back/bi injuries.. need help!

[slat1]

Ok guys/girls... here is the scoop. I found out two years ago I have degenerative disk disease. This keeps me from doing some of my favorite exercises... dead lifts, bent over rows, squats etc.
I also have strained bicep tendon in my left arm. The MRI showed it to be real bad. I am currently running heavy prescription anti-inflamatories for it in leau of surgery or cortazone.
Here are the questions:
-Any ideas of what I can do to keep my back growing?
-How about my legs? No squating sucks!
I am doing my best not to get depressed.. but.. its tough. Any advice would be awesome!

Thanks, Slat1

 

[jb160]

Go see a Chiropractor for your back have him take some x rays and make the needed adjustments it will take several visits. Also have him do some decompression of the spine you lay down on this table and they strap you to it and it spreads apart decompressing the spine> It wouldn't hurt to get an inversion table for your house either they are like 200 bucks just do a search on google for them and use that a few times a week but only for like 10 -15 minutes each time.

 

[tboy72]

man im with ya here. i have 3 herniated disks and just a few days ago i either strained or partially tore a muscle in my right forarm making it impossible to flex my right bicept. i am going for the mri on mon.
let me ask you, can you use your left arm for anything at all? how did you do it?
this really sucks for me i cant lift a god dam thing! as for the back i havent ben able to do any type of squats, i have instant spasams. i can only do limited leg exersizes and i MUST keep my abs tight as possible whenever lifting.

 

[slat1]

For legs I can't do much more than extensions, curls and leg press... a lot of leg press... reps too.
I can do stuff with my arm... just not heavy at all. I am about 30% of max when it hurts. I have to go by feel. Can't do wide grip pull ups because of the pain too.
BTW... have fun with that MRI. They are going to put you in head first my man. My arm went numb 30 seconds into it. It was weird having no feeling for 40 mins!
Good Luck

 

[tboy72]

yeah ive had mri's before they are no fun! im just so pissed right now! there are so many fat ass's who have perfectly healthy bodies who are just too lazy to go to the gym and get a great body. now here i am. im not lazy i love the gym, in the past year ive made some amazing gains. now im gonna loose a large % of my gains. one of my only god given talants was i can throw a baseball of football better then anyone i know. im 32 now and my playing days are over, but its a weird feeling not being able to use my arm for all the things that came so easy for me. now i cant even turn the key to my car. i just have a bad feeling about the mri...ill let ya'll know

 

[slat1]

Good luck bro. My bicep tendon burned just typing before I went on the aniti-inflamortories! I can't even see my outer bicep head when I flex either... I think something else may be going on... I am having a DR at the gym look over my mri results. He worked in pro sports for a while so I comfortable having him check it out. He has also done many MRI's for others at the gym too.
This just sucks. When ever I get in shape something bad happens!

 

[CLOMIDCLOWN]

SLAT1- can you see the bicep/tendon curled into a ball? I am assuming it was black and blue? What did the recommend?

Once you completely tear a muscle, you have no choice but surgery. They used to retie tendons but now tie tendon to bone by drilling a hole to bone HOWEVER just recently wires and artificial materials came out to tie-up tendon to tendon. You get better results this way because the muscle will not line up the same if tied to the bone (although the bone is an easier procedure).

90% of orthopedists don't know the latest technique and I suggest you find an experienced doctor.

What state do you live in?

 

[Zyglamail]

Prolotherapy.

 

[CLOMIDCLOWN]

Ive had prolotherapy done before and i believe in it.
It strengthens tendons but it has no place here until after the tendon is reapired and then only if the ligament is lax or causes pain.

 

[Wingnut32]

I have 2 herniated discs L4-5.Stetching and strengthening excercises have helped but not to the point of having no pain. I now do light squats with high reps, leg extensions, light hack squats. I had the bicep injury also and it took 8 months to heal. I used nothing more than 20-30 lbs dumbbells and a 45 lb straight bar. Ice it after every work out use heat on it at night. Stretch it 3-4 times a day.

 

[hammertime30]

ouch dude...I feel for ya!!!