"From Setback to Comeback: The Athlete's Guide to Herniated Disk Rehabilitation"
In the pursuit of athletic excellence, athletes often face challenges that test not only their physical strength but also their resilience in overcoming setbacks. This can be more of a mental challenge than a physical one. One injury in particular that limits most athletes between the ages of 16-50 years old is a herniated disk, a condition that can sideline even the most dedicated competitors.
As a sports physical therapist, I understand the unique demands athletes face and the urgency they feel to return to peak performance. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the phases of healing the basis of rehabilitating a herniated disk specifically tailored for athletes. From personalized recovery strategies to targeted exercises, this article aims to empower athletes on their journey from injury to triumph, ensuring a safe and effective return to the competitive arena.
How do you know if you have a herniated/bulging disk? Imaging unfortunately is the only way to confirm it however your PT is highly skilled in evaluation to perform a series of tests to rule in/out different conditions and with great confidence you determine if you have disk pathology or possibly if you have other impairments.
What are other back injuries? Spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, anterolisthesis…that’s right. Just go see a professional.
Understanding the phases of healing is paramount in rehabilitation as it provides a roadmap for tailoring interventions to the specific needs of each stage. Different phases, such as the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling stages, dictate distinct physiological processes that influence treatment approaches.
If you try and speed these phases up you will end up regressing or slowing your progress in the long run. It is quite common to have at least one set back in your recovery so don’t stress. Just trust the rehabilitation process and keeping within the guidelines of your physical therapist you will be ok.
YOU ARE NOT BROKEN, just injured. Complete rest is the worst thing you could do so be cautious of being too “protective.” The idea is to do everything you can that does not cause pain.
The phases of healing are what PT’s base their rehabilitation planning. This is another reason physical therapy does not work in 2 visits, recovery can be a slow process but WE DO RECOVER!!
Let’s break down these phases of Healing:
Inflammation phase (1-6 days)
Proliferation phase ( Day 3-30 days) Repair phase
Remodeling phase (Day 9 and beyond)
The phases of healing with a herniated disk recovery:
Phase I (Inflammation phase) Non-rotational/non-flexion (0-6 days)
Exercises that are appropriate: (See video for demonstration)
Press ups
Cat/camel
planks
Iron Mans
Prone leg raises
Hip 3 ways
These exercises emphasis extension and netural spine strengthening. If you have pain with any of these you should avoid it or ask your PT for feedback.
Phase II - Non Rotational /Non-Flexion (0-6 days)
unilateral loading
Side bending
pallof variations
hip hinging (Good Mornings, RDLS, single leg RDL’s)
Hip Clams
Bridging variations
Q ped holds and variations
Low Trap Strengthening
Stir the pots
Lunges
Dead lifts starting with an elevated surface
Body Weight Squats
Phase III - Rotational phase/ Power Phase- The Remodeling phase (9 or more days)
Can begin Jogging
D1/D2
Dead lifts from the floor
Multifidus lifts
Jefferson Curls
Sand Bag Carries
Land mine presses
Squats: Body weight > Hex Bar Squats > Back Squats > Front Squats
KB swings
Phase IV: Return to Sport
How do you know if your specifically ready? You need a trained professional to measure the strength on each side to see if you have met them. Am I referring to manual muscle tests? No. You need an objective measure to be sure. For example you want your injured side to be at least 85% of the strength of the non-affected side. For example: You want at least 85% of quad strength on affected as non-affected and you want at least 85% of the hamstring/quad on the affected side too.
Some clinicians do not use objective measures to test for return to sport however I think it’s absolutely necessary to make sure they are not at risk.
Yes, all of these exercises can be done by yourself but who’s to say your doing them correctly? That’s were a professional comes into play. One small altered movement can make the exercise inefficient to it’s purpose.
You can purchase the video that goes along with this program by subscribing a one time fee to see the video’s with instructions to go along with it.
Disclaimer Amy the PT girl is to be used for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat medical conditions. It is recommended you consult your healthcare provider before beginning any exercise program. If your condition does not improve or worsens, stop exercises and consult your physician right away.
If your looking for one-on-one guidance please feel free to contact me through email or submitting your information in the contact section. You can also find videos of this exercise on my You Tube Channel.
