Stretch series with disc injury?

[William Walters]

Hey everybody.  I'm your typical ex-athlete, bodyweight-dabbling, CrossFitter who injured his lower back (though I believe it was a brotherly competition of max weighted legless rope climbs that was the nail in the coffin for me) who now has pain in his lower back and running down the back of his left leg.  Both the chiropractor and the physical therapist said it is almost certainly a bulging or herniated disc though I never had an MRI to confirm it.  Since the injury (August 2014) I basically quit CrossFit (since any rounding of the back bothered it) and got more into GB.  Things had been going well, but last week I reinjured it during my warmup (30# DB Stifflegged Windmills, which is ironic since I normally use 35# DBs).  So I'm hurt again and can't do much.  I'm pretty sure that I was prone to lower back injures because of my lack of flexibility, particularly in my hamstrings, and particularly on my left side from a hamstring tear in my left leg suffered while climbing.  After the injury, I lost what little flexibility I had because trying to stretch my hamstring put pressure on my lower back and caused pain.  Honestly I'm beginning to lose hope that not only will I never be able to achieve some of the goals I had, but that I'll never be able to not live in constant discomfort and fear that I'm going to reinjure it.  

Before I reinjured myself, I'd been thinking about beginning the Stretch Series, but now I don't know if I should.  Seriously, I can barely sit on the floor with my back against a wall and keep my legs straight.  That is a stretch for me, particularly in my left hamstring.  And as I said, stretching my hamstring invariable pulls on my lower back causing it to round (posterior pelvic tilt) and causes pain (and possible reinjury).

So, recommendations?  Should I go ahead and begin the Stretch Series, begin part of the Stretch Series, or maybe give it some time to let the disc heal some more before beginning a serious routine.  Any aspects of Foundations 1 that someone has found to be particularly helpful for people with disc injuries.

I'd love to hear some success stories of people with disc injuries and what helped them.

Thanks,

Seth

[Mark Collins]

I would seek treatment to settle your symptoms. Then I would start at  Fundamentals.