Sad day
Winterized the TC and tucked it away for the winter. I know, pretty early but it is in anticipation of extensive back surgery. Two surgeons have now told me I need a fusion on L2,3,4 and 5. It ...
Forum Discussion
I know the pain you must be enduring. I injured my L-1 Disk and had an inwardly protruding bulge. The pain was incredible for three months. I could not stand and got around slowly and painfully on all fours. I could not even sit without intense pain. Imagine the joy of using the bathroom. 20 to 30 seconds maximum sitting time then lay on floor and recover, repeat.
I was about to get the surgery performed but the surgeon insisted that I give PT a try since I had not tried that yet. I went to PT and had a very capable therapist that looked at the MRI images and came up with a plan for me. I did it for about a month with no apparent results. I was starting to talk to the surgeon again to find out what he thought would be my best fix. It was right at that time, about 6 weeks of PT that I began to experience a marked and sudden improvement. Two weeks later I was able to walk, in pain, but well enough to take care of myself and not rely so much on family to help me. This happened in the early nineties and I have kept up the exercise regimen ever since. It is the difference between walking or not walking. If I lay off the exercise, I begin to get sensitive again. With exercise, I have no pain at all now. As long as I keep doing the exercise I'm fine but I do have to be careful of certain motions like working overhead, pushing a wheelbarrow, working on all fours, twisting with force. Any of these motions places pressure on the L-1 and will create a few days or more of pain for me but usually gets better with rest. I had a month of relapse once from working on all fours in a crawl space. You droop your back when on all fours and that strains the L-1.
I would recommend you find an experienced, established PT and get on an exercise regimen for a couple months and stick with it diligently. If in a couple months you get results, good, you saved yourself from a surgery and limited motion the rest of your life. If it doesn't help, then perhaps surgery may be your option.
So far, I'm doing fine with few limitations. I do my exercises daily. I do suspect when I hit my late 60's and 70's, I may start having trouble due to age. We'll see.
Best wishes for your health DJ and hang in there.
I was about to get the surgery performed but the surgeon insisted that I give PT a try since I had not tried that yet. I went to PT and had a very capable therapist that looked at the MRI images and came up with a plan for me. I did it for about a month with no apparent results. I was starting to talk to the surgeon again to find out what he thought would be my best fix. It was right at that time, about 6 weeks of PT that I began to experience a marked and sudden improvement. Two weeks later I was able to walk, in pain, but well enough to take care of myself and not rely so much on family to help me. This happened in the early nineties and I have kept up the exercise regimen ever since. It is the difference between walking or not walking. If I lay off the exercise, I begin to get sensitive again. With exercise, I have no pain at all now. As long as I keep doing the exercise I'm fine but I do have to be careful of certain motions like working overhead, pushing a wheelbarrow, working on all fours, twisting with force. Any of these motions places pressure on the L-1 and will create a few days or more of pain for me but usually gets better with rest. I had a month of relapse once from working on all fours in a crawl space. You droop your back when on all fours and that strains the L-1.
I would recommend you find an experienced, established PT and get on an exercise regimen for a couple months and stick with it diligently. If in a couple months you get results, good, you saved yourself from a surgery and limited motion the rest of your life. If it doesn't help, then perhaps surgery may be your option.
So far, I'm doing fine with few limitations. I do my exercises daily. I do suspect when I hit my late 60's and 70's, I may start having trouble due to age. We'll see.
Best wishes for your health DJ and hang in there.
