Physio accountability thread - anyone in?

[Curlewwoohoo]

I've got to do exercises every day, they're boring and it's easy to fall off the wagon. Hoping some other people are up for a thread to keep us accountable? Hoping for some company?!

My issue is prolapsed discs which I've been managing for about 6yrs now. Recently went downhill and ended up at the physio to get help. This is something that seems to happen once a year almost like a MOT. I asked her for a regime to follow to keep everything in good order.

This is it:

• when bad, Back bends x10 every hour, max 2hrs.
• when good, can reduce to x3 a day.
• Glutes every day, side clams with feet raised, side leg lifts, side kicks.
• Pilates x3 times a week. I do a class once a week at present.

Other cans and cants,

• I currently don't need to stop running, I do 3-5 miles on a Sunday. But that may change as time goes on.
• road cycling not the best. I might just sell my bike.
• swimming OK. I generally cba with going though!

However I need to get rid of this back pain first. Currently struggling with just walking the dog.

Checking in!
Back bends ☑️☑️☑️☑️ not going green but did some.
Monday night pilates class ✅

Has anyone got any goals for the end of this month? Need to keep the motivation going... I would like to return to my Sunday run club for slow ladies.

Hello! Not doing very well this week, pain worse again. I think it was being laid up in bed with flu for several days and I had 2 weeks with no pilates. Trying not to be despondent and think "is this my life now" but it's very demoralising and really affects what i can do with my children. Feeling very woe is me, need to snap out of that.

I'm going to try an aquafit class tomorrow. I'm having visions of old ladies doing it in swimming caps but to be honest I feel ancient myself with this pain & how unfit I am. Any exercise is good, surely.

Have done some stretches today & my physio routine. I think the nerve glides are making my sciatica worse but I have a physio appt in a couple of weeks so I can discuss then

@RapidlyApproachingEndOfMyTether it won't be forever!!!!!!
What do you do for nerve glides? I've found some things make my sciatica worse. Yoga. Stretching hamstrings. And I also now skip all pilates moves that are lying on belly and do them on all fours instead.

I've got an 'advantage' if you can call it that of having had this problem 6 years, so I know that i have bad times and good times. And that I'll be managing it forever.

anyone use ice?
trying something new as squeaky hip is not improving as usual.

and there are soo many conflicting views.
before exercise, after exercise, before stretching, after stretching, in the morning, before bed, lying down, standing up...

Sorry @greenacrylicpaint no first hand experience of ice. I've heard somewhere that Ice is for use initially to reduce inflammation but after that first stage heat is best? No idea if that's true though. When you say squeaky hip, does it actually squeak?!

that's what it feels like

no, very slight hip dysplasia. kept in check by physio and generally staying fit.

It's been a while... Everyone still at it?

I had a bit of a back crisis on Tuesday / Wednesday, contacted the physio, now doing back bends lying on my tummy, 10 every hour. Like a cobra position in yoga. So that will be fun when I'm in the office! Taking naproxen. Back to physio on 20th and she thinks a mri might be needed.

Still here!
Sorry to hear things are not so good for you, @Curlewwoohoo
Hope things improve soon.
Things are slowly getting better here, back to physio this week so we'll see what he says. Still getting morning sciatica but not so bad as 2/3 weeks ago. Physio exercises ongoing and pilates ticking over.

Can I join please?

I have a long term, lingering rotator cuff injury which has led to shoulder impingement and instability and a long list of exercises that I ought to do every day.

I do them for a few days, then it feels better, then I forget/too busy, then it comes back. Over 2 years of this now. I must do them!

6 weeks in a row. I really need to do this. (but it hurts to do it 😢)
It won't heal itself

I've binged on sugar and have put on weight. Had to miss a week of yoga due to caring for elderly parents but back there tomorrow. I'm determined to keep it up. Let's just check in when we can!

Hello all. How are people getting on? I've been to my physio today, he thinks now the majority of my pain is muscle and not nerve, which is good.

Revised my exercise programme and need to get myself some (fairly light) weights. He thinks I should up pilates to twice a week. I can't get to another class due to logistics but could do a virtual one - any recommendations for a good one? Maybe YouTube?

Sorry I've not been posting. Am still on the wagon with pilates and physio though! The physio thinks I've done a top disc as well as the L3/4/5 so as well as the hourly cobra stretches, I need to make beautiful double chins! Off all the drugs now though, back is sore but that's progress as knees & legs now fine. Went for a swim on Sunday morning. Trying to establish a new normal. Hope everyone else seeing improvements?

I have 10 days off work at the minute so hoping a break from sitting at the desk really helps me.

I'm still here! Sorry not to have posted in a while. Still doing pilates 2x a week and I think I'm starting to see some improvement. Also did a short hike last week and inflatable obstacle course in the swimming pool with my oldest kid, great fun but quite physically challenging (for me - not him!) but no residual back pain the following day which is a big win! Off work this week so minimal driving which is definitely helping too.

The best bit is I'm actually starting to enjoy my pilates classes and look forward to them! Winner 😃

Hope things continue to improve for everyone

I'm still here too! Definitely feeling a lot better. Not in constant pain. Not on any drugs. No sciatica. I'm doing stretches, glutes and pilates, all less than I was advised but more than I was before this flare up. Hopefully at a realistic level I can stick to. Tomorrow will be my third Sunday morning swim in a row. I'm off to the physio on Monday and confident that it will be my last appointment.

Well done @RapidlyApproachingEndOfMyTether !@RapidlyApproachingEndOfMyTether !!!!!!

Just checking in again. Cautiously optimistic these days, still ouchy at times but definitely on an upward trend. I think the pilates has really helped. In it for the long haul now! Have been discharged from physio with a plan of strength exercises and 6 months open access. Hope everyone is getting on well.

Hi @RapidlyApproachingEndOfMyTether that sounds like process! I think sometimes it's worth remembering that things can just take a bit of time, but if you put the work in it'll get there, and need to keep the faith.

I'm getting on OK. Fine for general life now, which is great! I'm still at the pilates several times a week and once a week swim. I have fallen off the wagon with hourly back bends but kept to x3 a day. The physio suggested I do x3 a day even when well.

I've got a call from occupational health on Monday, but not sure what they can tell me that I don't really know! Will report back if it's interesting.