i had a question about swimming and recovering from back surgery. i just wanted some input from anyone that is in or has been in my position. i am 30 and had a microdiscectomy in december 2007 on l4/l5. i was a competitive swimmer until college and that's when the back problems started. ok so enough with the boring stuff, i have finished therapy after about 9 months and i began swimming again. my questions are more related to fears about rehernaition as i am not really sure how my back got messed up so bad in the 1st place. do i need to be worried about reherniation by swimming hard or doing flip turns, or really anything i used to take for granted in the pool? i have had some back spasms this past week on my 'good side' so i am beginning to worry a bit. its been tough because i literally think about every step or movement i make on dry land because i dont want to end up back on that operating table. as you could imagine its stressful :)
any input is appreciated.
my questions are more related to fears about rehernaition as i am not really sure how my back got messed up so bad in the 1st place. do i need to be worried about reherniation by swimming hard or doing flip turns, or really anything i used to take for granted in the pool?
I'm four months into recovery from a lower back disc herniation with nerve root impingement (sciatica). I'm told it's a big-blowout herniation but surgery won't be necessary. I've asked and been told by medical professionals and other people with herniated discs that after I've fully recovered I can return to the same hard workouts I did before the herniation. The risk of disc herniation is always present whether you've had one or not, especially as we age. The only logical advice is "if it hurts, don't do it (until it gets better, i.e., manage it)."
The guiding principle is whether you compete. If you don’t compete; hence, you swim just for exercise, you would incur less risk to injury simply because you’ll naturally scrimp on intensity. But if you compete; hence, you swim for performance, risk would increase because you’re always pushing the envelope.
For me, I’ll see you at the races this summer—it’s just flat-out too much fun!
my questions are more related to fears about rehernaition as i am not really sure how my back got messed up so bad in the 1st place. do i need to be worried about reherniation by swimming hard or doing flip turns, or really anything i used to take for granted in the pool?
I'm four months into recovery from a lower back disc herniation with nerve root impingement (sciatica). I'm told it's a big-blowout herniation but surgery won't be necessary. I've asked and been told by medical professionals and other people with herniated discs that after I've fully recovered I can return to the same hard workouts I did before the herniation. The risk of disc herniation is always present whether you've had one or not, especially as we age. The only logical advice is "if it hurts, don't do it (until it gets better, i.e., manage it)."
The guiding principle is whether you compete. If you don’t compete; hence, you swim just for exercise, you would incur less risk to injury simply because you’ll naturally scrimp on intensity. But if you compete; hence, you swim for performance, risk would increase because you’re always pushing the envelope.
For me, I’ll see you at the races this summer—it’s just flat-out too much fun!
