Training with a herniated disk

[lam67]

Has anyone had a herniated disc in their back (mine is L5 S1) and still been able to train clients? If so, how long did you rest it and did you change your training style at all?

I've trained with mostly plyo and weights with my clients and I'm told to train functionally now to avoid lifting and twisting movements. I'd like to hear how anyone else dealt with this.

[Sicshift]

Has anyone had a herniated disc in their back (mine is L5 S1) and still been able to train clients? If so, how long did you rest it and did you change your training style at all?

I've trained with mostly plyo and weights with my clients and I'm told to train functionally now to avoid lifting and twisting movements. I'd like to hear how anyone else dealt with this.

I broke my back and have 4 herniated discs from getting hit by a car on my motorcycle. It got so bad, couldn't work for 5 years to be honest. Was on tons of meds for a long time. Huge amounts of painkillers. Got off everything and in less pain now than when on it. I managed to train people but it sucked.

Thing is, everyone is different when it comes to disc damage. Things can look identical person to person on an MRI, but pain can be from a 1-10 depending on each person. So it all depends on you. I did it, just avoided lifting heavy weights and took precautions. Go to a pain management specialist but also read up a lot so you don't get on some high dose of pain killers. I gained a ton of weight during the time off and now rebuilding my body. Long road, but doesn't mean that's you. It wasn't the pain that kept me from training clients so much as the mental stress of the pain in every day life. It's so dependent on each persons injury. PT and making sure you don't create muscular imbalances in yourself from favoring the injury and learning what motions cause the most pain and avoiding those is best option. You can do it for sure but do your research, get on the pain boards, the injury boards and learn from others preceding you and then make a decision.

[lam67]

I broke my back and have 4 herniated discs from getting hit by a car on my motorcycle. It got so bad, couldn't work for 5 years to be honest. Was on tons of meds for a long time. Huge amounts of painkillers. Got off everything and in less pain now than when on it. I managed to train people but it sucked.

Thing is, everyone is different when it comes to disc damage. Things can look identical person to person on an MRI, but pain can be from a 1-10 depending on each person. So it all depends on you. I did it, just avoided lifting heavy weights and took precautions. Go to a pain management specialist but also read up a lot so you don't get on some high dose of pain killers. I gained a ton of weight during the time off and now rebuilding my body. Long road, but doesn't mean that's you. It wasn't the pain that kept me from training clients so much as the mental stress of the pain in every day life. It's so dependent on each persons injury. PT and making sure you don't create muscular imbalances in yourself from favoring the injury and learning what motions cause the most pain and avoiding those is best option. You can do it for sure but do your research, get on the pain boards, the injury boards and learn from others preceding you and then make a decision.

Thanks, Sicshift - very helpful!

[untranslated]

Well you can still train other people with a herniated disc but only if they are your clients allready, new clients wont work since you would have to physically show them the movement, Dont train yourself with a herniated disc,,, ever,,,,,ever,,,,ever.

[Austinp55]

go light and be careful

[lam67]

@ Untranslated: That's my opinion, too. Not really sure how I would train a new client because of the need for visual example. People I work with are telling me to talk clients through movements, but if it's a new client they would have no idea what I'm talking about. I think it's one thing to train clients when you have a recovering knee or shoulder (which I've done), but very different if it's a back injury.

I think it's probably best to get to the point where it doesn't hurt anymore and then get back into training slowly. Right now it hurts just to stand through one session.

[jschott65]

Has anyone had a herniated disc in their back (mine is L5 S1) and still been able to train clients? If so, how long did you rest it and did you change your training style at all?

I've trained with mostly plyo and weights with my clients and I'm told to train functionally now to avoid lifting and twisting movements. I'd like to hear how anyone else dealt with this.

I've been an avid athlete and trainer since 1983 (my senior year in high school) and began to show signs of degenerative disc disease in 1999. I've had a total of 4 surgeries on my cervical spine, with fusions and multiple plates, with the last one being in 2004. I never quit working out, with the exception of a few weeks post op. I acutally began my NPC figure career 5 months after my first surgery. I went on to win many many trophies, includies 3 overall titles. I believe if you're in shape and healthy prior to these procedures you can come back really fast. Your clients will too. Unfortunately, most of our clients our deconditioned and will not rebound as fast as this.

[KyleAaron]

Watch Dan John and Mark Rippetoe videos. They coach people without demonstrating the exercises, they just use words.

Being able to demonstrate helps, but it's not essential.

[arielbackpain]

Herniated Disc Pain Relief and Treatments Guide.

Herniated discs are a major cause of disability in people under 45.
I am one of those people.
For the past 3 years I suffer L5S1 disc hernia, the most common type of hernia.
But each case is slightly different and that makes it very difficult to treat.
In my case I also have hyperlordosis, scoliosis and spina bifida.
I have been trying countless treatments and supposed cures. I was often left in disappointment but fortunately found some sources of relief.
I'm not a doctor, just a student with lots of experience with a mother which is a doctor.
At this time, despite my efforts, I have reached a point where I need surgery.
But if I have had the experience and the knowledge I have now I could have avoided this complicated situation for sure.
That's why I made a PDF with my experience and everything I’ve investigated and used to relieve my pain over the years.

I offer this guide for FREE to those who ask me by mail to this address.
dibujantesautocadrb@gmail.com

Since my insurance does not cover this type of operation I'm asking for help through the IndieGoGo platform. Through a donation you can get the PDF, “Herniated Disc Pain Relief and Treatments Guide”. Through this platform I will also answer any questions you may have about the subject.

If you share this link, make a donation or just give it a like on ******** or tweeter you’d be helping me greatly.
w w w (dot)indiegogo(dot)com/herniatesdiscrelief

There I explain who I am and where I come from, watch it if you can and share it if you like it.

[Holcster]

I recently had a ruptured disc in my C5/C6 and it was a pain. I had to put off training for awhile. It all really depends on how it effects the nerves coming out of the spine. I had my whole upper body on the left side pretty much paralyzed cuz the nerve damage. All strength pretty much zapped and my grip, bis/tris, lats, delts wouldn't fire correctly. Slowly but surely it comes back but took 3 months for me to get back into lifting on my normal split. Just take your time and have patience, you don't want to have to have surgery.

[masterjackblack]

I herniated my l4 and l5 a while back, sat around doing nothing for months and they got worse. I suggest making your core stronger, much stronger. Get your hip flexors, and lower back as mobile as possible and load ranges of movement in compound exercises where possible with no pain.

[Ak0122]

Please tell me more about your workout programs ? I have a disc problem in the L5 S1 , it has been 7 months I haven't been able to go to the gym but from what I've understood from others experiences is that i have to live with it and leaving the gym isn't gonna hell anyway , so I wanna know if u could share your program with me or maybe make one for me . It wouldn't be just for me , there are so many people like me looking for something like that

[Ronin4help]

Has anyone had a herniated disc in their back (mine is L5 S1) and still been able to train clients? If so, how long did you rest it and did you change your training style at all?

I've trained with mostly plyo and weights with my clients and I'm told to train functionally now to avoid lifting and twisting movements. I'd like to hear how anyone else dealt with this.

You asked if anyone with a herniated disc has had difficulty training clients, not if anyone has trained a client with a herniated disc. Which is it?