L5 S1 herniation

Unfortunately I have experience with this;  L5 also.  I tried chiropractic for about two years, had two MRIs and of course Doctor wanted to operate; but I’m was a little concerned about operating slow close to all the nerves in the spine. So I did not have surgery, took about two of the of pain pills that were prescribed but I couldn’t handle them so stopped.

Bottom line I stopped running and biking, still tried to swim with the pain.  Some times I could barely walk the block or cut the grass. 

Fast forward 15 years back still hurts, have to be real careful with movements and lifting.  The good news I decided to focus on core strength and weight loss, basically I’m trying to do everything I can to avoid surgery.  Starting walking longer, then little running, then a little more.  Weight started coming off.  Running more miles, joined a Boot Camp program run by Citadel Marines, lost 30 pound (I’m 5’8, now 160lbs), ramped up running and swimming, but real careful/cautious on the bike.

Signed up for HIM Augusta end of this month and signed up for IM Louisville in 2010.  My goal is to finish Augusta and if I’m careful and train correctly will try to qualify for Kona at Louisville. 

When I started Tris in the 80s’ I was very competitive and finished well up in the standings (even got a second overall), got very depressed when the back went out and thought I would never get to Kona (the Goal).  Now I see there is hope, might not be as fast anymore, but I’m out there.

Research carefully any options for treatment and success rates.  Make the decision you can live with.  There is recent research that shows the disks repair themselves over time, but not 100% repair. That might be my case, my pain is constant, but 50%-80% less then I used to chronically experience.

Hang in there.

Mike

This certainly won't "cure" you, but it may help manage the pain and discomfort: Pain Free by Pete Egoscue.

It's an interesting read about how our lifestyle (sedentary at work, intense and repetitive in our sports) affects proper alignment and while your shoulder may hurt, it's likely your hips causing the problem, and if you don't fix the hips, you'll never fix the shoulder. Anyway, you can get the book online or at the bookstore, read through it, try some of the exercises (he calls them e-cises) for your particular situation. I think if you stick with it (i.e., every day), you may get some relief.

The only reason I recommend it is I have personally had great success with managing my occasional nagging pains, and others I have recommended it to have seen results. However, I haven't specifically recommended the book to anyone with such a severe issue as yours.

Worth a shot, anyway (and inexpensive).