what would be there #1 exercise to recommend to any patient with a spine issue and I get various answers. But my answer was always walking and slow marching. But to disregard both straight leg raises and kick backs makes no senes. If you cannot do either or find benefit from either then you have some sort of dysfunction somewhere along the line allowing for these to effect you negatively. I look at it as if the dysfunction is the issue and not the exercise.

How many back surgeries have you had?