Bulging Disc L5 - S1

Pain & Rehab Forum [Moderated]
1

I am 23 years old and have been lifting off and on for the last 3 years (consistently for the last year). A couple months ago I started having lower back pain, not while lifting but after and at night. The pain slowly progressed and made it so that it was hard to sleep and focus at work. I went to the doctor and he had me get a lower back MRI. The MRI results showed an L5 - S1 mild disc bulge with mild narrowing for the nerve root opening on the left. At this point I have taken almost a month off from lifting and exercise generally. The pain has gotten somewhat better but still persists most of the time.

I am wondering if it would be a good idea to try to start lifting again? I am worried I may do something that makes things worse but not know until the next day as the pain doesn’t seem to appear right away.

Also, have you worked with clients before that had bulging discs and if so were they able to return to their normal lifting routine after healing?

2

Hey man, sorry to hear about your interruption in training. Having a herniated disc is a normal thing and will not limit your training. It is more likely when these symptoms started it was an artifact of how your were training more than anything else. Often if there is increasing soreness it is because some variables in your training program were not ideal. Then, if the soreness persists for a while, it just makes it harder to come back from. Absolute rest is rarely the answer, but a good, structured training program that accounts for volume and intensity is needed. You’re not going to make things worse by training smart.

3

Thanks for the quick response! I will definitely try to be smarter with my training in the future. I am looking at possibly doing one of the Barbell Medicine templates to better manage volume and intensity.