In October I was hospitalized for severe herniated disc in the L4-L5 area causing sciatica and numbness all the way down to my toes on my right side. I avoided surgery. These exercises helped tremendously and even the doc and neurologist were impressed at my quick recovery. Would it hurt me to increase my workouts, to include running or doing squats? What exercises should I avoid, so that I don't have any bulging of the disc again? Any help would be great!! Thanks so much for posting this.
Oh wow! Thank you! I found this video and did the lay down exercises and felt instant relief afterwards. I've had lower back pain, pain shooting pain down my left leg to my foot, and numbness for a few weeks now. I'll continue these exercises and report back my progress
Just want to say thank you, I have used these stretches for a number of years because of this video it’s given me a lot of pain relief and also made me more comfortable
2 days ago i started to feel a slight pain in my lower back and since then it has gotten worse. last night i had trouble sleeping because it is constantly hurting. the only time i dont feel it as much is when i am walking. keep in mind that i am only 19 years of age and i have never had a back injury.
Hello. These exercises helped me to centralize leg pain into my back, so my leg is now painfree, thank you! Are there any chances that one day ill cure not only leg pain, but also that back pain caused by exercises?
I used to do the arching exercise and it would help, but the pain would come back moments after I got up. So I started sleeping in this position by putting pillows under my top half. After doing that for a week, my pain was gone and didn't come back again until 3 months later when I had to carry some heavy stuff. Now I'm sleeping in this position again and hope I'll get the same result I did last time.
@@maryoma140 10 years later, still having problems with (periodically) however I’ve found staying active and stretching continues to alleviate the pain!
You've just described everything I've been experiencing - bad knee, one leg thinner than the other, bump on lower back - what was diagnosis? Just chiro? I've been through so many PT's at this point and need some relief in a big way.
Hello again. Thank you for these usefull videos. I have been exercising for a few days now , i'm back to work, and i'm feeling much better. After about 3-4 hours of work it starts to hurt a little, but that is probably because i was at home and got a little out of shape, but it does't hurt when i bend over. So thank you again, God bless people who do a little something for others like you! Keep up the good work.
believe i have disc herniation after lifting many boxes the previous week...hurt to bend and getting out of bed was a challenge..it got better over the week and then i must have done some wrong movement today and now it hurts again. going to try these exercises and hope this gets better over the coming weeks
I stumbled across the first exercise of the three when working from home on my laptop. I had been laid up for a week with sciatica. The only comfortable position for using my laptop computer was working on my stomach from the floor; I used a couple couch pillow to prop up my chest. To my surprise, sciatica reduced significanty after a couple hours of work.
Well, my pain isn't chronic, I just get it sometimes after some movement or other, that I guess causes the herniated disc to press against the dural sac. However I've been doing the exercises for the past two weeks and I feel better after doing them. Thanks! I've also been swimming - seems to help a lot.
I ve been doing these exercises for only 1 day:) thank you so much already feel much better now!my biggest problem is after wake up when i drive to work.its painful sitting in the car and getting out of the car as well.then after 5 minutes i feel better.
I need to say thank you so much for this video, i was speculating for some time i had a herniated disk even though im young (21 years old) but i work with heavy boxes. One day when i went to college it was just unbearable, i thought it was just regular back pain but it didn't go away for months, when i went to the doctor all they said it was normal back pain and sent me on my way (i don't have medical insurance). After 10 minutes of just doing these exercises i had a significant drop in pain.
@maddenptofficial I was diagnosed with a monor slipped disc l4/l5 and an annular tear not displacing any nerv roots. I took 6 months off and was told by my PA that I could return to my normal workouts, i specifically asked him if i could do the normal squat and benchpress ect and he told me that was fine and so i did. After doing one squat with 100lbs my back feels alot worse!. i have a constant burning back on my left side and it aches, and at times my buttox burns. I am only 20 years old and
I have neck pain, herniated disc and plantar fasciitis I think i have a big problem with my bones !!! please add more videos about these things .... thank you
I checked in about a month ago because I had extreme pain one morning that took me to the hospital, and when I was there the pain just disappeared, but my smaller toes went numb. I've been working with a McKenzie PT for the last 5 weeks, but I don't really sense that things are getting better. In fact, some very slight pain (1 out of 10) is starting to sneak back in, and I'm afraid it will get worse. My PT says to keep up the extension exercises (through his evaluation), and not to worry.
Thanks a lot for making these videos! I'm a 3rd year DPT student, and your ther-ex videos have helped me countless times in the clinic and with patients. Thanks for all that you do!
I took my nephew to a trampoline park and we jumped on those things for like 2 hours... the next day my back was destroyed. I'm pretty active, I run at least 3 times a week and walk a lot through my commute to work, i could barely do any of these things. I used heating pads and ibuprofen, and while they provided temporary relief, nothing seemed to be helping. I couldn't even cough or sneeze the pain was so bad. Did some research and found these stretches. started doing them every night and after about 4 days I'm 80% better. Its incredible. i can't recommend trying these enough. Thank you!
@@pankajthakur7195 after i did these stretches I haven't had any back pain. A couple weeks of this got me back to 100% and I'm still able to bike and run as usual. I haven't had an injury like the one I had back then either though, so that also helps. A co-worker of mine recently had a similar injury and I recommended these stretches and he was back to normal a couple weeks later as well.
Thanks, it'll be great if this helps; I've had sciatica from a herniated disc for almost a month and can't even stand for longer than an hour, my foot goes numb and the pain is so intense it makes me nauseous. It's hard to get back to work because it's impossible to stand after an hour. Hoping I won't need surgery & these things will help!! No insurance :(
Thank you very much for your reply. The CT showed that I have all 3 of the above, plus a hairline fracture at the base of my tailbone. All I know is that I have sciatica with nerve pain. I can't have MRI so that's as far as I have got at the moment. I'm not sure how I go about actually finding out what's causing the sciatica as my doctor etc are more for pain relief. I was supposed to go and see a neurosurgeon but I have not heard anything yet.
hi, Im 31, since 2011 having lower back problem. MRI says, 1] At L4 - L5 Level, there is dessication of the disc and suggestion of a focal annular tear. this is more towards the right side and posteriorly. 2] Diffuse Discal bulging seen at L4 -L5 and L2 -L3 levels with associated discal degeneration. 3] L2 - L3 level, there is broad based posterior discal protrusion indenting the anterior thecal sac. 4} L4 -L5 level, diffuse discal bulging is seen with minimal anterior thecal sac indentation.
Hi, I am 17 years old and my father has a herniated disc. Sometimes I have back pain, so to prevent a herniated disc, how much times a week should I do your 3 exercises? Or do you have a kind of workout for lower back? Thank you very much
***** Chad, one week in. Been doing these three times per day for a total of 15 minutes. I can't believe that after 20 years of suffering with a herniated disk something this simple could have saved me so much pain and wasted time. I feel like I owe you a co-pay :)
Mac Sobolewski i am mechanical engineer and i feel these excercises are good but not great. Doing these vertebraes pinch disc at spinal cord side. There is a complete mechanics behind these excercises. These excercises may result great if we do stretch our body vertically outward in direction. ( Head and toe stretch away outward)
Went through three doctors before my therapist explained it well. When sitting or standing the water is squeezed out of your discs. When you sleep the water swells the disc and presses on the nerves going to my leg. Worst thing to do is lay in bed no matter how sleepy. I get up and sleep in a chair. And do these exercises. Still have to take a pain pill in the morning and crutch it; but by noon I’m walking okay.
I will mk request w/PCP. Wanted to add (in case u had more thoughts) pain intermittent, radiating from neck to shoulder, scapula, arm, and hands. Mostly right, but always both. Gripping, sleep, and certain positions seem to bring on the pain. MRI impression: multilevel degenerative n spondylitic changes, varying degrees both spinal canal neural foraminal stenosis, more prominent at C4-5, C5-6, C6-7, further characterized w/lo dose CT myelography. Also cervical lordosis. Yes, side sleeper.
Hi madden, im 21 and was just diagnosed with a prolapsed disc between l4 and l5. I tried the exercise laying on my stomach but it caused more pain even when i only propped up slightly. Is this normal or would you recommend i not do this if it hurts? Also, is this something that people ever fully recover from? I live a very active lifestyle and i would hate to be unable to play tennis or run again.
I love the idea of the "Top 3" series- there is so much info on the net- it is nice to see excercises posted by our family's own PT! I subscribed to your channel so I know when the new ones are posted- keep them coming! (Maybe it will help me convince/inspire my mom to actually do her exercises!!!)
Left leg is less and im taking less pain medication. Was wondering when i can start exercising again. And how ,many days should i take it easy.. Im not working at the moment, and my husband took few weeks off because i was bed ridden for 2 weeks. Looking forward for this injection to work.
Hey doc. So ive got a posterior disc herniation between my L4 and L5 and have been following these exercises daily for about a month now. In addition to these is it okay to foam roll my lower back as well?
Did the first "exercise". Pain in leg was completely gone after that. But it came back in the morning a little. I'll just have to keep this up until it heals completely.
He said it will take 12-14 weeks to get better, but I don't see any signs yet. I am getting very discouraged, and afraid I will end up disabled. Have you had experience with people with numbness, and have you been able to help them? What is your experience with time period to help? Should I continue with PT, or should I seek other treatment? I haven't done an MRI yet on advice of my PT, but I'm considering now, and thinking maybe shots. As with everyone else, I really want to avoid surgery.
Hi Dr. Madden; I have a very high pain tollerance, but I can't do any extension of the back at all without my muscles cramping up and flooring me for a few minutes. I have no leg pain, it's localized to about T11-L1. My T5-T7 are laterally rotated , but that doesn't give me problems these days. I can't afford to work with a doctor right now. But, exercise seems to help. So here's my question: What exercises that don't require extension would you recommend, and what might be wrong with my back?
Hi doctor thanks for the video I have disc prolapse since 3_ 4 years and this year i graduated from medical college so i'm worried about my back what i can do to relieve my pain when i work in the hospital
I think I've herniated - or bulged - one of my disc 3 months ago while doing deadlifts with poor form. I was obviously overtrained, gone too heavy and broke form... Since then, I have « some » back pain... I don't feel it all the time, and it doesn't « irradiate ». I only feel it - in the lower back - when I bend forward ( for a long time ) or if I try to do deadlifts and squats again. This is the first time, in my life, I experienced some backpain. I'd like it to heal completely to DL again!
Thanks so much, I trust your advice. I would have you as my PT if I lived near you. I have been to multiple PTs before getting diagnosed with spondylolisthesis, and some recommended these exercises and to avoid sitting and to stand and walk as much as possible...I may have aggravated my condition hopefully there is a chance to reverse the damage.
After 4 weeks of PT I was working full time and I was back training in the gym taking it really easy and trying to strengthen my core the best I could. Still I felt tingling and some morning were better than others. I was thinking about decompression therapy but it is big money. So I just kept on with my own workout. For a month now I been training really hard including my legs. Yes! I hurt my self again and I bet it was my leg workout cause its been the only difference since my recovery.
WALKING!! I suffered for years with a herniated disc, babying it, spending too much time lying down or sitting. Then i heard somewhere about the healing power of simply WALKING. Gotta get that blood pumping, get moving. So i started forcing myself to just walk more, even though i was limping. It didnt take long for my disc issue to heal, and it hasnt flared up since. I had tried everything else, even expensive chiropractor sessions, which did NOTHING. Its FREE to walk, and it will help!
Thank you for the informative video. I have a L5S1 herniation and have been doing McKenzie theory for about a week now. I noticed that when I first started the pain was in my upper Glute as expected but now for some reason, my range of motion has increased but the pain is localized in my lower hamstring just above the knee. Should I still continue this or not? I've also been doing core Stabilizing exercises, Myofascial release with a tennis ball, heat and ice. Any advice? Thank you!
I was referred to a neurosurgeon by a PCP for bulging discs in my neck. He wants to do fusion. Chiro friend suggests pricey spinal decompression or inversion will help. My forearms become solid on L and R sides at times after pc use. Hands, and arms have different types of pain in varying degrees, stemming from neck. I'm unsure what to do. Trying to weigh risks vs. benefits of fusion or other treatment for better quality of life. Your thoughts?
i injured myself doing deadlifts and now have lower back pain and pain down my left leg. i dont have the money to see a chiropractor so I've just been taking anti-inflammatory meds and been using heat pads. Would you recommend something like hyperextensions? Any advice would be great.
Hi Chad, I had some sciatica down my right leg that stopped above my knee for the last two months, until... about 5 days ago I had an extremely painful episode that left me immobilized on the floor for four hours before finally calling the ambulance. While I was at the hospital, the nerve pain suddenly went away, but seems to have been replaced with some numbness in my foot. I started working with a PT who did a McKenzie fellowship, so I feel I'm in good hands, but I have a question...
Hi madden! i am suffering from Bulging disc L5-S1 from past 7 months and doctor prescribed me Epidural steroid injection on feb 2013, for a while i was relieved from my back pain. from past 10 days once again i am feeling burning sensation and numbness in my back and in my right leg, i had consulted physo therapy and he his stretching my back by McKenzie Press ups, but still i am not relieved from pain, can you please suggest me whether to continue with physo therapy or go for surgery
hi chad, im from indonesia, (sorry my english is bad) i have some question for you 1. my MRI said that, i got HNP on L5S1, so what should i do? should i got some surgery or do your video exercise 2. i just feel some pain when i sit for a long time, could i take a gym class or not? 3. is swimming really help for the recovery?
hello madden, thanks for the vids, very helpful. my problem is not hurting my lower back thru activity, but just the opposite. on my days off, il sometimes lay in bed reading for a few hours. head propped up a little bit on pillows. the next day my back is usually killing me, no so much as pain, but more in lack of movement, there is pain, but not to bad, just a restriction of movement more or less. il be hunched over a little bit, cant figure it out. i hurt my back by doin nothing. lol!
These exercises are effective and best exercises to strengthen back muscles… As a physical therapist at healthclues Hyderabad, i want to mention that Lumbar disc herniations are a fairly common condition and are often seen in the physiotherapy clinic. In most cases, the condition resolves well with physiotherapy treatment. Awareness and use of proper posture and good lifting techniques, along with a maintenance program of exercises help to ensure effective control of this condition following physiotherapy.
maddenptofficial- Thanks for your quick and technical response and not refering me to a guru in a Himalayian cave. Your efforts to help and alleviate physical suffering can only result in your continued and inevitable success. Best wishes.
well chad i have kyphosis , scoliosis,lordosis,i have a herniated disc at O4/O5 on MRI.it appears to be compressing the nerve root.I've done electrotherapy,ultrasound,diathermy.i have treated my right leg but hurts my left leg bellow the ankle in paw.i am 42 years working as a waiter 77kg,1.73 height.thank you very much for the reply.
it is so much different than last time, last time it was just severe sciatica and i should have been given an emergency discectomy, they just messed me around, this time it is all in my lower back, i get twinges down both legs sometimes.
I too have a L5S1 herniation that disabled me for a while. I had about 2 min. standing up before I had to lay down cause sitting wasnt an option. I'm a Pro Salsa dancer and I still cant figure out what could of caused this. What I remember was sciatic pain and one day jumping as high as I can into my pool experiencing a buttock pain so I went to the Chiro, after and adjustment disabled for 3 weeks. Went to Pt and to speed up my recovery they recommended an injection that put me back on my feet.
I hurt my back 7weeks ago in gym using 45kg weight went on lower back and between shoulders a few time in the last 10 days I have started to get numbness in both hands and arms and weakness feeling in arms and legs be hide the knee gaps went to doc all the give me pain killers and muscle relax got xray no broken bones im trying acupuncture but not really helping frist thing would it be trap nerve in neck and lower back and bugle disc cause numbness and how long would it take to heal
Hi Madden, I was diagnosed with a herniated disc and your exercises have brought me great relief . My case is not as bad as other since I can workout 2 hours and feel no pain but I have my bad days when I limp and feel shooting pains, any suggestions for my bad days??
omg omg you helped saved my life! i couldnt even roll over! the pain! this and the other vid and tylenol elped me to roll over and get up with minimal pain. THANK YOU!!!
Also, I started some easy swimming to try to help, because I figure the breast stroke is very similar to repeated back extension. There is so much conflicting information out there on the internet about everything (swimming good vs. bad, extension vs flexion, etc), as well as so many horror stories. I just wish I could be better again.
Cheers for this, I've been looking for "herniated disc in back relief" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Ever heard of - Daanelib Fantastic Dominion - (should be on google have a look )? It is a great one off guide for discovering how to get rid of your back pain minus the headache. Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my m8 got excellent results with it.
Hello! When should i consider having surgery? Honestly i dont want to think about it but when you are in so much pain and if you feel like you did everything, you can think of surgery. :( still going for physio!
Where can I find literature to support the use of extension exercises for disc herniation? Is this effective for prolapse and extruding disc? Or just one?
One other bit of information. Before I had this painful episode, I could not do the "cobra" stretch without it causing the sciatic pain. Now I can do it to full extension with no problem. My PT says I had a lateral component or shift before, but that appears to be gone now.
hi madden. i have been battling what i believe is sciatica for some years now, every doctor i go to tells me the same thing and they can never find anything. first question. if i do have bulging in my spine,would it only be seen in an mri or xray if the pain was physically there or is there another tests that can detect sciatica. My second question pertains to treatment, i have tried acupuncture which seemed to work for a few months but not much, would massage or physical therapy be helpful?
While I'm not totally cured, doing these 3 really helped. I could hardly get out of bed in the morning these last few days. It hurt to stand up all the way. I think I have a herniated disc from very heavy lifting. My sciatica also comes and goes. The pain I feel is very low on my back and kind of radiates to the top right side of my buttocks. I occasionally feel tingling/leg "falling asleep" in my right leg too. My back feels like a stiff sharp cramp. Does this sound like a herniated disc?
I'm a 58 year old healthy male who has had a herniated disc for two years..L5-S1. Two nerveblocks helped a lot but now pain is back from right buttock, down leg to right foot. Bending forward over standing from sitting position is worse, but pretty much pain all the time. Affecting my job & life. Time for surgery?
Hi Doctor I had a herniated disc surgery 3 years ago. Can i do these excercises as well? does it help me rehabilitate my muscles. Please help me . i come from a poor country Afghanistan. Do you have other videos for those who have had a herniated disc surgery at L4L5
thanks doc.. my husband have same problem, he can not walk too much. at night he can not sleep becasue of pain.. he is taking massage and medicine too but not effected
HI, according to my PT I have a mild grade one spondylolisthesis, he looked over the MRI. He said there was no evidence of instability and no defect in the pars interaticularis (AKA I'm just relaying info). Because of this he said he saw no problem doing surfing which would put me in a prone position while I paddle. I was wondering what your thoughts are about this, thank you very much
Thank you for answer. Can an improper low back adjustment move a lumbar vertebra "out of place," therefore causing a pinched nerve with pain? Please reply.
I understand there are other McKenzie exercises that one can move on to after these 3. Mainly, the one where you can sit in a chair and bend down to reach under the chair. Now for my question: slicking only to these three-- because they all lean someone backwards-- will it lead to more compression if one does not properly stretch in the opposite direction? (The easy answer would be "a good PT regimen would achieve this" but I'm hoping for more...) =]
Hiya, Great Vid. So I have an L5 S1 Disk issue that was compressing my S1 Nerve Root right side. After a year things are better but have lost some feeling down my right leg and in my little toes. I no longer or rarely get pain in my calf which was the worst but I do get bad muscle cramps/spasms in my calf or thigh if by accident I stretch or twist the wrong way. Have you heard of this before and will it get better? Also I only really get pain in my back now but will that go in time? Thanks Chris
I have intense pain radiating down my left leg with numbness and tingling. I am taking an anti-inflammatory, but I am now having to use crutches to walk. Would these exercises help get my mobility back because after walking for a short amount of time my leg starts going numb on me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Hi, i'm 17.I have a MRI with the result of L4-L5 protrusion(not compressive) and for 6 weeks i am facing with an annoying and sometimes painful sciatica down the leg to the ankle.Due to my condition that I am a sports lover(although I don't practice a sport)my question is next one :what are the chances for me to cure this sort of degenerating disease if I will be carefull with physic exercises, if i will listen to my physio and with a healthy meal ? Thanks, i will be waiting for your answer.
Is it possible that something shift causing my 5-hour long period of agony, but also shifted further, removing the pain? Also, is it possible that the nerve was injured during the shift, but the disc pressure is no longer there? Or is pain not necessarily an indicator of nerve impingement?
My chiropractor suggest bending the other way for relief. I am suffering fron 5/6 disc displacement. She said to place pillow under stomach. Which way should you bend to take pressure of the disc to help it mend ?
Hi Chad, I have a herniated disc at L4/L5 on MRI. It appears to be compressing the nerve root. I have a constant achy back and some sciatica after a long day, etc. My symptoms were bad but now a year later my life is pretty normal except for the constant ache, etc. I want to get back in the gym. What exercises can you suggest to strengthen my back and core to alleviate this nagging reminder without further injury? (extensions,crunches,squats,lunges?) I'm a CT Tech, lay on the terminology. lol
Hi, I was wondering if you maybe could recommend exercise if I have a herniated disc in the thoracic region. I feel tingling in the thoracic/mid back and it seems to be to the left of my spine looking forward. This feeling becomes more pronounced when I push a rubber band in front of my chest facing with my left hand closest to the rubber band (exercise suppose to work lumbar) or when I am doing planks facing down. I don't know what movements I should avoid if I have a possible thoracic issue
Buttock, hip pain, knot in back left center waist. On occasion groin and knee and hurts in buttock when walking. I was doing yor exercises but now can't without shifting my hip, then it seems to unlock. I made a dr appt but a few weeks out. Thanks.
Hey Chad, I recently got what feels like a pinched nerve in/around my C7 vertebrae. Seeing a Chiropractor/Physiotherapist is out of the question right now. I've been doing exercises and trying to ice/rest the area. Is there any way to heal the pinched nerve without going and seeing a medical professional? I've been trying to incorporate your techniques to my neck, but I'm not sure if what I'm doing is right. Thanks!
... Why did the pain go away? If the pain is gone, does it mean pressure is off the nerve? My PT says to hold off on an MRI to see if his work with me helps. He doesn't think I have a herniated disc because I felt no pain when on a repex table. I'm curious to see what your thoughts are.
In October I was hospitalized for severe herniated disc in the L4-L5 area causing sciatica and numbness all the way down to my toes on my right side. I avoided surgery. These exercises helped tremendously and even the doc and neurologist were impressed at my quick recovery. Would it hurt me to increase my workouts, to include running or doing squats? What exercises should I avoid, so that I don't have any bulging of the disc again? Any help would be great!! Thanks so much for posting this.
Oh wow! Thank you! I found this video and did the lay down exercises and felt instant relief afterwards. I've had lower back pain, pain shooting pain down my left leg to my foot, and numbness for a few weeks now. I'll continue these exercises and report back my progress
so how did it go ? currently going through this tight now
Just want to say thank you, I have used these stretches for a number of years because of this video it’s given me a lot of pain relief and also made me more comfortable
Can't thank you enough Madden PT--these three exercises very rapidly resolved a low back lifting injury that was not healing on its own!
2 days ago i started to feel a slight pain in my lower back and since then it has gotten worse. last night i had trouble sleeping because it is constantly hurting. the only time i dont feel it as much is when i am walking. keep in mind that i am only 19 years of age and i have never had a back injury.
Hello. These exercises helped me to centralize leg pain into my back, so my leg is now painfree, thank you! Are there any chances that one day ill cure not only leg pain, but also that back pain caused by exercises?
I used to do the arching exercise and it would help, but the pain would come back moments after I got up. So I started sleeping in this position by putting pillows under my top half. After doing that for a week, my pain was gone and didn't come back again until 3 months later when I had to carry some heavy stuff. Now I'm sleeping in this position again and hope I'll get the same result I did last time.
Quite interesting I rframe from sleeping on my stomach. How's your back doing after all this time?
Currently going through some horrible lower back pain and these simple exercises are surprisingly relieving! Thanks.
How is your back now?
@@maryoma140 10 years later, still having problems with (periodically) however I’ve found staying active and stretching continues to alleviate the pain!
You've just described everything I've been experiencing - bad knee, one leg thinner than the other, bump on lower back - what was diagnosis? Just chiro? I've been through so many PT's at this point and need some relief in a big way.
After doing these exercises, my back pain has subsided and my left leg doesn't hurt when I walk. I can walk better now, thanks!
Blessed & thank you 🙏🏽
Hello again. Thank you for these usefull videos. I have been exercising for a few days now , i'm back to work, and i'm feeling much better. After about 3-4 hours of work it starts to hurt a little, but that is probably because i was at home and got a little out of shape, but it does't hurt when i bend over. So thank you again, God bless people who do a little something for others like you! Keep up the good work.
DjTommy2008 are u ok now??
These are the only perfect simple excercises provided one does
believe i have disc herniation after lifting many boxes the previous week...hurt to bend and getting out of bed was a challenge..it got better over the week and then i must have done some wrong movement today and now it hurts again. going to try these exercises and hope this gets better over the coming weeks
I stumbled across the first exercise of the three when working from home on my laptop. I had been laid up for a week with sciatica. The only comfortable position for using my laptop computer was working on my stomach from the floor; I used a couple couch pillow to prop up my chest. To my surprise, sciatica reduced significanty after a couple hours of work.
Well, my pain isn't chronic, I just get it sometimes after some movement or other, that I guess causes the herniated disc to press against the dural sac. However I've been doing the exercises for the past two weeks and I feel better after doing them. Thanks! I've also been swimming - seems to help a lot.
Very informative. Thank you for sharing this vital information with the world.
I ve been doing these exercises for only 1 day:) thank you so much already feel much better now!my biggest problem is after wake up when i drive to work.its painful sitting in the car and getting out of the car as well.then after 5 minutes i feel better.
I need to say thank you so much for this video, i was speculating for some time i had a herniated disk even though im young (21 years old) but i work with heavy boxes. One day when i went to college it was just unbearable, i thought it was just regular back pain but it didn't go away for months, when i went to the doctor all they said it was normal back pain and sent me on my way (i don't have medical insurance). After 10 minutes of just doing these exercises i had a significant drop in pain.
Do you have video for exercises for spinal stenosis .. . ?
@maddenptofficial I was diagnosed with a monor slipped disc l4/l5 and an annular tear not displacing any nerv roots. I took 6 months off and was told by my PA that I could return to my normal workouts, i specifically asked him if i could do the normal squat and benchpress ect and he told me that was fine and so i did. After doing one squat with 100lbs my back feels alot worse!. i have a constant burning back on my left side and it aches, and at times my buttox burns. I am only 20 years old and
I have neck pain, herniated disc and plantar fasciitis I think i have a big problem with my bones !!! please add more videos about these things .... thank you
i do daily these exercises ,,, its really helps me, thanxs for posting,,,,
You the man ! I felt so much better after doing these exercises . Hopefully doing these exercises everyday can improve my lower back pain . Thanks !
This is the second exercise video that I found to be working, these madden exercises work!!
I checked in about a month ago because I had extreme pain one morning that took me to the hospital, and when I was there the pain just disappeared, but my smaller toes went numb. I've been working with a McKenzie PT for the last 5 weeks, but I don't really sense that things are getting better. In fact, some very slight pain (1 out of 10) is starting to sneak back in, and I'm afraid it will get worse. My PT says to keep up the extension exercises (through his evaluation), and not to worry.
Thanks a lot for making these videos! I'm a 3rd year DPT student, and your ther-ex videos have helped me countless times in the clinic and with patients. Thanks for all that you do!
I took my nephew to a trampoline park and we jumped on those things for like 2 hours... the next day my back was destroyed. I'm pretty active, I run at least 3 times a week and walk a lot through my commute to work, i could barely do any of these things. I used heating pads and ibuprofen, and while they provided temporary relief, nothing seemed to be helping. I couldn't even cough or sneeze the pain was so bad. Did some research and found these stretches. started doing them every night and after about 4 days I'm 80% better. Its incredible. i can't recommend trying these enough. Thank you!
How many did you do?
How's your pain now
@@pankajthakur7195 after i did these stretches I haven't had any back pain. A couple weeks of this got me back to 100% and I'm still able to bike and run as usual. I haven't had an injury like the one I had back then either though, so that also helps. A co-worker of mine recently had a similar injury and I recommended these stretches and he was back to normal a couple weeks later as well.
Thanks, it'll be great if this helps; I've had sciatica from a herniated disc for almost a month and can't even stand for longer than an hour, my foot goes numb and the pain is so intense it makes me nauseous. It's hard to get back to work because it's impossible to stand after an hour. Hoping I won't need surgery & these things will help!! No insurance :(
Really..?? I'm suffering same as you condition..
Please suggest me
Are u cured please reply.
How is your sciatica now?
Thank you very much for your reply. The CT showed that I have all 3 of the above, plus a hairline fracture at the base of my tailbone. All I know is that I have sciatica with nerve pain. I can't have MRI so that's as far as I have got at the moment. I'm not sure how I go about actually finding out what's causing the sciatica as my doctor etc are more for pain relief. I was supposed to go and see a neurosurgeon but I have not heard anything yet.
Thank you sooo much for the in depth and prompt reply. I will def give it a try. Thanks again. Your vids are great and actually work.
hi, Im 31, since 2011 having lower back problem. MRI says,
1] At L4 - L5 Level, there is dessication of the disc and suggestion of a focal annular tear. this is more towards the right side and posteriorly.
2] Diffuse Discal bulging seen at L4 -L5 and L2 -L3 levels with associated discal degeneration.
3] L2 - L3 level, there is broad based posterior discal protrusion indenting the anterior thecal sac.
4} L4 -L5 level, diffuse discal bulging is seen with minimal anterior thecal sac indentation.
thanks A lot Madden for suggesting and replying me
Is it working
Hi, I am 17 years old and my father has a herniated disc. Sometimes I have back pain, so to prevent a herniated disc, how much times a week should I do your 3 exercises? Or do you have a kind of workout for lower back? Thank you very much
Thanks, started with PT again, someone who is hands-on.. Appriciate the advise.
How often should I do these exercises and how long after should I feel the results?
Chad, I can't thank you enough. Found your video two days ago, did these stretches a few times per day, and am thrilled with the results!
***** Chad, one week in. Been doing these three times per day for a total of 15 minutes. I can't believe that after 20 years of suffering with a herniated disk something this simple could have saved me so much pain and wasted time. I feel like I owe you a co-pay :)
Mac Sobolewski i am mechanical engineer and i feel these excercises are good but not great. Doing these vertebraes pinch disc at spinal cord side. There is a complete mechanics behind these excercises. These excercises may result great if we do stretch our body vertically outward in direction. ( Head and toe stretch away outward)
Went through three doctors before my therapist explained it well. When sitting or standing the water is squeezed out of your discs. When you sleep the water swells the disc and presses on the nerves going to my leg. Worst thing to do is lay in bed no matter how sleepy. I get up and sleep in a chair. And do these exercises. Still have to take a pain pill in the morning and crutch it; but by noon I’m walking okay.
I will mk request w/PCP. Wanted to add (in case u had more thoughts) pain intermittent, radiating from neck to shoulder, scapula, arm, and hands. Mostly right, but always both. Gripping, sleep, and certain positions seem to bring on the pain. MRI impression: multilevel degenerative n spondylitic changes, varying degrees both spinal canal neural foraminal stenosis, more prominent at C4-5, C5-6, C6-7, further characterized w/lo dose CT myelography. Also cervical lordosis. Yes, side sleeper.
Really appreciate your response! I'll let you know how it goes thank you.
Stephen Flynn are u ok now??
Brief&upto the point.good video.
Hi madden, im 21 and was just diagnosed with a prolapsed disc between l4 and l5. I tried the exercise laying on my stomach but it caused more pain even when i only propped up slightly. Is this normal or would you recommend i not do this if it hurts? Also, is this something that people ever fully recover from? I live a very active lifestyle and i would hate to be unable to play tennis or run again.
I love the idea of the "Top 3" series- there is so much info on the net- it is nice to see excercises posted by our family's own PT! I subscribed to your channel so I know when the new ones are posted- keep them coming! (Maybe it will help me convince/inspire my mom to actually do her exercises!!!)
Thanks. Just tried it and can actually lay on my back rather than my belly!
Left leg is less and im taking less pain medication. Was wondering when i can start exercising again. And how ,many days should i take it easy.. Im not working at the moment, and my husband took few weeks off because i was bed ridden for 2 weeks. Looking forward for this injection to work.
Hey doc. So ive got a posterior disc herniation between my L4 and L5 and have been following these exercises daily for about a month now. In addition to these is it okay to foam roll my lower back as well?
Did the first "exercise". Pain in leg was completely gone after that. But it came back in the morning a little. I'll just have to keep this up until it heals completely.
He said it will take 12-14 weeks to get better, but I don't see any signs yet. I am getting very discouraged, and afraid I will end up disabled. Have you had experience with people with numbness, and have you been able to help them? What is your experience with time period to help? Should I continue with PT, or should I seek other treatment? I haven't done an MRI yet on advice of my PT, but I'm considering now, and thinking maybe shots. As with everyone else, I really want to avoid surgery.
Hi Dr. Madden; I have a very high pain tollerance, but I can't do any extension of the back at all without my muscles cramping up and flooring me for a few minutes. I have no leg pain, it's localized to about T11-L1. My T5-T7 are laterally rotated , but that doesn't give me problems these days.
I can't afford to work with a doctor right now. But, exercise seems to help.
So here's my question: What exercises that don't require extension would you recommend, and what might be wrong with my back?
Hi doctor thanks for the video I have disc prolapse since 3_ 4 years and this year i graduated from medical college so i'm worried about my back what i can do to relieve my pain when i work in the hospital
Thank you so much. This is really helping me.
I think I've herniated - or bulged - one of my disc 3 months ago while doing deadlifts with poor form. I was obviously overtrained, gone too heavy and broke form... Since then, I have « some » back pain... I don't feel it all the time, and it doesn't « irradiate ».
I only feel it - in the lower back - when I bend forward ( for a long time ) or if I try to do deadlifts and squats again.
This is the first time, in my life, I experienced some backpain. I'd like it to heal completely to DL again!
Thanks so much, I trust your advice. I would have you as my PT if I lived near you. I have been to multiple PTs before getting diagnosed with spondylolisthesis, and some recommended these exercises and to avoid sitting and to stand and walk as much as possible...I may have aggravated my condition hopefully there is a chance to reverse the damage.
After 4 weeks of PT I was working full time and I was back training in the gym taking it really easy and trying to strengthen my core the best I could. Still I felt tingling and some morning were better than others. I was thinking about decompression therapy but it is big money. So I just kept on with my own workout. For a month now I been training really hard including my legs. Yes! I hurt my self again and I bet it was my leg workout cause its been the only difference since my recovery.
WALKING!! I suffered for years with a herniated disc, babying it, spending too much time lying down or sitting. Then i heard somewhere about the healing power of simply WALKING. Gotta get that blood pumping, get moving. So i started forcing myself to just walk more, even though i was limping. It didnt take long for my disc issue to heal, and it hasnt flared up since. I had tried everything else, even expensive chiropractor sessions, which did NOTHING. Its FREE to walk, and it will help!
Thank you for the informative video. I have a L5S1 herniation and have been doing McKenzie theory for about a week now. I noticed that when I first started the pain was in my upper Glute as expected but now for some reason, my range of motion has increased but the pain is localized in my lower hamstring just above the knee. Should I still continue this or not? I've also been doing core Stabilizing exercises, Myofascial release with a tennis ball, heat and ice. Any advice? Thank you!
I was referred to a neurosurgeon by a PCP for bulging discs in my neck. He wants to do fusion. Chiro friend suggests pricey spinal decompression or inversion will help. My forearms become solid on L and R sides at times after pc use. Hands, and arms have different types of pain in varying degrees, stemming from neck. I'm unsure what to do. Trying to weigh risks vs. benefits of fusion or other treatment for better quality of life. Your thoughts?
i injured myself doing deadlifts and now have lower back pain and pain down my left leg. i dont have the money to see a chiropractor so I've just been taking anti-inflammatory meds and been using heat pads. Would you recommend something like hyperextensions? Any advice would be great.
Hi Chad,
I had some sciatica down my right leg that stopped above my knee for the last two months, until... about 5 days ago I had an extremely painful episode that left me immobilized on the floor for four hours before finally calling the ambulance. While I was at the hospital, the nerve pain suddenly went away, but seems to have been replaced with some numbness in my foot. I started working with a PT who did a McKenzie fellowship, so I feel I'm in good hands, but I have a question...
Hi madden!
i am suffering from Bulging disc L5-S1 from past 7 months and doctor prescribed me Epidural steroid injection on feb 2013, for a while i was relieved from my back pain. from past 10 days once again i am feeling burning sensation and numbness in my back and in my right leg, i had consulted physo therapy and he his stretching my back by McKenzie Press ups, but still i am not relieved from pain, can you please suggest me whether to continue with physo therapy or go for surgery
hi chad, im from indonesia, (sorry my english is bad)
i have some question for you
1. my MRI said that, i got HNP on L5S1, so what should i do? should i got some surgery or do your video exercise
2. i just feel some pain when i sit for a long time, could i take a gym class or not?
3. is swimming really help for the recovery?
hello madden, thanks for the vids, very helpful.
my problem is not hurting my lower back thru activity, but just the opposite. on my days off, il sometimes lay in bed reading for a few hours. head propped up a little bit on pillows. the next day my back is usually killing me, no so much as pain, but more in lack of movement, there is pain, but not to bad, just a restriction of movement more or less. il be hunched over a little bit, cant figure it out. i hurt my back by doin nothing. lol!
These exercises are effective and best exercises to strengthen back muscles… As a physical therapist at healthclues Hyderabad, i want to mention that Lumbar disc herniations are a fairly common condition and are often seen in the physiotherapy clinic. In most cases, the condition resolves well with physiotherapy treatment. Awareness and use of proper posture and good lifting techniques, along with a maintenance program of exercises help to ensure effective control of this condition following physiotherapy.
maddenptofficial- Thanks for your quick and technical response and not refering me to a guru in a Himalayian cave. Your efforts to help and alleviate physical suffering can only result in your continued and inevitable success. Best wishes.
You have helped me more than my regular doctors.. who do I donate to you?
Very helpful video for my L5S1! Thanks!
well chad i have kyphosis , scoliosis,lordosis,i have a herniated disc at O4/O5 on MRI.it appears to be compressing the nerve root.I've done electrotherapy,ultrasound,diathermy.i have treated my right leg but hurts my left leg bellow the ankle in paw.i am 42 years working as a waiter 77kg,1.73 height.thank you very much for the reply.
it is so much different than last time, last time it was just severe sciatica and i should have been given an emergency discectomy, they just messed me around, this time it is all in my lower back, i get twinges down both legs sometimes.
I too have a L5S1 herniation that disabled me for a while. I had about 2 min. standing up before I had to lay down cause sitting wasnt an option. I'm a Pro Salsa dancer and I still cant figure out what could of caused this. What I remember was sciatic pain and one day jumping as high as I can into my pool experiencing a buttock pain so I went to the Chiro, after and adjustment disabled for 3 weeks. Went to Pt and to speed up my recovery they recommended an injection that put me back on my feet.
I hurt my back 7weeks ago in gym using 45kg weight went on lower back and between shoulders a few time in the last 10 days I have started to get numbness in both hands and arms and weakness feeling in arms and legs be hide the knee gaps went to doc all the give me pain killers and muscle relax got xray no broken bones im trying acupuncture but not really helping frist thing would it be trap nerve in neck and lower back and bugle disc cause numbness and how long would it take to heal
Hi Madden, I was diagnosed with a herniated disc and your exercises have brought me great relief . My case is not as bad as other since I can workout 2 hours and feel no pain but I have my bad days when I limp and feel shooting pains, any suggestions for my bad days??
How are you doing now ?
omg omg you helped saved my life! i couldnt even roll over! the pain! this and the other vid and tylenol elped me to roll over and get up with minimal pain. THANK YOU!!!
Also, I started some easy swimming to try to help, because I figure the breast stroke is very similar to repeated back extension. There is so much conflicting information out there on the internet about everything (swimming good vs. bad, extension vs flexion, etc), as well as so many horror stories. I just wish I could be better again.
Thank you for this wonderful tip
Cheers for this, I've been looking for "herniated disc in back relief" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Ever heard of - Daanelib Fantastic Dominion - (should be on google have a look )?
It is a great one off guide for discovering how to get rid of your back pain minus the headache. Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my m8 got excellent results with it.
Hello! When should i consider having surgery? Honestly i dont want to think about it but when you are in so much pain and if you feel like you did everything, you can think of surgery. :( still going for physio!
Where can I find literature to support the use of extension exercises for disc herniation? Is this effective for prolapse and extruding disc? Or just one?
One other bit of information. Before I had this painful episode, I could not do the "cobra" stretch without it causing the sciatic pain. Now I can do it to full extension with no problem. My PT says I had a lateral component or shift before, but that appears to be gone now.
hi madden. i have been battling what i believe is sciatica for some years now, every doctor i go to tells me the same thing and they can never find anything. first question. if i do have bulging in my spine,would it only be seen in an mri or xray if the pain was physically there or is there another tests that can detect sciatica. My second question pertains to treatment, i have tried acupuncture which seemed to work for a few months but not much, would massage or physical therapy be helpful?
While I'm not totally cured, doing these 3 really helped. I could hardly get out of bed in the morning these last few days. It hurt to stand up all the way. I think I have a herniated disc from very heavy lifting. My sciatica also comes and goes. The pain I feel is very low on my back and kind of radiates to the top right side of my buttocks. I occasionally feel tingling/leg "falling asleep" in my right leg too. My back feels like a stiff sharp cramp. Does this sound like a herniated disc?
I'm a 58 year old healthy male who has had a herniated disc for two years..L5-S1.
Two nerveblocks helped a lot but now pain is back from right buttock, down leg to right foot. Bending forward over standing from sitting position is worse, but pretty much pain all the time. Affecting my job & life. Time for surgery?
Hi Doctor
I had a herniated disc surgery 3 years ago. Can i do these excercises as well?
does it help me rehabilitate my muscles. Please help me . i come from a poor country Afghanistan. Do you have other videos for those who have had a herniated disc surgery at L4L5
thanks doc.. my husband have same problem, he can not walk too much. at night he can not sleep becasue of pain.. he is taking massage and medicine too but not effected
HI, according to my PT I have a mild grade one spondylolisthesis, he looked over the MRI. He said there was no evidence of instability and no defect in the pars interaticularis (AKA I'm just relaying info). Because of this he said he saw no problem doing surfing which would put me in a prone position while I paddle. I was wondering what your thoughts are about this, thank you very much
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for answer. Can an improper low back adjustment move a lumbar vertebra "out of place," therefore causing a pinched nerve with pain? Please reply.
I understand there are other McKenzie exercises that one can move on to after these 3. Mainly, the one where you can sit in a chair and bend down to reach under the chair.
Now for my question: slicking only to these three-- because they all lean someone backwards-- will it lead to more compression if one does not properly stretch in the opposite direction? (The easy answer would be "a good PT regimen would achieve this" but I'm hoping for more...) =]
Hiya, Great Vid. So I have an L5 S1 Disk issue that was compressing my S1 Nerve Root right side. After a year things are better but have lost some feeling down my right leg and in my little toes. I no longer or rarely get pain in my calf which was the worst but I do get bad muscle cramps/spasms in my calf or thigh if by accident I stretch or twist the wrong way. Have you heard of this before and will it get better? Also I only really get pain in my back now but will that go in time? Thanks Chris
I have intense pain radiating down my left leg with numbness and tingling. I am taking an anti-inflammatory, but I am now having to use crutches to walk. Would these exercises help get my mobility back because after walking for a short amount of time my leg starts going numb on me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Hi, i'm 17.I have a MRI with the result of L4-L5 protrusion(not compressive) and for 6 weeks i am facing with an annoying and sometimes painful sciatica down the leg to the ankle.Due to my condition that I am a sports lover(although I don't practice a sport)my question is next one :what are the chances for me to cure this sort of degenerating disease if I will be carefull with physic exercises, if i will listen to my physio and with a healthy meal ? Thanks, i will be waiting for your answer.
chad its safe to try these exercises?would it cause problems in the spine?doing abs are safer?thank you very much for the reply
Is it possible that something shift causing my 5-hour long period of agony, but also shifted further, removing the pain? Also, is it possible that the nerve was injured during the shift, but the disc pressure is no longer there? Or is pain not necessarily an indicator of nerve impingement?
Excellent God bless you Sir
My chiropractor suggest bending the other way for relief. I am suffering fron 5/6 disc displacement. She said to place pillow under stomach. Which way should you bend to take pressure of the disc to help it mend ?
I will be doing this from now on...I need to fix this asap so I can get back to the gym!
Do you remember how long it took? Um going thought This now . My back popped while deadlift 500 pounds
Hi Chad, I have a herniated disc at L4/L5 on MRI. It appears to be compressing the nerve root. I have a constant achy back and some sciatica after a long day, etc. My symptoms were bad but now a year later my life is pretty normal except for the constant ache, etc. I want to get back in the gym. What exercises can you suggest to strengthen my back and core to alleviate this nagging reminder without further injury? (extensions,crunches,squats,lunges?) I'm a CT Tech, lay on the terminology. lol
THANK YOU IT WAS EXTREMLY USEFUL. I WASIN A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN.NOW I HAVE LESS PAIN.
Hi, I was wondering if you maybe could recommend exercise if I have a herniated disc in the thoracic region. I feel tingling in the thoracic/mid back and it seems to be to the left of my spine looking forward. This feeling becomes more pronounced when I push a rubber band in front of my chest facing with my left hand closest to the rubber band (exercise suppose to work lumbar) or when I am doing planks facing down. I don't know what movements I should avoid if I have a possible thoracic issue
Buttock, hip pain, knot in back left center waist. On occasion groin and knee and hurts in buttock when walking. I was doing yor exercises but now can't without shifting my hip, then it seems to unlock. I made a dr appt but a few weeks out. Thanks.
Hey Chad,
I recently got what feels like a pinched nerve in/around my C7 vertebrae. Seeing a Chiropractor/Physiotherapist is out of the question right now. I've been doing exercises and trying to ice/rest the area. Is there any way to heal the pinched nerve without going and seeing a medical professional? I've been trying to incorporate your techniques to my neck, but I'm not sure if what I'm doing is right.
Thanks!
... Why did the pain go away? If the pain is gone, does it mean pressure is off the nerve? My PT says to hold off on an MRI to see if his work with me helps. He doesn't think I have a herniated disc because I felt no pain when on a repex table. I'm curious to see what your thoughts are.