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LOWER BACK ISSUES


Maryana Grinshpun
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Maryana Grinshpun

Hi, 

I have some gnarly lower back stuff happening -- pretty agressive bulging L4. 

While most of the exercises here really alleviate pain & pressure in my lower back, doing pancake work in the middle split series totally destroys me. I am afterward sooo stiff, I can barely stand up, and need to lie flat on the floor for several minutes before I can even stand up. Clearly -- I'm not doing it correctly. Any trick on how to keep yourself honest and truly work your legs without overcompensating with the lower back? Thanks! 

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Maryana,

We do not usually give any kind of medical diagnosis here on the forum, but with a bulging disc, there is always the possibility of nerve irritation which might be part of the reason that your lower back and glute musculature getting overly stiff. The best advice I can give you is to work pain-free ALWAYS (this is different to mild discomfort), and find specific angles, elevations, and positions in your unique L4 disc bulge case, which are natural and irritation and pain-free. Of course, this will also mean that you need to find the positions that do not leave you so stiff you cannot walk the next day (this is unhealthy). Play with it, since it will be very unique and specific to you.

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Also if you need form correction, please submit your videos. It will be the pleasure of our expertly home-grown coaches to assist you.

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  • 3 weeks later...
George Chung

I have L4 issues as well. I couldn’t walk this past Christmas due to a herniated disc pressing against a nerve root. I also have adult scoliosis.

Here’s my personal protocol for getting back into the groove. I’m not a doctor so all the disclaimers apply.

1. Inversion table for 6 min/day b4 workout 

2. Alternate dry sauna (lie on bench) and 2 min cold shower on my back x2 after workout. I’m trying to get blood flow around the injury.

3. Collagen, glucosamine, turmeric supplements

4. Stretch your posterior chain WITHOUT rounding your back. 90 degree sit or legs up the wall with an anterior pelvic tilt (arched back with your chest pointed up). Wall dog with arched back. I can actually hear my lumbar joints moving in a pleasant way when I do this.

I’m convinced that my lumbar problems are rooted in a overly tight posterior chain. And I need to focus on hammies b4 doing things like Jefferson curls. If you watch yogies doing a forward fold, with a straight back they can get well past 90 degrees before they round their back. I think I’ve been putting way too much stress on my lumbar to compensate for my hammies. In the past I start rounding my back well before my hips were at 90 degrees with straight back.

8E155F78-42AA-402C-8667-39F62B6FF71F.jpeg

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George Chung

With pancake work, keep your back straight with a slight anterior pelvic tilt to protect your lumbar. Get the flexibility in your hips and posterior chain first.

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Devon O'Neal
On 3/8/2018 at 4:29 PM, George Chung said:

With pancake work, keep your back straight with a slight anterior pelvic tilt to protect your lumbar. Get the flexibility in your hips and posterior chain first.

I find keeping my back straight during stretching feels better. I was having soreness in my back after some stretching sessions, but now I focus on my posture while I stretch and find it very helpful.

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