Back Surgery!

[joekelly]

Inversions are an important part of the yoga world. Inversions range from mild to more difficult.  All inversions imply that the heart is above the head, unlike normal  where the head is above the heart.  For most adults,  inversions also may tax the respiratory functions as the chest can be compressed or the airways flexed in unusual ways but these become minimized with time and technique.  You will need to learn and employ correct breathing to sustain good inversions.  All of us breathe, but not all of us do so correctly.

I can tell you that standing on your head for some time, let's start with one minute but one hour not rare,  with certainly strengthen your abdomen and back as your body is totally unprepared to keep your heavy legs in that position.  Advise you to seek a yoga instructor for best headstand  technique as the cervical spine can be damaged through improper practice.  Don't get hurt.   Neither the internet, or me, is  responsible for self induced paralysis.

I cannot recommend any inversion table coz, IMO, they lead to a dependency, are costly, bring minimum benefit, take up space in the house, have no resale value, and mostly deprive YOU of the deep satisfaction of accomplishment which a good inversion will bring. However, the table may bring you some relief, and that's good so give it a try.  I've used the foam roller and it can offer benefit.

[TimATC]

Full depth back squats + deadlifts.  Sit ups, cruches, and all other manner of "core" exercises are no comparison to these exercises when it comes to developing core strength and stability.  No contest.  After chronic back pain originating from bulging discs at L4 and L5 suffered from rowing in college in 1986, I did not have a pain free day until 2010.  As a result, in 2006 I sold my club membership and stopped playing golf.  In 2009 I started back squatting and deadlifting, with a linear progression, gradually increasing weight each session.  It was a rough first year, but within 18 month, I was a completely different person.   I started squatting with 95# (the bar plus 25# weights) and added 10# per session with squats. I can play all I want now, no pain whatsoever, to the extent that I just joined another club.  I try to scream this from the roof tops, but either folks don't want to believe me, or are afraid of hard work. If you low bar back squat to full depth, by the way, you get an excellent dynamic hamstring stretch with every rep.  No need for further stretching. If you go past parallel, you also shift the load from the quads to the hamstrings, taking strain off the knee, while developing musculature to protect the knee.  If you stop at or above parallel, you create shearing forces on the knee.  Anyone who tells you to squat at or above parallel is foolish.  Good luck. Just make sure to find someone to coach you on these lifts who knows what the heck he/she is talking about.  The average globo gym trainer is clueless and will try to get you squatting with a ***** pad on a smith machine. Run.

An interesting, and VERY dangerous suggestion for someone with lumbar radiculopathy. I'm curious.....exactly what are your qualifications? MD? PT? Or is this just a...it worked for me so you need to do this???

[LTHardy]

Inversions are an important part of the yoga world. Inversions range from mild to more difficult.  All inversions imply that the heart is above the head, unlike normal  where the head is above the heart.  For most adults,  inversions also may tax the respiratory functions as the chest can be compressed or the airways flexed in unusual ways but these become minimized with time and technique.  You will need to learn and employ correct breathing to sustain good inversions.  All of us breathe, but not all of us do so correctly.

I can tell you that standing on your head for some time, let's start with one minute but one hour not rare,  with certainly strengthen your abdomen and back as your body is totally unprepared to keep your heavy legs in that position.  Advise you to seek a yoga instructor for best headstand  technique as the cervical spine can be damaged through improper practice.  Don't get hurt.   Neither the internet, or me, is  responsible for self induced paralysis.

I cannot recommend any inversion table coz, IMO, they lead to a dependency, are costly, bring minimum benefit, take up space in the house, have no resale value, and mostly deprive YOU of the deep satisfaction of accomplishment which a good inversion will bring. However, the table may bring you some relief, and that's good so give it a try.  I've used the foam roller and it can offer benefit.

The inversion table came yesterday, its quite good because you can choose what angle you want to be at, you dont have to be 180 degrees, ive started off doing just around 120 degrees or so just to work my way into a routine. I understand your point however, that a natural handstand with proper technique would be more beneficial than using a machine, but i think i will stick with this for the time being as i imagine getting into the position of a handstand might be quite a challenge and i dont want to make my discs any worse. You mention proper breathing, what is the correct procedure for correct breathing? I have read that with inversion therapy, if you are not completely relaxed then it can be detrimental because having a tense core can cause compression instead of decompression.

[tdiii]

An interesting, and VERY dangerous suggestion for someone with lumbar radiculopathy. I'm curious.....exactly what are your qualifications? MD? PT? Or is this just a...it worked for me so you need to do this???

Fair question.  No "formal qualifications".  And squatting could be dangerous for someone with stenosis.  Yes, it did work for me.  Beyond that, I've studied the topic extensively as I had a great deal of skepticism before undertaking such a regime.

I can throw hundreds of links up, but I like this one a lot:  http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/article/barbell_training_is_big_medicine#.VTeiXWbtNek

[TimATC]

Fair question.  No "formal qualifications".  And squatting could be dangerous for someone with stenosis.  Yes, it did work for me.  Beyond that, I've studied the topic extensively as I had a great deal of skepticism before undertaking such a regime.  I can throw hundreds of links up, but I like this one a lot:  [URL=http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/article/barbell_training_is_big_medicine#.VTeiXWbtNek]http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/article/barbell_training_is_big_medicine#.VTeiXWbtNek[/URL]

Decent read, lots of medical references, and all good information. Only thing is, he (and you) are suggesting barbell training for people with lumbar pain. NONE of his references specifically cite BARBELL training, and they certainly don't support loaded full squats, they cite resistance exercise. Barbell training, specifically putting a bar on your back(across you shoulders or chest) GREATLY increases both compressive and shear forces in your lumbar spine, and is VERY dangerous for someone with lumbar pathology. Now, as a "wise" man told me today, hopefully no one is actually implementing medical/rehab advice that they found on a golf forum. I truly hope that anyone experiencing back pain consults with their MD before starting an exercise program, and then they seek out professional therapy from a licensed Physical Therapist who will help them regain mobility and , most importantly, STABILITY in the area, and only then begin to strengthen. And now I think we may be officially "off topic". :~(

[tdiii]

Decent read, lots of medical references, and all good information. Only thing is, he (and you) are suggesting barbell training for people with lumbar pain. NONE of his references specifically cite BARBELL training, and they certainly don't support loaded full squats, they cite resistance exercise. Barbell training, specifically putting a bar on your back(across you shoulders or chest) GREATLY increases both compressive and shear forces in your lumbar spine, and is VERY dangerous for someone with lumbar pathology.

Now, as a "wise" man told me today, hopefully no one is actually implementing medical/rehab advice that they found on a golf forum. I truly hope that anyone experiencing back pain consults with their MD before starting an exercise program, and then they seek out professional therapy from a licensed Physical Therapist who will help them regain mobility and , most importantly, STABILITY in the area, and only then begin to strengthen.

And now I think we may be officially "off topic".

You are ignoring the author's experience.  He is a MD that would be consulted, presumably, for a back injury.  And he would suggest exactly the program I outline for most patients.   He is a MD doc who has studied and written extensively on the benefits of barbell training and actually trains his own patients (having, himself, thoroughly researched and received detailed training in barbell training).  Many of his patients/training clients are are elderly and infirm.  He recommends barbell training for them and reports uniformly positive results.  The compressive and shear forces you cite are minimized by a program of progressive overload.  As I mentioned above, I said to start very, very light and progress slowly -- doing so helps you regain the mobility and "STABILITY" in the area and strengthens gradually.

And, if you use proper form -- which is easily taught -- there are no shear forces in your lumbar spine.  You stabilize with your lumbar musculature.  As for compressive force, sure, but, again you are bracing with the entire abdomonen, creating strength and stability.