Posts Tagged ‘degenerative disk’

If you’ve been told degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a one-way road to surgery, you’re not alone. I’ve been there. I didn’t settle. I built a system — from first principles — to decompress, stabilize, and protect the spine without giving up training. But make no mistake: this protocol demands precision.

The Philosophy

The spine doesn’t need to be babied — it needs to be decompressed, protected, strengthened, and mobilized. That’s exactly what this program does.

The Tools I Use

Every movement and tool in this system is selected to maximize spinal decompression and posterior chain development — while avoiding compressive wear.

• Traction & Decompression
  • Dead hangs (daily)
  • Weighted pullups with a hip belt
  • Reverse hyperextension machine
• Spine-Safe Strength
  • Belt squats (no axial load)
  • Dip machine pushdowns (scapular and core control)
  • Glute-Ham Developer (GHD)
• Stability & Posture
  • Core bracing work
  • Posterior chain emphasis (glutes, hamstrings, lower back)
• Flexibility & Fascial Freedom
  • Extensive stretching from the Hippensteel Method, daily

My Weekly Template

• Day 1 – Decompression + Posterior Chain
  Dead hangs, weighted pullups, reverse hypers, GHD
• Day 2 – Strength Day
  Belt squats, dip pushdowns, core stability work
• Day 3 – Recovery + Mobility
  Light reverse hypers, traction work, Hippensteel stretching
• Day 4 – Power + Endurance
  Moderate belt squats, pullups, GHD (higher reps)
• Day 5–7 – Optional Light Days
  Stretching, walking, light decompression, sled dragging if desired

What I Avoid

• Axial compression (barbell squats, heavy deadlifts)
• Seated overhead pressing
• Crunches or loaded spinal flexion
• Any movement that loads a damaged spine without respect

Why It Works

This protocol works because it doesn’t just treat pain — it restores function. I’m not masking symptoms with medication or waiting for fusion. I’m building a bulletproof posterior chain, decompressing daily, and creating a mobile, durable spine that can last for decades.

Caveat

With degenerative disc disease, one simple deviation — carrying heavy groceries, wearing a backpack, or doing the wrong exercise — can immediately trigger pain and inflammation. This program works, but only under strict adherence. There is no margin for error.

So what can you do when the x-ray or MRI comes back & that back pain has been caused by disk degeneration all along?

This is what it may look like in there…

Thats kind of how mine looks except its two disks and the bone spur sticks out real sharp.

Well basically you have five different options which I will list here.

1. Ignore it & suck up the pain. Yep I did this unwittingly as after multiple visits to physio’s, doctors etc none of them did an x-ray or anything to help. A doctor may offer you anti inflammatory drugs but many of these can cause clotting & heart attacks over time.  Others cause gut problems. Over time the injury will get worse and many people have barely any disk left with the vertebrae eventually fusing together.
2. Physical therapy. Now if you decide to take action you will have to stop any activity that is putting serious pressure on your disks. You need to minimize loading on the spine & stretch that sucker. That means no more dead lifts, squats, over head press. No more physical laboring work, No renovating, digging, lifting etc. You can however still do pullups, and many other weight lifting exercises. Some actually stretch the spine and will help with the problem. Also running is out but stairmaster is in. I also recommend Yin Yoga & the program at ultimatehumanperformance.com.
3. Laser ablation surgery. Say you try the physical therapy & it does work (because it will) but still you cant do your job or workout like you want to. Or maybe for you the pain is still too great. The next step is a laser treatment that has 95% success. The surgeon will burn off the disk henia with a laser.  Here is the top US specialist for this relatively new therapy https://deukspine.com/. This should be your first choice for surgery as its barely even a surgery at all.
4. Artificial disk replacement. This one is a bit more serious. They will actually replace the disk with an artificial one & there is a 90% success rate. That means there will be a 1:10 chance you will be screwed. But you are already anyway without surgery at this stage. If it succeeds its problem solved as people are back to normal in a few weeks. Most people can walk immediately with minimal pain. After recovery you will be able to carry a backpack again and resume work. The only suck? They may go in through your guts.
5. Vertebrae fusion. This one sucks but its the only surgery they used to do. If your disk is really stuffed its still what they will do. The disk is removed and the bones of the vertebrae are screwed together. You lose all mobility from the joint and more strain is placed on the joints on either side. In 5 years or so you will need more joints fused as a consequence. This is your last resort if the pain is too bad. 80-90% success rate.

So those are your options in order of risk. If you are young & never had any disk problems it all sounds like an utter nightmare. As you get older this shit becomes normal no matter how fit, healthy & strong you are.

Yeah all of my wordpress blogs got infected with malware. Months ago & I hired a guy to fix it but he did a half pie job so for now this blog is working again.

Much has happened since last year. I moved away from Nelson as it was pretty boring & I was only there to escape COVID lockdowns. Meanwhile Auckland city has gone to the pack so I am with family up north for a while.

I was convinced my back issues were soft tissue caused by lipomas. Sadly this was wishful thinking. I got an MRI and have spinal degeneration in my lumbar. Basically 2 compressed disks and a vertebrae with bone spurs.

Seeing this on the MRI kind of made me sick to my stomach but there you go a 55 year old is likely to have it.

Immediately I stopped deadlifting and leg press. I also started the Hippensteel stretching program in earnest.

Now I can do a full quad stretch & get on to my back on the floor. Also good progress in other moves. In fact I am doing ROM I have not done since I was 19 in some moves.

This has essentially stopped all back pain during the day. Also I do dead hangs daily. At night it started to hurt a little but nothing like it was when I was still deadlifting.

Now I sleep on my side with a pillow between my knees or flat on my back. Works for me.

My spine is fucked and will never repair by itself.