Herniated Disk - Can a Runner Ever Come Back to Full Form?

Pilates Man,

I just met a guy this past weekend who was having trouble with a deteriorating disk. One thing he mentioned was that in the past 1 or 2 years, doctors have started doing disk replacement surgeries. He didn't seem to think it was a viable option for himself in the short term, but maybe 3 or 4 years down the road it might be another routine surgery. Not the magic bullet I'm sure you are looking for, but maybe a light at the end of the tunnel if you are trying to avoid permanent retirement.

Phila

I sure hope so, this might be my problem. MRI on the 20th to find out.

Chad, first I really hope it is not a disk problem like my wifes, but hope it is something easier to treat.

My wife just went through this for the last 5 years.

Although her disk problem was more in the neck area, you will probably do through similar issues.

She first went through physical therapy and some exercises to strengthen the area. Then, she went through epidural treatments to reduce the swelling in the area. They helped alot in the beginning, but after a years of treatment it had deteriated to the point where she needed surgery.

She just had her surgery in Feb and is doing well.

mike

Don't ever mess with your back, you only get one spinal column.

Be very, very conservative.

I had a relatively minor football-related back injury and it took 2 full years to clear up. I have a very distant idea of what you are going through.

Be careful.

Artificial disc? I saw that on the news the other night and the artificial disc the doctor (can't remember his name) held looked pretty good. This procedure is experimental and worked with a patient the doctor tried it with. This certainly seems like a better option than getting rid of a disc and doing the fushion thing.

Why do I think the disc looked pretty good? Because it looked liked it was well crafted. The shape seemed to be just like a disc. It didn't look like it was a solid object, but rather had a white plastic (I think) outside, and some other material inside.

I'm by no means a great runner, but I went thru the pain of 2 herniated disks. They herniated in Sept 2001 and it's taken me a couple of years to feel like I'm actually running strong again. I've trained and completed 2 marathons since then, in fact, I actually ran one 9 months after the disks herniated. I had a real aggressive doc who did not have me under then knife, but did make me rest completely for 4 weeks before I started running again. I still have some residual problems in my left shin (numbness) that will never resolve, but other than that I'm still hammering everyday.

Drop me an email, I'll go into more detail if you're interested.

I completely ruptured a disc at L4-5 last Spring and last week ran 48 miles. Also I do a lot of lifting where I work (supermarket) and am back at work. Mind you I am not a great or even a good runner, but I can still run.

how do you rehab from this, what can you do to prevent it?

i think i've got l4-5 disc trouble, mri in a week. what is best treatment? ( other than not running)

Oxytocin really worked for me

Anyone else make it back from this?

Herniated wrote:

Anyone else make it back from this?

Holy shit, I posted this over a year ago and it's back. I almost responded to the original poster until I realized it was me.

Good news. 13 months later and I'm running 50-60 miles a week. Track workouts, fartlek, whatever. My back has felt fine. I still do Pilates 2-3 times a week.

God willing, I'll do a marathon this year.

Congratulations on your comeback.

I am struggling with a slightly similar problem and I am trying to teach myself pilates from a book.

Do you mind highlighting which were the most important pilates exercises in helping you with you problem ?

Dustin Hoffman wrote:

Congratulations on your comeback.

I am struggling with a slightly similar problem and I am trying to teach myself pilates from a book.

Do you mind highlighting which were the most important pilates exercises in helping you with you problem ?

OK. Here's the deal. Pilates classes are outrageously expensive. But it's important to learn how to do the mat exercises correctly (keeping the pelvis neutral, etc..). I paid for 8 sessions at a Pilates studio (about $25 a session) on the recommendation of my Doc. The instructor was formerly with the London Ballet and she really knew her stuff. After those 8 sessions I got myself a few Pilates CDs (I like the Gaim products with Ana Caban, plus she's hot). They are about 20-30 minute mat sessions. Just do it at home as often as you can. The CDs keep you honest and force you to move through the workout in a structure way. It really has made a big difference in my core strength and posture.

Good luck.

Are you running PRs yet?

Herniated wrote:

Are you running PRs yet?

No. Haven't run a PR at any distance in five years. May still happen at the marathon or half marathon, but as I'm in my early 40s I can't necessarily expect it.

But if you have this injury as a relatively young man, there's no reason to believe you can't PR after coming back, just like one could after any injury.

A friend of mine had this problem about a year before the Olympics, it didn't respond to any therapy so he had surgery. Immediately after the surgery he was symptom-free and didn't have a problem again, in fact he had more freedom of movement than before. Subsequently he won the bronze at the OG and PR'd with the 4th fastest time ever!

Herniated Discs are very common and occur as we age. The question is if the herniation becomes symptomatic. I had a problem last November which caused me to miss 4 months of training, just started back March 31 and progressing nicely. My problem was actually piriformis syndrome, related due to week abs, tight hams, quads the usual. I am 41 and still think I an get back to 30 minute 10k / 1430 5k shape by years end. Be patient and stretch

Yeah, I had a lumbar laminectomy in 1995 for a herniated L4 and L5. To be honest, the post-op recovery was not good. Any time you slice through back muscles, it's gonna take awhile before those muscles get recalibrated. I had a lot of problems with back spasms afterward that occasionally sent me to the ER in the middle of the night.

It's always a dicey call whether to take the holistic route or go the surgery route. My dilemma was mitigated by the fact my health insurance was soon running out.

Prior to the surgery, I was looking at nerve damage to the right leg, which made driving properly impossible and simple things like going up stairs a very arduous task. The surgeon told me there was no guarantee I'd ever get full use of the leg back, but luckily, I made a complete recovery.

Best advice would be to take the wait-and-see approach until you cannot deal with the physical limitations any further. If you do go ahead with the surgery, be advised that my surgery was in May, but I wasn't cleared to drive until October. That was a brutal summer.

I did make it fully back as a competitive runner afterwards, and I do not experience back pain any more.

Hi! Been a while since this thread opened but here I am 20 years later dealing with disc herniation. Any tips on getting back into running (distance) with a herniated disc.