2-month post-disc problem: any advice for the getting-back-into-it process?

[yourfuzzybear]

Was on a solid bulk through September and early October until I had some intense leg numbness and achey-ness down my legs. Not sure what did it, but I think it was multiple reasons (not the best deadlift form while doing heavy weight on multiple occasions, poor posture, etc.) Saw a couple doctor's. First said it was probably a herniated disc; second said it was 50/50 bulging or muscular. Went to physical therapy, and it's much better now. Doing PT twice a day (foam rolling/stretching hamstrings/it bands seems to do the trick), and I'm just now getting into the returning to lifting process.

So my physical therapist said to make sure my spine is neutral on all lifts, but I thought I'd try and get opinions from everyone else here. ie. So I shouldn't arch my back at all while benching? Should I just try and retract my scapula on the bench and press with or without arch in my back? Should I avoid most standing overhead exercises? All general advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, just made this account today, so I'm sorry not sorry if I posted this wrong or some **** idk.

[dmacdonal9]

Based on my own experience with 2 herniated discs:

Spinal flexion (rounded lower back) is to be avoided, but arching (spinal extension) during a bench press or OHP for instance is not an issue. I did find though that the spinal compression from OHP was a bit of an issue until I was fully recovered (caused a little numbness and tightness that I didn't like). It's was fine after a few months though.

Always retract shoulders when benching.

[yourfuzzybear]

Based on my own experience with 2 herniated discs:

Spinal flexion (rounded lower back) is to be avoided, but arching (spinal extension) during a bench press or OHP for instance is not an issue. I did find though that the spinal compression from OHP was a bit of an issue until I was fully recovered (caused a little numbness and tightness that I didn't like). It's was fine after a few months though.

Always retract shoulders when benching.

Thank you, that helps a lot. So can you do standing barbell overhead press now that you're recovered? Or do you avoid that completely now? I did seated dumbbell arnold press last week, and the next morning my back and legs were extremely stiff and sore - it was hard to stand up straight, but I was fine after doing my usual physical therapy (foam rolling back/hips/stretching ITB's and hamstrings). Was this the case for you? How do you feel about weight lifting belts on shoulder days? Sorry to bombard you with questions, I've been trying to ask people who've had herniated discs how they've gotten back into lifting for a while now lol

[dmacdonal9]

Thank you, that helps a lot. So can you do standing barbell overhead press now that you're recovered? Or do you avoid that completely now? I did seated dumbbell arnold press last week, and the next morning my back and legs were extremely stiff and sore - it was hard to stand up straight, but I was fine after doing my usual physical therapy (foam rolling back/hips/stretching ITB's and hamstrings). Was this the case for you? How do you feel about weight lifting belts on shoulder days? Sorry to bombard you with questions, I've been trying to ask people who've had herniated discs how they've gotten back into lifting for a while now lol

Yeah, standing OHP is fine now. I just had to do them seated for a couple months till I was all good. If you're hurting after doing them you probably need to drop the weight back.

My squat and deadlift were the most affected lifts obviously. With squats I had to drop the weight way back to 95 lbs and build up again slowly. Took about 9 months to get back to my previous max, about 290.

I dropped conventional deadlifts for about a year and I did RDLs during that time. Pretty light at first but progressed quickly. Then I went back to conventional deadlifts and progressed there as well. I took that super slow and I'm only now back to pre-injury numbers, 2 years later.

I've always worn a belt for nearly all lifts. I've dug into that question a fair bit and the arguments for not wearing one seem extremely flimsy to me. If nothing else, the proprioception effect re: your own form is reason enough to wear one nearly all the time.

[yourfuzzybear]

Yeah, standing OHP is fine now. I just had to do them seated for a couple months till I was all good. If you're hurting after doing them you probably need to drop the weight back.

My squat and deadlift were the most affected lifts obviously. With squats I had to drop the weight way back to 95 lbs and build up again slowly. Took about 9 months to get back to my previous max, about 290.

I dropped conventional deadlifts for about a year and I did RDLs during that time. Pretty light at first but progressed quickly. Then I went back to conventional deadlifts and progressed there as well. I took that super slow and I'm only now back to pre-injury numbers, 2 years later.

I've always worn a belt for nearly all lifts. I've dug into that question a fair bit and the arguments for not wearing one seem extremely flimsy to me. If nothing else, the proprioception effect re: your own form is reason enough to wear one nearly all the time.

Thanks a lot!

[Noah_82]

I popped my l5/s1 in 2009, had surgery in 2010.

during that time it was ruptured I continued to lift on it but paid for it. It was painful.

Yours might be in the same area, the spinal cord exits the vertebrae and branches down your legs, and the disk is pressing the nerve against the tissues in that area. once you warm up the muscles the pressure is less against the disk, so it feels better.

all the topical analgesics can help, keep on with the stretching and such.

How painful was it at its worst? anyone suggest an mri? (mine was misdiagnosed as muscle sprain and I continued to lift heavy for months before going to see a better doc)

[yourfuzzybear]

I popped my l5/s1 in 2009, had surgery in 2010.

during that time it was ruptured I continued to lift on it but paid for it. It was painful.

Yours might be in the same area, the spinal cord exits the vertebrae and branches down your legs, and the disk is pressing the nerve against the tissues in that area. once you warm up the muscles the pressure is less against the disk, so it feels better.

all the topical analgesics can help, keep on with the stretching and such.

How painful was it at its worst? anyone suggest an mri? (mine was misdiagnosed as muscle sprain and I continued to lift heavy for months before going to see a better doc)

I never ended up getting an MRI. My sport's doctor recommended PT and if it helped I would slowly get back into lifting; if it didn't help, I would need an MRI. He originally suspected it to be 50/50 muscular or bulging disc, not herniated. But my physical therapist mentioned it as a herniated disc and so forth. It was never really that painful, just very persistent, achey, nagging, annoying. Never like 'holy **** pain', at it worst more like 'aw, ****' pain if you catch my drift lol. So it could be that it was never a herniated disc, but I have to treat it like it was one and approach things very slowly just to be safe. What kind of "topical analgesics" would you suggest? How are you with lifting now?

[Noah_82]

I never ended up getting an MRI. My sport's doctor recommended PT and if it helped I would slowly get back into lifting; if it didn't help, I would need an MRI. He originally suspected it to be 50/50 muscular or bulging disc, not herniated. But my physical therapist mentioned it as a herniated disc and so forth. It was never really that painful, just very persistent, achey, nagging, annoying. Never like 'holy **** pain', at it worst more like 'aw, ****' pain if you catch my drift lol. So it could be that it was never a herniated disc, but I have to treat it like it was one and approach things very slowly just to be safe. What kind of "topical analgesics" would you suggest? How are you with lifting now?

freeze it, bio freeze, mr. zims are a few that I prefer. they all have menthol as the main ingredient. and have the cool soothing effect. most effective after a shower (pores all opened up)
tiger balm is all camphor and provides a warm heat.

I set my max pr's after having the surgery. Still feel it tho, and some days have the numbness down the left leg. The biggest pita is the void left since the disc nucleus all dried up, I can feel the two vertebrae shifting somedays. i'd get the surgery again in a heartbeat.

and I second the belt. helps me focus more on keeping a tight core.

[yourfuzzybear]

freeze it, bio freeze, mr. zims are a few that I prefer. they all have menthol as the main ingredient. and have the cool soothing effect. most effective after a shower (pores all opened up)
tiger balm is all camphor and provides a warm heat.

I set my max pr's after having the surgery. Still feel it tho, and some days have the numbness down the left leg. The biggest pita is the void left since the disc nucleus all dried up, I can feel the two vertebrae shifting somedays. i'd get the surgery again in a heartbeat.

and I second the belt. helps me focus more on keeping a tight core.

Sounds like your situation was pretty major compared to mine. Thank you for the input. Is there any major thing that triggers the numbness or sciatica? One last thing, do you wear the belt for heavy compound lifts or during entire shoulder workouts or what/when?

[Noah_82]

Sounds like your situation was pretty major compared to mine. Thank you for the input. Is there any major thing that triggers the numbness or sciatica? One last thing, do you wear the belt for heavy compound lifts or during entire shoulder workouts or what/when?

somedays I have a vertebrae out of place, and i'll have numbness, but cracking my spine usually gets rid of it. so far the best thing for me was 4months off for a shoulder surgery, during which I did body weight squats concentrating solely on form, and keeping knees out (hips open), and getting back into it starting off real light weight working back slowly, sans ego.
right now I wear the belt for my heaviest sets for squats and deads (running madcow's 5x5's). overheads I perform seated (stupid 7' basement ceilings). If your back is bugging you doing standing overhead work, wear the belt, it won't hurt anything.

[yourfuzzybear]

somedays I have a vertebrae out of place, and i'll have numbness, but cracking my spine usually gets rid of it. so far the best thing for me was 4months off for a shoulder surgery, during which I did body weight squats concentrating solely on form, and keeping knees out (hips open), and getting back into it starting off real light weight working back slowly, sans ego.
right now I wear the belt for my heaviest sets for squats and deads (running madcow's 5x5's). overheads I perform seated (stupid 7' basement ceilings). If your back is bugging you doing standing overhead work, wear the belt, it won't hurt anything.

Great advice bro, I really appreciate it so thank you. I spoke with my PT on the phone last night, and he said similar things in terms of frequency of wearing the belt. I hope you continue be injury free and your numbness/pain eventually completely goes away.