Question
I am a 24 year old male. Physically active. healthy. non-smoker.

Today is 5 August 2011. Back in mid March 2011, I hurt my low back moving out of my house. it hurt to bend forward. I felt better about 4 days later and resumed running around and working out again. About 2-3 weeks later (early April), I woke up one morning with a lot of pain in my low back (I assumed it was from me doing back extensions and rows the day before). I had a hard time getting up and my back muscles tightened up a lot. I stopped working out assuming it would help me heal but my pain level has remained at about a 2 out of 10 (10 being the worst imaginable pain). The pain was manageable and I felt ok until I injured myself picking up a desktop computer from the ground in the 2nd week of May 2011 and my entire body just froze up and I ended up on the ground in the fetal position and was sent to the hospital. The doc gave me muscle relaxers and motrin which did not help.

I can walk around fine but my back tightens up after standing or sitting for a little bit. I went through back, core strengthening exercises all of June 2011 with my physical therapist at my military base. And after a month, my back wasn't really that much better or worse. I ended up getting an MRI in mid July and results read: Disk extrusion is seen at the L4/L5 level with the disk extending 2mm superior to L5 superior endplate and 1mm superior to L4 inferior endplate. At the L5/S1 level, there is posterior disk osteophyte complex with central disk protrusion and bilaterial ligamentum flavum and facet hypertrophy causing moderate central canal stenosis and mild bilateral neural foramen stenosis. More stuff on the MRI but the physical therapists and docs I talked to said that 90% chance my pain is coming from the disk extrusion.

My symptoms right now are: no sciatica now - will I get it sometime?. little tingling at random localized places but nothing that seems significant of nature. I can walk around fine. Sitting/standing in one place for a while makes my back tighten up. bending forward past 45 degrees hurts - seems like my pain is localized in the upper pelvic, small of my back, low spine, right above the butt area.

I bought an inversion table and have had it for a week now. not sure if i see improvement. have been doing it for about 5 min a day at 90 degrees. what do you think about that?

It has been about 4 months now. I have been both consistent and inconsistent with my physical therapy workouts. What do you think is wrong? Is this treatable? Is it serious? I just want to get back to playing basketball and lifting weights. How long does it take to heal? What can I do to make me feel 100% again? Is it possible for the disc extrusion to go back into place? Is it something that will get worse? I feel like my pain level (2/3 out of 10) has been consistent and I have not really gotten better or worse. Have you ever treated patients with the same symptoms and situation I am in? ... what did they do to going back to regular daily activities? how long did it take them to get better?

Its been 4 months and a long 4 months. I want to be a normal 24 year old again. Please help me. Thank you!

Answer
Hi David,
I'm truly sorry to hear about the pain you're experiencing. As for your question:
"My symptoms right now are: no sciatica now - will I get it sometime?" The short answer is it is entirely possible given the nature of your problem.  Anyone who suffers from a disc extrusion at the L4-L5 level risks the possibility of sciatica from developing. In my clinic I see at least 5 new patients every day suffering with this very disorder, and the majority of them also present with sciatica. So, you're question about what I think is wrong - well it seems that the likely cause of your problem relates to the L4-5 disc extrusion. Of course I cannot make a definitive diagnosis without examining you myself. As for the inversion table my experience is that inversion tables are better suited for prevention as opposed to treatment.  There is a risk that you may hurt yourself more using the device with your current condition. You also asked if this is treatable - well in my office I successfully treat over 90% of my patients with disc bulges/protrusions. I offer a proprietary protocol called The High Performance Healing System, utilizing a unique combination of Class IV laser with Non- Surgical Spinal Decompression while the patient takes an intense proprietary Nutritional Supplement System Called Disc renewal Plus. You can learn more about this by clicking on the following link:
www.backclinics.ca
In our office care ranges from 4-6 weeks, and it is possible for the disc extrusion to reduce. Most resume normal activities however I always caution patients from avoiding movements which may re-injure this area which include lifting while bending and rotating, and any overhead compressive type exercises which may include dead lifts etc. If you are able to fly to our clinic I can offer you an assessment to determine your candidacy for my program - we see people from all over the world, otherwise you will have to find a a doctor who can attempt to offer this kind of care.  

I look forward to hearing about your progress. Can you please take a moment out to rate my answer and consider to nominate me as volunteer of the month please.

Sincerely yours,
Dr. Ron Nusbaum