Back In Shape Podcast

Back In Shape

This podcast is dedicated to providing you with the help you need to fix your lower back pain and sciatica. From specific diagnoses, myths and injuries to the low back, to strategies to recover, we're here to help get your Back In Shape. This podcast is an extension of the Back In Shape Program, an online back rehabilitation program that helps members from all over the world. Created by the founders of The Mayfair Clinic, a specialist back and neck pain clinic in central London and winner of the prestigious Queens Award For Enterprise Innovation In 2020.

  1. 4h ago

    Herniated Disc? Why You Shouldn't Just Stop Going to the Gym

    A herniated disc doesn't mean you have to stop going to the gym, and being told to stop is often what keeps people struggling for months or years. If you've got a slipped disc (a herniated disc), a disc bulge, degenerative disc disease, sciatica or spondylolisthesis from training, or you're getting back to the gym after lower back surgery, this session is for you. It's for people who've been cleared of emergency symptoms and want to rebuild properly, rather than rest, avoid and lose the strength that protects the lumbar spine. 🎓 Join the Back In Shape Program: https://backinshapeprogram.com We explain why most people with a back injury don't have much strength to lose (over 90% of adults in the UK do no significant strengthening work), and why the squat and hip hinge are the safest way to progressively load the lumbar spine. We cover the two technique errors that catch out experienced lifters, the butt wink at the bottom of the squat and driving through the top of the hip hinge, plus how to standardise your depth with a block, what "aggravation-free" really means when you still have some tingling, and why changing depth and load together leaves you unable to tell what went wrong. We also look at muscle memory outpacing the spine, hip mobility, back belts, massage guns, and why the piriformis label and the figure-four stretch so often miss a lower back problem. 🔑 Key Topics Covered 🏋️ Keep training without feeding the injury: a step back should lead to a step forward, not months off. Rehab already includes load, and much of it can be done in the gym, with the weights becoming more gym-like over time. 🦴 Fix the two habits that catch out lifters: tucking the pelvis at the bottom of the squat strains the L5-S1 segment first, and thrusting through the top of the hip hinge jams it for no gain. Touching a block between reps keeps your depth honest. 📏 Change one thing at a time: the lower you go, the more load passes through the spine, even with good technique. Add depth or weight, never both together, so a flare-up is traceable and the mental setback doesn't snowball. 💪 You can come back stronger: the muscles adapt faster than the spine, so progress needs pacing. And because most people have never trained consistently, many end up stronger after doing the rehab work than they were before the injury. Chapters 00:00 Who this live is for: back injuries and the gym 03:00 Why "stop training" is such damaging advice 05:00 A step back to go forwards: rehab can happen in the gym 08:00 The butt wink, L5-S1 and using a block for squat depth 12:00 Leg symptoms, tingling and the aggravation-free rule 16:00 Why your scan doesn't change the rehab 19:00 Stop trying to activate individual muscles 22:00 Night-time pain and the middle ground of recovery 31:00 Training frequency, towel decompression and hamstring stretches 40:00 The hip hinge is not bending forwards, and the lockout mistake 44:00 Change one variable at a time: depth, then load 47:00 Muscle memory, fatigued sets and letting the spine catch up 52:00 Hip mobility: strength first 54:00 Should you wear a back belt? 59:00 The piriformis label and the figure-four stretch 1:05:00 What a real rehabilitation program looks like 1:11:00 Injections, pelvic tilts and building load capacity 1:16:00 Why "just rest" keeps you weaker 1:20:00 The question to ask any clinician about your treatment 1:22:00 Can you end up stronger than before the injury? Learn more: Read the full article here: https://backinshapeprogram.com/2026/10/herniated-disc-why-you-shouldnt-just-stop-going-to-the-gym/ #HerniatedDisc #Sciatica #BackInShape #DiscBulge #SlippedDisc #LowerBackPain #SpinalRehab #HerniatedDiscRecovery

  2. 5d ago

    What Back Surgery Actually Does (And the Job Nobody Gives You)

    If you've got back surgery booked in weeks or months away, you've just had a microdiscectomy or discectomy, or you've been battling lower back pain for years and are weighing it up, this session explains what the operation is actually doing — and the job nobody gives you either side of it. (This isn't for emergency cauda equina symptoms — sudden loss of bladder or bowel control, saddle anaesthesia — get that seen immediately.)   🎓 Join the Back In Shape Program: https://backinshapeprogram.com   We explain what a microdiscectomy or discectomy actually does (removing the piece of disc that's pressing on a nerve, not repairing anything), why fusions and disc replacements sit in a completely different risk category, and why the spine is not stronger immediately after surgery — if anything, less stable. We cover the two very different kinds of people who end up having back surgery, why the weeks waiting for the operation and the four-to-six weeks after it so often get spent doing nothing even though "don't bend, lift or twist" isn't universal advice, and why that's the real job nobody gives you. Along the way: the Roman chair versus the hip hinge, measuring load rather than feelings before getting back to sport, morning stiffness and foam rolling, matching your upper-body lifts to your hip hinge, red light therapy and unregulated recovery compounds, and why losing disc height isn't game over. 🔑 Key Topics Covered 🔧 What surgery actually does: a microdiscectomy or discectomy is a cleanup operation — removing the piece of disc that's irritating a nerve, not repairing anything. The spine isn't stronger immediately afterwards; fusions and disc replacements are a different, much higher-risk category entirely.   👥 Two very different surgery patients: someone with no prior back-pain history who has a sudden emergency, versus someone who's struggled for years and whose pain crescendos into an emergency surgery. The second is far more common — and likely has a harder road back without real rehab.   ⏳ The window nobody prepares you for: the weeks waiting for surgery and the four to six weeks after it are so often spent doing nothing, while the strength that's meant to protect you quietly declines right when you need it most.   📊 Most people don't do their prescribed exercises: 30-60% of people given exercises by a clinician never do them. Following a program properly — same reps, same timing, same technique — is what actually moves the needle.   Chapters 00:00 What back surgery actually does — and who this live is for 02:00 Will surgery remove the pain? What a microdiscectomy really does 06:00 The two kinds of surgery patients — and why one has a harder road back 09:00 Quick-fire Q&A: hypersensitivity, lumbogenic leg pain and the "leaky tap" analogy 16:00 Why the Roman chair is an unnecessary risk next to the hip hinge 20:00 Getting back to BJJ, running or any hobby — measure load, not feelings 23:00 Spondylolisthesis, instability and why muscles adapt faster than ligaments 27:00 The window nobody prepares you for, before and after surgery 32:00 Why doing your exercises safely (even on a bed) beats doing them "properly" 37:00 Getting back to running the smart way — sets and reps, not distance 41:00 Morning stiffness, foam rolling and the massage gun 44:00 Matching your upper-body lifts to your hip hinge and squat 47:00 Red light therapy and unregulated recovery compounds 49:00 Losing disc height: why it won't reinflate, and why that's not game over 56:00 Weight loss and rehab: why starving yourself is the wrong move 58:00 Sauna, psoas release and contrast bathing for recovery 1:03:00 Why following the program exactly as written actually matters 1:05:00 Most people never do their prescribed exercises — don't be one of them   #BackSurgery #Microdiscectomy #HerniatedDisc #Sciatica #BackInShape #Spondylolisthesis #BackPainRelief #SpinalRehab

  3. Sep 30

    Why Isn't My Back Getting Better When Everyone Else's Is?

    If you've watched someone else with a far worse diagnosis recover faster than you, this session explains why — and it isn't because something is wrong with you.   If you've got a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease or spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 or L5/S1 and you've been comparing your recovery to someone else's, this is for you. Ten people with the exact same herniation will have ten completely different outcomes, and it's rarely the injury itself that decides it. It's the environment that injury has to live in.   🎓 Join the Back In Shape Program: https://backinshapeprogram.com   We explain the two parts of that environment: your physical attributes (your strength, coordination, flexibility and prior training history), and your daily life (the job you can't quit, the kids you still have to lift, the 168 hours a week you have to actually live in your body). A clinical appointment addresses neither of these in 20 minutes, however good the treatment is. We cover why "pain-free forever" is a naive target to set for any injury, why being "early in rehab" isn't about how long you've had the injury but about whether you've been doing the right work, why certain movements aggravate a herniated disc specifically because they narrow the space the nerve exits through, and why a lateral lean after a back injury is normal and resolves as you rebuild control — no niche correction needed. Along the way: what to actually ask your surgeon before an operation, managing DOMS properly, and getting back to skiing, Padel or any sport you love once you've built the capacity for it.   🔑 Key Topics Covered   🧸 Your recovery is the injury plus its environment: the same herniation in ten different people gets ten different outcomes, because your strength, coordination and daily-life demands shape the recovery far more than the diagnosis does. Comparing yourself to someone else's journey compares two completely different environments.   🎯 "Pain-free forever" is the wrong target: no injury, joint or person can promise never being hurt again. The realistic goal is building enough strength and skill that you're far less likely to be exposed to more stress than you can handle — not chasing an unattainable guarantee.   🕳️ Why "early in rehab" isn't about time: if you've spent six years doing the wrong exercises, you're still early in the rehabilitation process, because the technical foundation was never actually built. Years of effort in the wrong direction doesn't count as progress.   ⚖️ A fair word on chiropractic and manual therapy: a good chiropractor, osteopath or physio can genuinely help, exactly like a good one in any profession — and a bad one can make things worse. The line to watch is anyone promising a single adjustment will "put a disc back in place" without following up with imaging to prove it.   Chapters 00:00 Why isn't my back getting better when everyone else's is? 02:12 The stuffed toy: why the same injury looks so different in different people 06:36 "Pain-free forever" is the wrong target to set 13:03 What to ask your surgeon before a microdiscectomy 19:12 Why extension and rotation aggravate a herniated disc 21:57 Why "early in rehab" is about technique, not time 30:12 Restarting rehab safely after a flare-up 33:00 Managing DOMS properly after a good workout 35:00 Lateral lean after a back injury (it's not "scoliosis") 44:33 The loading numbers behind sitting, standing and getting up 54:12 A fair word on chiropractic adjustments and the "ring dinger" 59:00 Fibromyalgia and comorbidities: still do the work 1:05:00 Getting back to skiing, Padel or any sport you love 1:10:00 Log your workouts and journal — it pays off at every appointmentWe've turned this live into a full written article. Read it here: https://backinshapeprogram.com/2026/09/why-your-back-isnt-getting-better-when-everyone-elses-is/ #HerniatedDisc #Sciatica #BackInShape #SlippedDisc #DegenerativeDiscDisease #Spondylolisthesis #BackPainRelief #SpinalRehab

  4. Sep 25

    Why Back Rehab Fails for So Many People

    If you've tried exercises for your herniated disc or sciatica and decided "they didn't work", this session explains why that's usually a mismatch of expectations, not a failed treatment. If you've got a herniated disc, a disc bulge, sciatica or you're recovering from a microdiscectomy at L4/L5 or L5/S1, and you've tried stretches, treatments or exercises that didn't stick, this is for you. There are really two categories of things you get given at home: relief practices (stretches, walking, decompression) and genuine rehabilitation (strength training). Confusing the two is where almost everyone falls down.   🎓 Join the Back In Shape Program: https://backinshapeprogram.com   We explain why relief practices like a hamstring stretch give you an immediate, real benefit that is also temporary by design — the moment you move without control afterwards, you undo it, which isn't the stretch failing, it's what a relief practice always does. Genuine rehabilitation works completely differently: the first few weeks are pure technique, with no felt improvement and often a few honest mistakes, before the strength-building actually begins. Expecting the immediate payoff of a stretch from strength work is exactly the mismatch that makes people quit just before it starts working. We cover why half an hour with a clinician can never outweigh the other 167 hours of your week, why exercises like the Jefferson curl and the figure-four piriformis stretch create more problems than they solve for an injured spine, and why "don't exercise until treatment progresses" is advice Mike used to give himself and has since changed his mind on.   🔑 Key Topics Covered   🔀 Relief vs rehab — the confusion that trips everyone up: a hamstring stretch gives an instant, real benefit, but it's temporary because it doesn't build anything. Rehabilitation is strength training, and it works on a completely different timeline — expecting one to behave like the other sets you up to quit too soon.   🚗 The car-ignition problem: expecting rehab to work the moment you start it is like expecting a car to move the instant you press the accelerator, without turning the key or engaging the clutch first. The steps matter, and skipping ahead just means disappointment, not a broken plan.   ⏱️ Why half an hour a week was never going to be enough: a clinic appointment is a fraction of your 168-hour week. Whatever the treatment, it can't outweigh how you move for the rest of it — which is why the guidance you take home matters more than the appointment itself.   🌀 Why the Jefferson curl and the figure-four stretch work against you: both introduce variables an injured spine can't afford — uncontrolled lumbar flexion in one case, constant grinding of the SI joint in the other. Neither builds anything; both make it harder to learn the stability your back actually needs.   Chapters 00:00 Why back rehab fails for so many people 02:12 The two categories: relief work and real rehabilitation 07:40 Why a hamstring stretch works, and why it's temporary 11:00 Decompression: helpful, but not permanent 14:36 Managing flare-ups around your monthly cycle 18:36 Rehab is strength training, not stretching 20:36 The first few weeks are pure technique, with no felt benefit 28:36 Why 20 minutes at the clinic can't outweigh 167 hours 32:36 "Don't exercise until treatment progresses" — an error Mike used to make 34:24 Why the figure-four piriformis stretch grinds the SI joint 37:36 Engaging properly in the dead bug (a common, hidden mistake) 44:36 Working around knee or hip arthritis (march at the slowest pace) 51:24 Why the Jefferson curl isn't worth the risk 56:24 Rebuilding strength safely if you've trained hard before   #HerniatedDisc #Sciatica #BackInShape #SlippedDisc #DiscBulge #BackPainRelief #SpinalRehab #BackRehab

  5. Sep 23

    What to Do in a Herniated Disc Flare-Up

    If you're in a herniated disc flare-up right now and wondering whether to wait it out before starting rehab, this session settles the question. If you've got a herniated disc, a disc bulge or sciatica at L4/L5 or L5/S1 and you're in a flare-up, you're in good company — the overwhelming majority of people join a rehabilitation programme precisely because they're in pain at that moment. The mistake is treating a flare-up as one continuous event you have to wait out. It's actually a series of repeated re-aggravations, each one caused by moving the injured segment without control — which means waiting doesn't protect you, because you're still moving through daily life the entire time, just without any guidance. 🎓 Join the Back In Shape Program: https://backinshapeprogram.com We explain why you can't consciously control a single segment like L5/S1 the way you can a finger or an elbow — all you can do is brace the whole region between your ribcage and pelvis, which protects everything inside it. We cover why starting rehab during a flare-up is not only safe but usually the right moment, why post-exercise soreness is a sign you've trained at the right level rather than a red flag, and why easing back into cycling or sport isn't the same as doing the rehab work that actually builds capacity. Along the way: managing cumulative load across training, work and hobbies, why a herniated disc doesn't need extra exercises for your "lean" or asymmetry, and the genuine red-flag symptoms that mean stop everything and get checked immediately. 🔑 Key Topics Covered 🔁 A flare-up isn't one event — it's repeated re-aggravation: pain flares each time you move the injured segment without control. Waiting for it to "settle" just means more days of unguided movement, not less — which is why starting rehab now is usually the safer choice. 🚗 You can't fix a warning light by ignoring it: like driving a car with the engine light on and only fixing it once the noise stops, waiting for symptoms to disappear before addressing the cause leaves you exposed the whole time. You're still living your life either way — the only choice is whether you have guidance. 🧱 Why you brace the region, not the segment: you can't consciously control L5/S1 the way you control a finger — but bracing the area between your ribcage and pelvis protects every structure inside it. That's why the same six exercises work whatever your exact diagnosis. 💪 Soreness isn't a setback: some muscle soreness after a good squat or hip hinge session, done aggravation-free with correct technique, is a normal sign you trained at the right intensity — not evidence that something's gone wrong. Chapters 00:00 What to do in a herniated disc flare-up 02:12 What a flare-up actually is (and why it isn't one event) 06:36 The car with a warning light: why waiting doesn't help 10:48 Why post-exercise soreness isn't a setback 13:36 Inversion tables and how to decompress safely 17:16 Managing cumulative load: gym, sport and daily life 19:20 Why phase one is short — and why logging matters 20:56 Getting back to cycling or sport isn't the same as rehab 25:56 Working through a spondylolisthesis or structural change 33:36 Menstrual-cycle flare-ups, and giving yourself grace 40:32 Should you start rehab while you're still in pain? Yes 47:44 Setting realistic expectations for the long term 48:56 Red-flag symptoms: when to stop and get checked 51:16 Why we don't recommend forceful neck adjustments without imaging 54:00 Antalgic lean or "scoliosis"? Focus on the rehab first Learn more:Read the full article: — What to Do in a Herniated Disc Flare-Up - https://backinshapeprogram.com/2026/09/what-to-do-in-a-herniated-disc-flare-up-and-what-not-to/ #HerniatedDisc #Sciatica #BackInShape #SlippedDisc #DiscBulge #BackPainRelief #FlareUp #SpinalRehab

  6. Sep 17

    Why Does Sitting Hurt So Much With a Bad Back?

    If sitting is the one activity that reliably sets off your bad back, this session explains exactly why — and what it can teach you about every other flare-up. If you've got a herniated disc, a disc bulge or sciatica at L4/L5 or L5/S1 and sitting has become one of the hardest things you do, this is for you. Sitting increases the load through your lumbar spine by roughly 40 to 90% compared with standing, flattens out your natural lower-back curve, and squashes down on the very structures that are already injured — often reproducing the exact forward-bending movement that caused the injury in the first place. 🎓 Join the Back In Shape Program: https://backinshapeprogram.com We put real numbers on the everyday movements that stress an injured spine: walking bent forward roughly doubles the load, standing up from a chair without using your hands can spike it to almost four times standing, using your hands brings that down to under two times, and even rolling over in bed adds around 60% more load than standing still. Understanding this reframes rehab entirely — you're already exposing your spine to variable, uncontrolled stress every single day, so learning to do these things well, and building genuine load-bearing capacity, is far safer than continuing to leave it to chance. We also cover why leaning forward gives momentary relief while making the underlying injury worse, why weak knees are usually a symptom of weak legs rather than a separate problem, and why being told your hips are "out of alignment" or your spine is "curved" — without any imaging — tells you almost nothing. 🔑 Key Topics Covered 🪑 Why sitting hurts so much: sitting adds roughly 40 to 90% more load through your lumbar spine than standing, flattening your natural curve and squashing the front of the disc — often recreating the exact forward-bending movement that caused the injury. 📊 Everyday movements, put into numbers: walking bent forward roughly doubles spinal loading; standing up without using your hands can spike it to nearly four times standing, dropping to under two times with your hands on your thighs; even rolling over in bed adds around 60%. 🔁 Why leaning forward feels better but makes it worse: bending forward opens the space where the nerves exit, giving momentary relief — but it directly strains the injured tissue further, which is exactly why the relief keeps you stuck in the cycle. 🦵 "Weak knees" and "hips out of alignment" — what's really going on: knee problems are usually a consequence of weak, poorly conditioned legs rather than a separate fault, and a claim about your alignment or a "curved spine" made without any imaging tells you almost nothing useful. Chapters 00:00 Why does sitting hurt so much with a bad back? 01:20 The load of sitting: 40 to 90% more than standing 03:36 Everyday movements, put into numbers 07:16 Why your muscles matter more than a repeat MRI 15:35 Where should your squat and hip hinge numbers be? 18:38 Sitting reclined: relief now, cost on the way out 25:38 Getting back into demanding sports and activities 32:36 Why symptoms return, even when you're doing the rehab 38:34 "Anterior pelvic tilt" and curved spines — the real story 44:32 Why leaning forward feels better but isn't 48:52 Why "weak knees" usually means weak legs 53:24 Are ablations and nerve blocks the answer? 1:00:36 Doing the rehab work every day, and why it fits 1:07:48 Why McGill's Big 3 alone isn't full rehab #HerniatedDisc #Sciatica #BackInShape #SlippedDisc #DiscBulge #LowerBackPain #BackPainRelief #SpinalRehab

  7. Sep 16

    Is a Squat a Core Exercise? (The Best Core Exercise for a Bad Back)

    If you've got a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease or you're recovering from a microdiscectomy, this session explains why the answer is a firm yes. This came from a real exchange in the Back In Shape Program: a member doing brilliantly on her squats and hip hinges was asked by another practitioner, "but where are your core exercises?" That question is worth unpacking, because so many of us have a placeholder belief that "core exercises" means floor-based moves like the dead bug or the McGill Big 3 — and that belief is holding a lot of people back. 🎓 Join the Back In Shape Program: https://backinshapeprogram.com We define what the core actually is — the region between your lower ribcage and your pelvis, not your abs or your six-pack — and use the sack-of-potatoes analogy to explain why it needs to be strengthened all the way through, including the spine running down the middle. That's exactly what most floor-based "core" exercises miss: without a progressive, load-bearing element, you can be excellent at your dead bugs and still fold the moment real life asks more of you than the exercise ever did. We explain why the squat and hip hinge train the whole core at once, including the disc itself, why nerve irritation and nerve compression are two very different things, why "feeling better" isn't the same as your spine actually being stronger, and why swimming is a genuinely good relief practice but not rehab. Along the way: the tape test, the butt wink, and the common gym mistake of lifting heavier on chest day than on your own back workout. 🔑 Key Topics Covered 🥔 What your core actually is (the sack of potatoes): the core is the whole region between your ribcage and pelvis, including the spine running through the middle — not just your abs. Think of it as a sack holding a stack of potatoes: loosen the sack and they shear on each other; tighten it and they move as one column. 🧱 Why floor exercises alone miss the point: the dead bug and the McGill Big 3 are safe ways to learn control, but without a progressive, load-bearing element they never actually strengthen the spine itself. You can be great at your floor exercises and still fold the first time real life asks for more. 🏋️ Why the squat and hip hinge ARE core exercises: to squat without folding forward, you have to create real trunk stiffness — which is exactly what core strengthening means. They train the muscles and the spine together, and let you add load progressively in a way floor exercises can't. 🩹 Nerve irritation vs nerve compression: banging your funny bone is genuine compression. Most sciatica is repeated irritation of a nerve root near an injured segment, not ongoing compression — an important distinction, because it's the segment you need to stop re-aggravating, not the nerve itself. Chapters 00:00 Is a squat a core exercise? 01:00 The question that started this: "where are your core exercises?" 06:03 Why waiting six weeks to start makes no sense 09:03 What the core actually is (the sack of potatoes) 11:39 Why most core programmes miss the "core of the core" 13:36 Feeling better isn't the same as your spine getting stronger 15:03 Nerve irritation vs nerve compression 18:39 The builders and the sledgehammer: why aggravation stalls healing 21:36 Does swimming help with sciatica? 25:03 The butt wink, and why it matters more than it feels 28:39 Why the squat trains your whole core 33:36 What if I have muscle ache, not sciatica? 40:03 Why SIJ is rarely the real problem 44:39 The blind spot: heavier on chest day than back day 48:39 If you keep butt winking, should you stop squatting? 54:03 The best way to actually fix your sciatica #HerniatedDisc #CoreStrength #BackInShape #Sciatica #SlippedDisc #DegenerativeDiscDisease #BackPainRelief #SpinalRehab

  8. Sep 15

    Why a Bad-Looking Herniated Disc Often Does Better Than a Mild One

    It sounds backwards, but a big, angry-looking herniated disc often has a better recovery than a mild little bulge — and understanding why can take a lot of the fear out of your scan.Following on from the recent degenerative disc sessions, this one looks at the herniated disc and a genuinely counter-intuitive truth: the severity of what's on your MRI doesn't reliably predict how disabled you are or how well you'll do. Plenty of people with a minor L5/S1 disc bulge are in agony and barely functioning, while others with a dramatic extrusion recover well. The finding and the suffering are two different things.🎓 Join the Back In Shape Program: https://backinshapeprogram.comWe explain the mechanism behind it: when a disc extrudes, that material is out where the immune system can reach it, clear it up and resorb it — which is why extrusions are reported to resolve without surgery at much higher rates than contained bulges, where the body has little access to the problem. We cover why disc surgery (a discectomy or microdiscectomy) is a cleanup operation, not a repair — the damaged annulus still has to scar, remodel and be rebuilt through rehab afterwards — and why the same six exercises apply to everyone with an injured spine, with the customisation coming from where you start and how you progress, not from your diagnosis. Along the way: why your knees so often become the limiting factor, why a back belt sits above the injured segment and does little, and why being told you have an "anterior pelvic tilt" is usually guesswork.🔑 Key Topics Covered🔄 Bad-looking often does better: the size of the herniation doesn't dictate the outcome. A big extrusion is exposed to the immune system, so it's reported to resorb without surgery far more often than a contained bulge — where the body has little access to clear it. The scan and the suffering are separate things.🧹 Surgery is a cleanup, not a repair: a discectomy removes the extruded material but doesn't heal the annulus or restore the segment's strength. The scar tissue still has to form, remodel and be rebuilt through rehab — which is the part that so often gets left out afterwards.🧱 Same injury, same six exercises: ten people with the identical L5/S1 herniation still each need a different journey — not different exercises. The customisation is in where you start and how fast you progress, discovered as you go, not prescribed from your MRI.🦵 Why your knees become the limiting factor: weak, uncoordinated knees are so common that the squat and hip hinge get split into separate workouts. When the knee limits the squat, you keep progressing the hip hinge, and let them catch up to each other over time.Chapters00:00 Why a bad-looking herniated disc often does better than a mild one03:24 Extrusion vs bulge: which would you rather have?04:30 Why extruded discs resorb — and bulges often don't07:18 Does surgery fix it? What a discectomy really does10:36 Why the "success" you see online is a skewed sample11:18 Your MRI doesn't set your rehab13:03 Ten identical scans, ten different journeys16:45 Post-surgery: no guidance? Start here19:21 Why phase three works — you've done 1,000 reps first22:36 When your knees are the limiting factor26:00 What if my back is strong but the disc is injured?33:00 Feeling better vs being stronger40:00 "Never deadlift again" falls apart in real life50:00 How strength protects an injured spine1:00:00 Why walking helps but isn't rehab1:07:39 Why the squat rebuilds the disc, not just the legs1:10:12 Why squats can leave you sore the next day1:12:21 Why a back belt won't stop you rounding1:15:15 "Anterior pelvic tilt" is usually guesswork#HerniatedDisc #Sciatica #BackInShape #SlippedDisc #DiscBulge #Microdiscectomy #BackPainRelief #SpinalRehab

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About

This podcast is dedicated to providing you with the help you need to fix your lower back pain and sciatica. From specific diagnoses, myths and injuries to the low back, to strategies to recover, we're here to help get your Back In Shape. This podcast is an extension of the Back In Shape Program, an online back rehabilitation program that helps members from all over the world. Created by the founders of The Mayfair Clinic, a specialist back and neck pain clinic in central London and winner of the prestigious Queens Award For Enterprise Innovation In 2020.

Information

  • Creator
    Back In Shape
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    345
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Back In Shape
  • Show Website
    Back In Shape Podcast

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