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L4 L5 disc bulge. L5 S1 disc bulge. What do you do when your MRI tells you that you have an L4 L5 disc bulge or an L5 S1 disc bulge? That’s one of the most common questions I’ve been getting in the comment section of my videos. In this video I’m going to give you four exercises that you can do to help relieve any pain associated with disc bulges in your lower lumbar spine, your low back, either at L4 L5 or L5 S1. Follow along and I’ll show you some of these tips right now. Not only will I show you these exercises that help relieve pain associated with disc bulges, whether it’s low back pain, gluteal buttock pain or leg pain, I will go through the anatomy associated with disc bulges.
Here’s a spine.
The white blocks are the bones. The spaces in between these cartilaginous spaces, are the discs. They act like shock absorbers when they’re healthy but when they are injured, they can bulge.
The red is an example of a disc bulge.
If that disc bulge goes back and hits this nerve over here, that will cause radiating pain into the leg. That nerve could contribute pain all the way down to the thigh and into the knee and into the calf. If the disc bulge hits the lower nerves, then the pain may even go down to the foot. A disc when it’s injured can have inflammation in it’s local area at the disc region and that itself will cause local pain. But when that bulge actually hits a nerve, whether it’s inside the spinal canal or at the lateral aspect where the nerve comes out, that nerve can radiate pain into the leg.
Refer to 2:05 of the video to further and better understand the anatomy associated with these disc bulges.
Now, let’s get into these four exercises that could help give you relief for your pain associated with L4 L5 or L5 S1 disc bulge. The first one is a stretch or exercise called Mad Cat or Angry Cat. These are pelvic tilt coordination exercises. Start on all fours, and arch your back to get a backwards pelvic tilt.
Then sag your belly to get a forward pelvic tilt.
Do these rhythmically 10, 20, 30 times. It is very effective in mobilizing the lower lumber joints, the lower lumbar discs, L4 L5, L5 S1. More mobility means more fluid being drawn into the discs, more hydration into discs means more health and this motion also relieves pressure in these discs and any tension associated with the disc injuries or lower back inflammation and injury.
Exercise number two is a seated version of these pelvic tilts. Sit at the edge of your chair and you’re going to jut your belly forward for a forward pelvic tilt, and then round your back for a backwards pelvic tilt.
Very rhythmic coordinated movements. The seated version of these pelvic tilts a little bit easier than the mad cat version. Always do these exercise within your pain tolerance.
Exercise number three are knee-to-chest stretches which helps to relieve muscular tension in the gluteal region, the buttocks. It also helps to relieve pain in the low back region, and also relieves pressure and tension in the nerves that are associated with leg pain and sciatic pain. You start by pulling your knees toward your body.
Hold that for 10 seconds. Repeat it three times. Always do this within your tolerance. Never stretch or do exercises that triggers or aggravate pain.
This is a single knee-to-chest stretch, to be done three times on each leg and held for 10 seconds. There is also an angled version, which is a good stretch for the gluteal region and also low back region. Start by pulling your knee towards your chest, and then pulling it towards the opposite arm. This is also effective in relieving tension in the lower back and nerves that go into the leg.
The fourth and final exercise is an extension McKenzie protocol exercise that helps relieve pressure in the lumbar discs. You lie flat on your stomach and lift your chest off the ground. Keep your elbows flat, do not lift your elbows up. This is the easier version which helps to relieve pressure by gapping up the spaces between the vertebrae where the discs are.
The more advanced version is another extension exercise which helps to relieve pressure in the lower lumbar region. You extend your arms out to get a better, bigger extension.
There you have four great exercises to help relieve pain associated with disc bulges, whether it’s low back pain, gluteal buttock pain or leg pain. I hope you found that useful. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below and if you found this valuable share it with a family member or friend. Make sure you click the subscribe button so you get updates on new videos. And also I’m always looking for suggestions on content. If there’s any particular videos or questions that you want me to answer on video, just post them in the comments below and I’ll make some video about that. Click on that bell button to be notified when I post a new video. Dr. Walter Salubro here, I’m a chiropractor in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada at Back To Health Chiropractic Centre, signing out and I’ll see you in the next video.
To learn more about how corrective chiropractic care at Back To Health Chiropractic Centre can help you with your chronic pain problem visit www.iBTHCC.com. Back To Health Chiropractic Centre is located at 20 Cranston Park Ave, #6, Vaughan Ontario, L6A 2W2.ble].
