Thread: Slipped disc

I was wondering if you could offer some advice please. In February 2008, I suffered a slipped disc in my lower back (L5)
and loss of height in my S1 joint. I have had back pain on and off since 16 years of age, I am now 29. I have trained since the
age of 15.

Although I have seen some good progress in my recovery which hasn’t always been consistent, I am still recovering and have not lifted weights
since August 2007. I have had physiotherapy. I am doing Pilates, having Osteopathy and acupuncture & acupressure treatments.

I would like to get back into the gym and get back into shape again.

What best gym exercises using weights would you recommend to get my back and core strong safely?

Do you know of any instances where someone has recovered fully from this type of injury and carried on bodybuilding?
It’s always inspirational to know of others who have overcome an injury like this and go on to live a normal and active life.

Thank you in anticipation.

To be honest with you mate the best solution for you is to ask your physiotherapist about what you can or cannot do! You had a medical problem and a doctor would be the most appropriate person to adivise you on this. You don't want to end up having problems again. That would be my opinion!

I have got a similar problem my self! I have got 2 x prolapsed discs in my lower back. i had it x-rayed years ago and both have totally damaged. i have seen my doctor and specialists at hospitals and they have told me to carry on training, certainly if it feels ok! and if im honest if i dont train it feels worse and i then get sciatic nerve pains! if i were you i would certainly have an x-ray done (if you havnt already) and take it from there.
hope it helps!

Thanks guys.......

i was paralysed in 1996 because of an issue with my L5/S1 disk i now have yearly procedures to burn nerves off my L5/S1 facet joints so my legs do not collapse when i lean back to far....
i have managed to train around this injury for 13yrs

thanks for the reply.....

pscarb - that my friend is sheer dedication=]

Where there is a will there is a way and pscarb has proved this!

It is worth considering your physiotherapist about training, perhaps get a second opinion just for a reference and then base your decision on what you think is best

thanks for the posts guys. all the professionals i have spoken to have advised that i can train, but slowly and sensibly to get a strong core, building up my body strength gradually. i went to the gym on friday gone, did some back and biceps exercises, going light, using mainly cable machines to avoid compressing my spine. feeling a little sore in the arms, other than that not too bad. back feels a little sore, but i guess thats expected. hoping to go this evening. feels good to lift weights again, last time i lifted was in august 2007 when i stopped due to an elbow injury. oh, and the same elbow is feeling a little painful.....someone told me i could have tennis elbow. going to monitor the situation.

Safe Lifting.

hey mate. i had burst c5-c6 2 years ago. diferent injury i know, learnt a bit from the experience!, was told to go home and get in bed, also told i wld never do weights or play rugby etc again!!!, i started doing strongman training 6 months ago and would say ive had a full recovery.. thank god i didnt listen to them!!! sounds like your doing everything you can with accupuncture physio etc, i started back training from scratch with just the bar, and it ws along slow prosses, i had lost 75% of my muscles down my left arm/shoulder etc. the specialist told me to learn my own limitations with training (weights). i think the best advice i could give is keep moving its important not to seize up. i also used ice packs as much as humanly possible i think this helped a lot, watch out for the drugs!! they dont work anyway the best thing i did was stop taking anti deppresants that were prescribed for nerve pain the pain killers didnt really work and were massivly addictive despite being told they wasnt..
staying possitive and being ****in determined worked as well it took me nearly a year to get any kind of decent stregnth back, but now im glad i took my time instead monstering in like i normally do!!, plenty people have burst disk and go on to be stronger than before.. derek poundstone worlds strongest man no2 had slipped disk 3 years ago.. he,s expected to win it this year!.
the biggest lesson i have learnt is watch my tech/form when lifting, not sure when, how, where or why my disk burst, but sure it was to do with lifting weights!!
this is only my experience mate and i wouldnt sugest changing any advice from your gp physio etc!! good luck with your recovery... sorry ive gone on a bit!!!