Bulging Disc

call it for the season tbh, not worth the risk

Doctor.

My disc is bulging or herniated? too, originally messed it up last spring while pumping speed in the inrun for a street spot. Was ok for the summer but then again in november it started messing with me again. got an MRI and doc told me i just have to keep moving and it will ge better with time. Could ski for like two months this season andd now it slipped out again like 3 weeks ago.. Really annoying and painful. Have been doing some excerises and will be trying to ski again in a week or two

Thanks guys. I've already consulted a doctor and started five weeks of PT. I'm hoping they'll do the MRI later this month.

Not seeking medical advice from anyone. Just curious to hear other people's experiences here. Very little information online from people who enjoy our style of skiing.

I've decided to throw in the towel for the season after skiing in pain yesterday. Still not entirely clear on the risk of mellow skiing after the disc has already bulged, but I can't imagine pushing through pain leads to anything positive.

I have a friend who had to quit climbing/skiing due to back and shoulder issues. He found a PT that got him on a lifting plan and it worked wonders. He’s only an intermediate at both, but going from sitting on the couch in pain to active again is huge progress. You may not be able to do some of the stuff you used to though.

I had a buldging disk last season during the summer from mountain biking. I didn't take it easy, it got worse, ski season came, I kept skiing hard, it got worse. I was getting sciatica from the disc pushing on my nerves, my PT told me "if you can ski with the pain it's prbly fine" I have a high pain tolerance and could but it would leave me hobbling the next day or two. Fast forward to Jan 2023, I couldn't walk, literally getting around my house with a trek pole. Finally got mri (insurance issues caused delay) disc was VERY bad (I could have told them that... I did tell them that..)

I had to spend 4 months with no activity and immense pain, then I got back injections that helped with the pain but doesn't resolve the problem so I still was no activity for another 3 months. Finally could do planks, so I strengthened my core and did seated good mornings and other low back exercises to take pressure off of my spine and have those muscles support it instead.

Tl;Dr: don't push it with a buldged disc or you will eventually not be able to walk and will have to take 6 months or more off to let it rest when it otherwise would have been a couple months of no activity.
You don't want back surgery, long term issues from a short term fix is not worth it

Slugger66Made a thread several weeks ago thinking it was an IT band issue. Turns out it's a disc bulge somewhere in my lower spine and/or SI joint.

Anybody have experience with this? What are my prospects for returning to occasional cliffs, charging, and light park? I'm doing my PT religiously and seeing early signs of optimism, but I anticipate it will take a while.

Recommendations for recovering based on my terrible experience:

Don't push it with sports, even when it feels like you no longer have pain, give it more time before being active
Strengthen your core and low back to take that pressure off of your spine and expedite the disc reabsorbing. Planks, side planks, seated good mornings, are all great.
Get an inversion table! I would feel a physical pop releasing pressure around that disc when I inverted. It feels amazing to relieve that pressure. My manager had a major back injury and pointed me towards an inversion table, it was a great recommendation.
Get an mri so you know how extreme it is and if the pain is constant/regular, get back injections. The first round of injections did nothing but there are different styles and the second was insanely helpful with managing pain.
Drink a ton of water and eat healthy so your body has what it needs to recover
Be patient, you'll be back in a few months but it'll be longer if you aren't.
There are varying levels of herniations, funnily enough there are studies that found the worse the herniation the faster it reabsorbs. Mri should give you insight to how bad it is

Good luck! I wouldn't wish that pain and long recover on anyone. You'll be back stronger than ever if you intentionally recover

**This post was edited on Mar 3rd 2024 at 7:14:06pm

Huge thanks to everyone for the helpful feedback. You guys have given me some serious motivation to get healthy during the next few months.

How did everyone feel on skis after making the recovery? Were you able to return to business as usual or did you moderate things? I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I'm curious what my future on skis might look like. I'm planning to do everything it takes to return to 100%, but I'm also willing to tone it down next (?) ski season if needed.

My injury got pretty severe due to my negligence but today was my 43 ski day this season. I ski pretty aggressive on big mountain and large park jumps and haven't had to lay up at all so treat it right and you'll be fully back next year

Slugger66Huge thanks to everyone for the helpful feedback. You guys have given me some serious motivation to get healthy during the next few months.

How did everyone feel on skis after making the recovery? Were you able to return to business as usual or did you moderate things? I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I'm curious what my future on skis might look like. I'm planning to do everything it takes to return to 100%, but I'm also willing to tone it down next (?) ski season if needed.

Start doing dead hangs every day

Definelty see a disc fitter

NutsToRailMy injury got pretty severe due to my negligence but today was my 43 ski day this season. I ski pretty aggressive on big mountain and large park jumps and haven't had to lay up at all so treat it right and you'll be fully back next year

Glad you're back at it man - look forward to doing the same in due time!

Appreciate you!
Wishing you a speedy recovery

Slugger66Glad you're back at it man - look forward to doing the same in due time!