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Hello, need some insight. about 1 year ago i started having heavy feelings in my legs when i would walk or exercise,then got worse to pain in back and then all they way down leg with numbing in the foot. went to ortho,mri shows herniation of L5 but the big thing is the herniation is causing nerve issues,hence the pain going down the leg,so this has stopped me from doing any kind of activity anything i do causes pain from sitting to walking to standing too long. so been trying to keep myself active by doing floor exercises but i really don't think that is working or doing anything,after weeks of PT which did nothing except drain my pocketbook im now going for the Steroid shot in the back. hoping this works what cardio activity a few days after should i start? Im going to start walking again which i really loved doing,and hoping to get back into my aerobics and step. but since this I've gained so much weight,im 46 and even eating healthy it just doesn't come off as quickly anymore.Thanks
Clear whatever you choose with your doctor. Swimming would be best to relieve excess weight from joints and for the calorie burn. You may gain weight from the steroid therapy. Make sure you read up on long term use of steroids for therapy and the affect it can have on the body. Start counting calories. You can overeat healthy food and have it cause weight gain.
I have a herniated disc at a my L5S1...the best thing is to move around...but do it slowly without any impact on your lumbar.
My neuro refused to do shots, (cause more harm than good) and said surgery is only about 30% effective. He told me to get active, build my core and forget about doing anything where I have to sit for long periods (long flights, long drives) without taking breaks and to forget about doing sit ups..too much pressure on the lower lumbar.
This too shall pass..I know it's a pain ( literally) but losing weight and staying active has helped me a lot. The disc will heal, it just takes time
i do move around, that's when its worse, i cant even walk through the mall anymore. i went the other day thinking i would be OK not more than five minutes walking the pain down my leg and in my hip area was unbearable,i felt so bad for my daughter cause were dress shopping for sweet sixteen party she's attending and I just couldn't handle it,every five minutes i had to sit down or bend over at the hips to get relief and that was after i took 3 Aleve's. My family thinks i'm nuts cause some days its not so bad and others its terrible,the pain is so bad that i start sweating and get really hot. I'm just hoping these shots work. I don't have the luxury of joining a gym with a pool right now and don't know anyone with a pool.
I have a herniated disc at a my L5S1...the best thing is to move around...but do it slowly without any impact on your lumbar.
My neuro refused to do shots, (cause more harm than good) and said surgery is only about 30% effective. He told me to get active, build my core and forget about doing anything where I have to sit for long periods (long flights, long drives) without taking breaks and to forget about doing sit ups..too much pressure on the lower lumbar.
This too shall pass..I know it's a pain ( literally) but losing weight and staying active has helped me a lot. The disc will heal, it just takes time
its not so much the herniation but the bulging on the nerve that is doing the most damage,my ortho told me that if you were to give 100 people an MRI without any symptoms of pain about half would have a herniation and wouldn't even know it,its when the herniation is affecting the nerve which it is big time.
It's great to hear that you want to continue your workout plans. First go for some easy stretching sort of exercises which do not exaggerate your pain. Consult a physician; he can advise you better in terms of physical activities. And also running is a good low impact activity which can help you more.
No, no, no! Running is the worst thing you can do with an L5 herniation. That's what I have. I did six weeks of physical therapy which included heat therapy on the lower back, then stretching the spine (think of a stretch where the feet are pulled and the upper body are pulled). It helped to get the herniation off the nerve. If you have a herniated disc, you need to keep one foot on the ground at a time. No jumping. When you run, you are airborne - both feet are off the ground. And when you land, your spine collapses onto the herniation. Ouch! I was given exercises to do at home to strengthen both my lower back and my abs. It is very important to have strong abs. Walking is great exercise. I find if I sit too long, my back starts to ache.
I'm curious to know if either of the posters with the disc herniation are doing better now? I herniated L5/S1 right around the 1st of August and it's been a long road. I'm still experiencing quite a bit of pain, which is impacting my lifestyle. I've had two epidural steroid injections, as well as PT and acupuncture. My pain was moving out of my leg and into my sacrum, but recently I've had a flare up and it's now back in my leg. I'm incredibly frustrated, I've gained close to 10 pounds, and feeling like I may be living like this for the foreseeable future.
I'm curious to know if either of the posters with the disc herniation are doing better now? I herniated L5/S1 right around the 1st of August and it's been a long road. I'm still experiencing quite a bit of pain, which is impacting my lifestyle. I've had two epidural steroid injections, as well as PT and acupuncture. My pain was moving out of my leg and into my sacrum, but recently I've had a flare up and it's now back in my leg. I'm incredibly frustrated, I've gained close to 10 pounds, and feeling like I may be living like this for the foreseeable future.
I'm pain free and have been for years because I followed my drs advice. It take times to heal a herniated disc and the pain is off the charts.
The best thing is not to sit in one place for a long time without moving..you need to move...the best thing I did was walk.
I workout everyday now and have no pain whatsoever...I also horseback ride without pain..but I right English and post so my butt rarely touches the saddle. My legs however scream when I'm done
I'm pain free and have been for years because I followed my drs advice. It take times to heal a herniated disc and the pain is off the charts.
The best thing is not to sit in one place for a long time without moving..you need to move...the best thing I did was walk.
I workout everyday now and have no pain whatsoever...I also horseback ride without pain..but I right English and post so my butt rarely touches the saddle. My legs however scream when I'm done
Thanks Kim in FL for your advice. I've definitely been listening to my doctor, not doing anything I shouldn't be, and exercising (I actually didn't even realize where I posted this thread as I just searched for herniated disc). I am going to PT twice a week and walk every single day, often 2-3 times a day for at least 20-25 minutes each time. It's just been almost 6 months and I'm still feeling only 40-50% better. I'm missing all my favorite winter activities, and I'm nervous I will miss summer activities too. Just wanted an idea of how long I can expect this kind of pain and when I can start doing my regular activities again. I don't miss the housework, but I do miss skiing, biking and hiking.
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