I have lower back pain as well and tend to let pain guide me. Be careful about exercising on the pain killers as they can mask pain. Ice therapy is very helpful for muscle issues as well.

If I am thinking clearly then I view injuries as my body telling me it's time to slow down and take it easier.

Good luck.

Tommy

wyrillco,
Hang in there. I just had surgery on my lower back one week ago today (Tuesday). The doc told me no exercise... NOTHING...other than walking all I want...for SIX weeks. I've had back issues for a long time. All relating to bulges on two discs...which are what the doc finally removed last week. But, when those bulges have caused muscle tension/pain in my lower back I'd always do a few laps of backstroke when I was at the pool. If you pain is muscular give the backstroke a try. I've convinced lots of people to try it and they always say that it does relieve the pain. Good luck.

Dan

I would suggest that you get the opinion of a specialist (I was referred to a neurological surgeon and actually got three opinions all of which concurred). After examining my MRI my surgeon explained that many bulges do in fact recede on their own and/or through PT and other treatment. But your PT needs to know what he/she is dealing with. Of the two bulges I had removed, my surgeon pointed out on the MRI that one was so extensive (nearly herniated) that it would never recede on its own. He felt the smaller bulge could possibly recede and wouldn?t normally perform surgery to remove it. But since he was in there he?d remove it.

Now, the surgery I just had was very minimally invasive as back surgery goes (this was my second). The incision is/was less than 1 inch but I was under general anesthesia. The procedure took about a half an hour in the morning and I was actually discharged in the late afternoon. I was up and walking within an hour after anesthesia wore off. After a couple of days the only pain that remained was from the incision itself. Now I just have to wait about six weeks while scar tissue forms over where the bulges were cut from. That scar tissue is vital to the future integrity of the disc(s).