Artificial Lumbar Disc and Weight Training

Hello,

I am a male, 36, 6’4, 300 lbs. bench and deadlift are around 500 lbs, squat at 425. have suffered from low back pain and sciatica symptoms for about 4 years. The onset was slow however I am to the point where I cannot stand for longer than 15 minutes or so without numbness in my legs. MRI’s have shown a progressive herniation at L5-S1 starting at 4mm a couple years ago to over 1cm now.

I have continued to train, although mostly modified (zercher squats, hybrid deads etc) in fact, a year or so ago I even purchased one of your rehab plans with one on one coaching. I received an epidural that eliminated the pain but slight numbness still persists, and it seems to be wearing off. I can still run, box, practice jiu jitsu, etc. my leg just goes numb (foot drop, lack of control of toes, loss of balance) after awhile and that is quite miserable at 36 years old. I’m finally to the point where my quality of life is suffering severely and

I’ve begun receiving consultations for treatment. The overwhelming recommendation from multiple doctors has been lumbar artificial disc replacement. Long story short, does anyone on your team have experience with lumbar artificial discs and weight training? I am trying to decide if an artificial disc will be reliable enough to maintain my current training and levels of activity. If not, I may opt for a fusion, although Ive been told that procedure is less desirable. I understand this technology is relatively new. However I was surprised not to find any artificial disc related questions on the boards here.

I understand I will have to start from square one, do my PT, and slowly add the weight back on. Thanks for your time!

I’m sorry to hear that you have had this experience with your low back and progressive symptoms in your leg. As you know from reading our content, lumbar disc herniations with associated radicular symptoms are not uncommon. Certainly the presence of motor weakness, altered sensation, and/or change in reflexes can be alarming; however, we do have evidence to suggest that spontaneous regression of these disc protrusions can occur, in fact, the more severe the herniation, often the more likely the rate of reabsorption. I would be interested to hear more about what you have tried for conservative management since your original consult with us a year or so ago, but that would be more appropriate for a remote consult as it would afford us the time to go through a detailed history. While I empathize with your symptoms and their obvious impact on your activities of daily living and everyday life, I would likely advocate for another trial of conservative management under the guide of a rehab professional before undergoing surgical intervention.

I have treated individuals who have had lumbar artificial disc replacement. Really, the type of surgery will not change our management as the principles of rehabilitation remain more or less the same barring any immediate post-surgical protocols. I wish that was a more satisfying answer.

Best of luck in your journey. As always, we are happy to provide more specific recommendations via a remote consult to help you decide on what path might be right for you.

Hannah Mora