Hi Guys,

Question about twisting and squatting...

I am almost three weeks post op. My PT said that squatting was okay? What do you think?

As far as twisting... When your on the toilet and you have to wipe yourself, isn't that considered twisting? Or when you are in the shower washing your behind isn't that considered twisting?

Just asking this because I have never thought to ask it before.

I guess I have twisted a little not all out twisting but I hop I haven't screwed up anything.

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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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Well Johnny, you bring up a touchy subject.. oops, did I say touchy. Shame on me.
Serious though. I am 5 weeks post op fusion and I still have a hard time wiping. What ever you do, don't over twist your low back. I found that if I kinda sqau and lean I can do ok.
Take it easy for awhile.
Good luck,
Alex

Since you brought up a touchy subject, I'm 2 months post-op and that is still very difficult for me and pain-producing. I found out I'm not ambidextrous http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

I know a woman that broke both arms in a motorcycle accident and couldn't use either arm. She said having her husband do that for her for weeks was very humiliating.

photogman
I know what you mean. Myself, being a bacholer and having to do most everything for myself the first 2 weeks was a nightmare. Doing that deed was very difficult to say the least.

I didn't find it very difficult the first two weeks but I do kind of twist, like would normally be done; is that bad ???

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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]

A female prespective on the wiping problem:
When I had my babies they gave us "squirt bottles". We filled them with water.

I had the wiping problem after my IDET. After some thinking, I went to the squirt bottle. You can make one from a mustard squirt bottle.