This is my first post on T-Nation. I injured a disc in my lumbar spine years ago and have done several things to try to rehab it. Chiropractic, decompression, ice, rest, I’ve done everything I know of over the years to try to fix the disc, but nothing has worked.
I’m considering some sort of surgical treatment, and heard of laser disectomy. I was wondering if anyone here has done it (or any other disectomies) and if it allowed them to get back to lifting hard and heavy again.
I tried the search function and got back very little info. (I also posted this in the Injury forum but figured people who do similar lifting as me might be able to provide specific insight)
@CSE: I’ve heard that these are good. I read somewhere that Louie Simmons did this for his bulged disc and that it either allowed it to heal or just helped significantly. Can’t find the exact article anymore though…
@Dr J: Who is this person? Does he have anything I can read?
He is the chairman of the APF and has several bulged and at least one herniated disc. Google him, as I am unsure if he has written any articles or anything.
… I had a discectomy ~13 years ago. In retrospect, I wish I would have exhausted all other options first. It has helped me a great deal, but I was never quite the same. I suppose that is expected.
I have had periodic back problems since the procedure, but I have been able to work through most of them.
I have had a reverse hyper for many years. It has helped but you should not expect it to cure everything. It is easy to over do it on the RH if your injury is acute.
… I had a discectomy ~13 years ago. In retrospect, I wish I would have exhausted all other options first. It has helped me a great deal, but I was never quite the same. I suppose that is expected.
I have had periodic back problems since the procedure, but I have been able to work through most of them.
I have had a reverse hyper for many years. It has helped but you should not expect it to cure everything. It is easy to over do it on the RH if your injury is acute.
Best wishes.
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Can you elaborate more on how you were never quite the same? What specific changes (better/worse/both) happened after the surgery?
Can you elaborate more on how you were never quite the same? What specific changes (better/worse/both) happened after the surgery?
Thanks everyone for the responses.
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Sorry I was late to respond.
You bet.
Here is the quickest way I can sum it up. After the surgery, I was still able to make progress in things like power lifting. However, I never got back the complete explosiveness, mobility and stability in quick movements for athletic things like basketball.
Also, I have had periodic bouts with extreme back pain. For the first few years, the pain would be in the injured area and this is bearable. Last summer I began to have some of the leg pain and numbness I had prior to the surgery. This is why I went with the epidural. It gets tough to live this way.
Can you elaborate more on how you were never quite the same? What specific changes (better/worse/both) happened after the surgery?
Thanks everyone for the responses.
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Sorry I was late to respond.
You bet.
Here is the quickest way I can sum it up. After the surgery, I was still able to make progress in things like power lifting. However, I never got back the complete explosiveness, mobility and stability in quick movements for athletic things like basketball.
Also, I have had periodic bouts with extreme back pain. For the first few years, the pain would be in the injured area and this is bearable. Last summer I began to have some of the leg pain and numbness I had prior to the surgery. This is why I went with the epidural. It gets tough to live this way.
Good luck healing.
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My main goal is to return to serious lifting so it’s looking like some sort of surgery might be my only option. Thanks for your story.