Hi all,

I went to PT today for the first time post op. They had me do some "nerve teasing" similiar to a hamstring stretch. He wanted me to stretch until I felt anything in my toes and then back of and repeat. He also did some stretch where I had both knees bent, my foot on my knee and strecth the buttocks. I also did some abdominal strengthening by laying on my back and drawing in my stomach. Finally I had a soft tissue massage.

Anyway I was flared up after that. Anyone experience that???

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27 years old computer programmer
April 1996 - Bulging L4/L5 disk from car accident.
October 2002 - Low back pain and pain in left leg.
October 2002 - See chiropractor with minimal relief.
November 2002 - MRI shows L4/L5 moderate disk herniation (left and center)
January 2003 - Try PT for a couple of weeks some relief until chiropractor visit.
February 2003 - Chiropractor does traction, resulting in first instance of numbness in foot.
Late February 2003 and still going - New Physical Therapist, not much relief yet...
March 2003 - Very light pain in right leg in addition to left, EMG suggests nerve damage/irritaion in both legs.
March 2003 - Second MRI shows L4/L5 moderate disk herniation (left and center), slightly larger
April 3, 2003 - Epidural Injection, slight pain relief, more tingling in left leg and right.
April 17, 2003 - Going for second epidural injection.
April 22,2003 - Feeling some relief, started doing exersices from the McKenzie book.
May 1, 2003 - Third epidural injection
May 7, 2003 - Still in pain, less numbness and tingling
June 21, 2003 - Fell in the house, ten times worse.
July 14, 2003 - Had laminectomy / micro-discectomy, decompression of nerves on both sides all done from the left side.
July 23, 2003 - Lots of burning in both legs.

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I guess this is abnormal since no-one is responding

Hey Johnny~ I had everything you had at my 1st PT visit, but did not experience any flare ups. How far post op are you? I was 4 weeks. Mind you, I do have some painful evenings after PT when he stretches my nerve, and he tells me it will be painful but will go away in a day or so and it does. Hope this helps...
~Daubie

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Car Accident 2/2/02
Herniated disc L5/S1
Epidurals x3, PT 4 mos, some relief
Microdiscectomy 6/6/03

No, not abnormal (unless it is also abnormal for me). I have had flareups after PT several times. Just be sure when you go back for another PT appt. you let them know you had a flareup. They will want to try to determine which of the procedures they did to you caused the flare up. In my case any time I mentioned the flareup at my next appt. she would try to do away with one procedure until she found out the one that caused the flareup. It is very common to get the flareup because the physical therapist is trying to see how far you can work the area now without causing the flareup to determine how much work they need to do to get you back to full or close to full function.

After several appts. with therapist I am now getting to the point of being able to do the things that caused the flareup in the past. It just takes time and patience.

I repeat be sure to let the physical therapist know you had the flareup after the appointment.


Good Luck with your PT.

Thank you for your response. I have an appointment tommorrow so I will mention it to them.

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[list=a]
27 years old computer programmer
April 1996 - Bulging L4/L5 disk from car accident.
October 2002 - Low back pain and pain in left leg.
October 2002 - See chiropractor with minimal relief.
November 2002 - MRI shows L4/L5 moderate disk herniation (left and center)
January 2003 - Try PT for a couple of weeks some relief until chiropractor visit.
February 2003 - Chiropractor does traction, resulting in first instance of numbness in foot.
Late February 2003 and still going - New Physical Therapist, not much relief yet...
March 2003 - Very light pain in right leg in addition to left, EMG suggests nerve damage/irritaion in both legs.
March 2003 - Second MRI shows L4/L5 moderate disk herniation (left and center), slightly larger
April 3, 2003 - Epidural Injection, slight pain relief, more tingling in left leg and right.
April 17, 2003 - Going for second epidural injection.
April 22,2003 - Feeling some relief, started doing exersices from the McKenzie book.
May 1, 2003 - Third epidural injection
May 7, 2003 - Still in pain, less numbness and tingling
June 21, 2003 - Fell in the house, ten times worse.
July 14, 2003 - Had laminectomy / micro-discectomy, decompression of nerves on both sides all done from the left side.
July 23, 2003 - Lots of burning in both legs.

[/list=a]

My Doc gave me a sheet of exersizes & stretchs he wanted to have me attempt at PT.
Everything went well....So the PT had me start doing exersizes on machines with weights! Just about killed me!! ( Were NOT on my Docs List)I called my Doc & he told me NOT to go back to them. Only do what your Doc perscribes.....JMO
I had fusion L-4/L-5 Oct. 2001. I have No pain...No drugs...Can run....Climb....& especially Drive.
Don't know how I'd be if I didn't complain to my Doc about the PT....(Remember....it's your body)