Keep hurting my lower back any tips so this will stop.

S

SonnyCrockett

FNG
Joined
Jan 14, 2024
Would love any help or ideas on my back issues. It started a couple years ago. I couldn't stand up straight with lower back pain after just bending down and picking up a roll of paper towels. It lasted about a week. Didn't happen again for about 8 months. I have no problem carrying a backpack and walking long distances in the woods etc. So after it happening more frequently I went and got an MRI and met with the back dr. They said it would happen more freuently and eventually I would need surgery to fix it. I was like WHAT???!!! Ive always taken care of myself. Been fit and exercised, lift weights and nothing too heavy to harm my back. 43 years old 6'4 and 195lbs. Went to physical therapy and have been doing the stretches everyday since but still my back keeps going out and I can't do things for a few weeks or longer. Sometimes I can hardly walk.
I don't want surgery anytime soon if possible. What else can I do? I stretch my hamstrings well, do cat and cow, dog birds etc and spend about 45 mins stretching but still getting hurt and happening more frequently. Here is a pic of one MRI pic showing discs and the interpretation. Any tips to keep this from happening would be helpful. PT said working my oblique abs would strengthen it and protect it but hasn't helped. I am not the type of person who is ok not being fully functional. Can't sit around. Thank you so much.

Main Impression and findings.
1. Disc protrusion at L5/S1 without nerve root compression.
2. Disc bulges L2-L4.

More detailed read but long.

However interval development of degenerative Modic type endplate changes seen at the inferior plate of L4 since MRI 2022. Broad-based disc bulge is seen at L2/L3 without nerve root compression. The effective AP canal diameter is 12 mm. Stable posterior disc annular tear. At L3/L4, broad-based disc bulge is seen without nerve root compression. The effective AP canal diameter is 13 mm. Stable posterior disc annular tear. At L4/L5, broad-based disc bulge is seen without nerve root compression. The effective AP canal diameter 17 mm. At L5/S1, broad-based disc protrusion is seen without nerve root compression. The effective AP canal diameters 16 mm.IMG_2641.jpeg
 
I'm no doctor, but I found that straining my lower back had everything thing to do with how hydrated I am. When I am dehydrated, that is when the muscles in my lower back lock up and it takes about a week for full mobility to come back. I can move around but its uncomfortable. I'm not sure hydration will help with what you've got going on, but its free and easy to test out.
 
I'm 35 now, had surgery to correct basically this exact issue 2.5 years ago. The surgery (microdiscectomy) was minimally invasive and I was only restricted (10lbs) for 6 weeks. The first week was kind of rough with limited mobility but pain wasn't bad. I would recommend it and have to others who have similar issues.

A coworker had the same thing done about a year after me. I recommended it to him but he was hesitant at first. He ended up getting the surgery and its night and day better for him. He has not regrets.

I'd be happy to discuss with you offline if you wanted to talk more about it.
 
I second the hydration idea above. It almost sounds too easy, but staying hydrated helps me. I suffer a bad back too. My doctor told me three things will help. Loose some weight, strengthen your core, and stretch multiple times a day. So far these things have helped ease the pain a bit.
 
Look up YouTube videos on proper dead lift form and do that starting with very little weight. It will strengthen your lower back muscles along with other muscles. Soon you will find yourself lifting every day items with good form, which puts the stress on your muscles and not your spine.
 
You need core strength, my L5 and S1 are busted open with nerve compression. They have been trying to operate on me since '04, not letting them. Not fuzing my disks together until it's my last option. Building my core strength has eliminated all my pain...my let foot still goes numb occasionally and I have some atrophy on my left leg...but doesn't bother me ot limit what I want to do. Stay away from pain management it's a dead end road.
 
Sccritterkiller said:
You need core strength, my L5 and S1 are busted open with nerve compression. They have been trying to operate on me since '04, not letting them. Not fuzing my disks together until it's my last option. Building my core strength has eliminated all my pain...my let foot still goes numb occasionally and I have some atrophy on my left leg...but doesn't bother me ot limit what I want to do. Stay away from pain management it's a dead end road.
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My leg was had spasms and I couldn't move my toes anymore when mine got bad. I have always had lower back pain but that put it on another level and I wasn't going to wait. The microdiscectomy was a game changer. I think its a better option than fusing discs.
 
I slipped my L4 and L5 discs about 10 years ago, it took years to get better but it did. I recovered through physical therapy, excercise and stretching. Had an occasional yearly bad day where id throw it out but was mostly good days. About a month ago i reinjured it and it was just as bad as the original injury. Slowly been recovering but its tough, i understand the urge to have a surgery but I'm only 31 so im not gonna consider it yet. One of my best friends is a chiropractor and has made some suggestions that have been very helpful. After about 3 weeks I'm finally able to get through the day without ibuprofen or extreme pain, here is what im doing, besides taking it easy physically.

1: i got an electric stim unit and use it on the painful areas daily for about an hour, while heating the area when possible
2: stopped laying on the couch or anything that lacks proper support. IE ive been laying on the carpet instead with my feet propped up on an ottoman to take some pressure off my back while watching tv
3: decompression, he lent me this contraption that pulls the spine apart from your feet to the armpits, similar to an inversion table but much more comfortable than hanging upside down
4: lots of stretching and foam rolling(dont forget to roll the muscles on your front side too) while the pain is acute, then incorporating specific core exercises
 
It’s a bitch getting old - you slowly fall apart.

I never could understand all the fuss about disks and lifting form and all that until a disk issue. A physical therapist said to take two cans of the same size out of the pantry to act like back bones, blow up a ballon with water until it has the same proportion as an x rayed disk, and move the top can around and see what the ballon does. It’s quite amazing our disks are as durable as they are. Even if you get the disks fixed, your body is telling you it’s time to start keeping your back straight and lifting with your legs, just like they’ve been telling us our whole lives.

My brother in law has what you do and nothing has helped him much, even a couple different surgeries, so I hope you can figure it out.

Physical professions, or hobbies with heavy lifting and lots of bending start weeding out people in their 40s and 50s. Back issues are common, but you are also getting into the range of joint wear issues - I know a few people your age with replaced hips, knees and shoulders. Even if your body in good condition other than the disks, you can extend the time until other issues pop up by moderation, staying hydrated, using proper form, etc.
 
Sorry for your dilema, I am currently in therapy for my recovery from an L-5/S1 microdiscectomy in November. I am doing all the same excercises that you mentioned plus some more. My first L-5 surgery for a disc herniation was eight years ago at 44, now I am 52. As soon as my symptons came back in April of 2023 I knew exactly what happened and that my sciatic nerve was being compressed again. My MRI looked very similar to yours with L-3/L-4 issues but L-5/S1 was really bad with severe compression. Couldn't walk or work without being on some meds for a couple months. my doctor in Denver was excellent and I am thankful for his staff. Building your core is definetly key and doing all the stretching is very helpful but I was unable to stretch much at all so hopefully you don't get to that point. But unfortunately, nothing is going to help that constant nerve irritation unless you remove the reason. A microdiscectomy is a short surgery, probably less than 45 minutes with a 6-12 week recovery depending on your job duties. When they operated on me they found scar tissue from my previous surgery so that's where my severe back spasms were coming from so I'm really glad I had my surgery. Find a great doctor with references and get the relief you need.

I'll add this, I hate taking any meds or pain pills but I was sure glad to have the couple different meds I took before surgery so I could function but four days after surgery I stopped all the prescribed meds for the post surgery recovery. I am saying this because that was how helpful the surgery was for me with the immediate pain relief from releasing the sciatic nerve. I am in week eight of my twelve-week recovery and I am back up to walking five miles or more with my dog. Soon I'll have my pack back on too but I am more conscience of what I do now. Be encouraged, there is hope, just not an easy way.
 
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I'm not a doctor.

I also can't recommend lifting moderately heavy weights, with proper form, enough.

My anecdote: 2 years ago (33 y/o), I had been off the weights for a few years due to a lot of reasons. Noticed back pain creeping in. I was "active" - I'd run and hike multiple days/week, but that didn't stop the pain. Was finally able to get into the gym consistently. After lifting for only three weeks (i.e., 3 deadlift sessions, 3 squat sessions, 3 bench sessions, and 3 press sessions), my minor backpain disappeared. Was able to be in the gym consistently for 8 months, then was out of it again. Within 3 weeks, my pain was creeping in again. Got back into the gym, and have been consistently lifting for over a year now, and pain-free.

I will also note that I have been consistent with lifting for 14 years with some holes, based on professional requirements (COVID and being on a small ship limit your lifting options).

As someone mentioned above, learn to lift correctly and you will find yourself unconsciously protecting your back in daily activities by bracing your core and thinking about the movement you are about to do.
 
Nerve ablation! My back was the exact same way, worse actually. Multiple herniated/bulging discs and grinding vertebrae. Zero improvement with years of PT and TENS unit, and I hate taking pain meds. Nerve ablation has worked great so far. It tells the nerves to shut up so you can push past that pain wall and you can actually do some productive PT instead of locking up every time. It's a super easy procedure once you actually get it approved and the first one lasted nearly 2 years for me.
 
I keep creating minor lower back issues as well cutting firewood some are muscle injury and sacroiliac alignment after stumbling around cutting wood.
MRI a few years ago showed bulged and ruptured disks but they healed.
pretty sure in July of 22 I ruptured another disc but no doctor as nothing they can do except inject steroids and I passed on that when I did the first time.
doctors advice was drink a lot of water.
i just need to go slow and think thru the process of cutting and lifting Since no longer young and things change and I heal slower at age 64.
i did switch to cutting smaller diameter downed wood and saw the bigger pieces in half so little to no splitting although I have a hydraulic splitter.
 
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LostArra said:
Decades of back pain. I tried a plan that seemed off the wall: linear progression training for dead lift along with squat and bench plus stopping all situps and crunches>>>No pain in 4+ years.

Back surgery would be last page of last resorts.
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Doing deadlifts with proper form is what pretty much eliminated my sciatic nerve pain. Getting comfortable in a deep squat also helped a ton.
 
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