I found my doctors didn’t explain what exactly was going on with me after being diagnosed with DDD and Spinal Stenosis among other nasty things. I did free weights for a couple of years after my first episode and diagnosis focusing on form and gradually increasing weight on squats, deadlifts and bar bell rows (5x5). My back was basically perfect with little pain except when I bent over for too long. I ride dirt bikes to and had no issues either. Then I slacked off for a half year when I hurt my neck and then wrist while lifting. I started again and went a little too quickly with building my weight up. I then strained my back but no big deal so I slacked off again and had a period of doing very little on my core. I then over did it a couple of weeks later bending over for a few hours in the shed working on a bike and then bam I ended up where I was 4 years earlier. I was In excruciating pain and unable to sleep for 3 weeks. Still in pain after 6 weeks being barely able to sit or drive. I had more scans and it’s progressed or deteriorated which is expected because it will always get worse no matter what but I got depressed and confused as my doctor was very dismissive and unhelpful. I changed doctors until I found one who fully explained my diagnosis. I am on a care plan so will take the advice of physios and a surgeon but I will definitely, slowly and very carefully be resuming my weights concentrating on form and increasing reps rather than weight. I want (need) to get back to how I felt when I truly had a very strong back and core muscles. It’s a fine line and very few will suggest I resume squats and deadlifts because,unless form is perfect then the risk is high. All I know is that if I could do it with moderate to severe DDD and stenosis then it can be done again . I emphasise I will be concentrating on form over anything else. Even just squatting with out weight on the bar for 2 weeks just to perfect my form and gently work the core. Then incremental increases in small weight until I am feeling like I’m getting strong. I will follow these exercises shown for a month or two until I am ready to start squatting and bending forward. My goal is to be so strong in my core, back, legs and everywhere that I can continue riding my bike on long trips off-road and live my life pain and relatively worry free. I have learnt my lesson, with this condition we have to be proactive and super consistent otherwise you quickly return to the pain and the pain is unbearable. I have broken bones including a leg, arm, collarbone, foot and hands but the back pain is by far the worst pain I have experienced. That is my biggest motivator. I can’t let that happen again due to laziness.
5yrs of major pain. Minor DDD in L3,4,5 but the pain is debilitating so much I've gained over 100lbs by a sedentary life. PT.. Heated pool therapy.. Chiropractic work.. Ablation.. Dear God when will i ever get relief. I pray these exercises help
Hi Diana, I've been dealing with My DDD for 3 yrs now and have tried everything including the above exercises. Everyone has a different situation but I can say the biggest thing that has helped me so far was focusing on my pelvic orientation. I found that going from an anterior pelvic tilt to a more neutral position helped. Each time I would walk I would focus on it. Look it up and I hope this helps.
Iam Diagnosed with ddd of the lumber spine and have seen a lot of vidios and almost all of them mention ddd as one of the agging process and that is very sad for me since i am a women and in the early 30 so you make me say ''am i getting old ?''so please say somthing
100% false. I guess you could argue that gaining weight (which building muscle does) leads to more compression. But the benefits of more muscle mass fat outweigh any risks.
Thank you so much for this. It is so encouraging. Appreciate it so much. Was feeling so down today after the doctor appointment and he was so arrogant and rude about my diagnosis and this video is a blessing. Thank you so very much!
How many repetitions and sets must be done every day if it is to be done daily? Will it be best to do it in the Morning or time won't matter. Please help.
My doctor told me today that I have advanced degenerative cervical disc disease, and last year my osteopenia progressed to osteoporosis. I also have mild arthritis in my knees. I’m an active 70 yr old - completed a 50k trail race last year and hope to do a Half Ironman this year. I’m reluctant to take over the counter or prescription meds, so I greatly appreciate all your exercise videos and information on your website! I will add these to my regular exercise routine, thank you!
Thank you doctor, but all this excercise, injections etc. are only a kind of "buying time" until I had to go on spinal surgery two years ago. It was guite extensive surgery L1, L2, L4, L5-S1, and because I delayed to do this surgery I had right hip replacement surgery last year. My doctor thinks that I will have to replace left hip too. Conclusion is: when you have to do something-do it, don't delay
Hi, your video is inspiring. Do you have a PDF showing each exercise or is there a book? A quick reminder sheet of what each exercise looks like would be a tremendous help.
Hey Bev, thank you! I don't have anything specific to this video. But most are included in my free, joint friendly strength program. You can download here: solvingpainwithstrength.com/free-guide/
My spine has become (naturally) fused. Looking at these exercises, I'm wondering which ones I should perhaps avoid. Also, I can't rest on my knees due to a knee replacement and the other knee with arthritis. Thank you.
Hi does mild DDD (C5 & C6) cause numbed areas in the body? I got an xray and it's all it showed. Waiting on mri to be done. I can't sleep laying on my side or back since it makes it worse. Burning pain down my body. I get pins n needles, stingy burning, crawling areas and numbing in various places. I'm weak on muscles. My core is weak for sure. Just 2 months ago i could turn my head and had no numbing at all. PT seemed to make it all worse. I've been diagnosed with anxiety. I can walk and very limited moving around. Hard to get up from sitting. Vitals are always good. Is this DDD as they said that's what's flaring up now.
Hello, I´ve got a disc dehydrated in my lumbar region. Since it is similar to degenerative disc disease would these exercises help me to walk around without pain, I usually start feeling pain after 30mins of walking and standing. Since I am quite young i´ve gotten recommended to strengthen my muscles around that area. If these would help, how often should i do them and for how long?
Those are some of the best movements for pain as long as they are performed with good form. Download my free program for a step-by-step joint friendly strength program.
Is there a different way to do the cow/cat that doesn't put pressure on my shins? I have OA in my right knee and I'm heavy to the point that it can't hold my weight even with padding
It can relieve pain without fixing the problem (requiring more and more shots) and has a host of side effects. If it were my spine I would avoid steroid injections. solvingpainwithstrength.com/three-reasons-to-avoid-steroid-injections-for-joint-pain/
I can do all these exercises with no problem except for the twisting. I want to build core strength to help hold my spine upright so thinning discs don't get compressed and cause pain. My disc thinning is mainly in my thoracic spine and twisting (rotation) exercises put me in bed for days. In your experience is rotation in thoracic spine bad if those discs are already degenerated?? Thank you
thanks for your quick reply. I thought maybe the rotations were causing rubbing on nerves or bones but I'll keep trying the rotations with just a couple at a time to see how that goes @@DrCarlBaird
My age is 20 and i have been working out from last 2 years and don't know how but now am having ddd and the ap canal diameter is 7 mm and doctors are saying i have to get surgery
What exactly do we do with the core while doing bird dog and cat cow and windshield wiper etc .Should we leave it lose or hold it under some minimal tension?
Cat/cow and windshield wipers it can be loose bc the goal is to get some gentle movement in the spine. Bird dog should have some tension to avoid twisting. Good luck!
Yes, but I would be very careful with the herniation. I would recommend having someone take a look and fix the herniation before getting too deep into strength exercises.
@@DrCarlBaird I've been like this for 3 years so it's a waiting process I can't really wait for nobody to fix it and so far nothing or no one has been able to fix it I was told my solution would be PRP therapy stem cells or prolotherapy for for the moment I'm always looking for stretches that help but flare-ups and spasms at least
I found my doctors didn’t explain what exactly was going on with me after being diagnosed with DDD and Spinal Stenosis among other nasty things.
I did free weights for a couple of years after my first episode and diagnosis focusing on form and gradually increasing weight on squats, deadlifts and bar bell rows (5x5).
My back was basically perfect with little pain except when I bent over for too long. I ride dirt bikes to and had no issues either.
Then I slacked off for a half year when I hurt my neck and then wrist while lifting. I started again and went a little too quickly with building my weight up. I then strained my back but no big deal so I slacked off again and had a period of doing very little on my core. I then over did it a couple of weeks later bending over for a few hours in the shed working on a bike and then bam I ended up where I was 4 years earlier.
I was In excruciating pain and unable to sleep for 3 weeks. Still in pain after 6 weeks being barely able to sit or drive. I had more scans and it’s progressed or deteriorated which is expected because it will always get worse no matter what but I got depressed and confused as my doctor was very dismissive and unhelpful. I changed doctors until I found one who fully explained my diagnosis. I am on a care plan so will take the advice of physios and a surgeon but I will definitely, slowly and very carefully be resuming my weights concentrating on form and increasing reps rather than weight.
I want (need) to get back to how I felt when I truly had a very strong back and core muscles. It’s a fine line and very few will suggest I resume squats and deadlifts because,unless form is perfect then the risk is high.
All I know is that if I could do it with moderate to severe DDD and stenosis then it can be done again .
I emphasise I will be concentrating on form over anything else. Even just squatting with out weight on the bar for 2 weeks just to perfect my form and gently work the core. Then incremental increases in small weight until I am feeling like I’m getting strong.
I will follow these exercises shown for a month or two until I am ready to start squatting and bending forward.
My goal is to be so strong in my core, back, legs and everywhere that I can continue riding my bike on long trips off-road and live my life pain and relatively worry free.
I have learnt my lesson, with this condition we have to be proactive and super consistent otherwise you quickly return to the pain and the pain is unbearable. I have broken bones including a leg, arm, collarbone, foot and hands but the back pain is by far the worst pain I have experienced.
That is my biggest motivator. I can’t let that happen again due to laziness.
@@BillyBoblovesthedirt love the mindset! Download the free program in description for a more structured plan. 💪🏻💪🏻
Thank you so much... Made me feel happy and better
5yrs of major pain. Minor DDD in L3,4,5 but the pain is debilitating so much I've gained over 100lbs by a sedentary life. PT.. Heated pool therapy.. Chiropractic work.. Ablation.. Dear God when will i ever get relief. I pray these exercises help
Hi Diana, I've been dealing with My DDD for 3 yrs now and have tried everything including the above exercises. Everyone has a different situation but I can say the biggest thing that has helped me so far was focusing on my pelvic orientation. I found that going from an anterior pelvic tilt to a more neutral position helped. Each time I would walk I would focus on it. Look it up and I hope this helps.
@fdroepman8351 would you mind elaborating more on this or telling me how to word this when looking it up
Glad I found this! Which exercises from this set are best for cervical DDD?
This video is for lower back ddd. I’ll have to make a separate one for cervical ddd.
Iam Diagnosed with ddd of the lumber spine and have seen a lot of vidios and almost all of them mention ddd as one of the agging process and that is very sad for me since i am a women and in the early 30 so you make me say ''am i getting old ?''so please say somthing
Degeneration is a normal part of the aging progress. Most people over 30 will have some level of degeneration.
some people say that when we develop your muscles they increase the compression of the spine. Is that right?
100% false. I guess you could argue that gaining weight (which building muscle does) leads to more compression. But the benefits of more muscle mass fat outweigh any risks.
That's what I feel intuitively. Love pull ups and push ups. Thanks for your answer
@@DrCarlBaird
2:35 starts
Thank you so much for this. It is so encouraging.
Appreciate it so much. Was feeling so down today after the doctor appointment and he was so arrogant and rude about my diagnosis and this video is a blessing. Thank you so very much!
So glad it helped!
How many repetitions and sets must be done every day if it is to be done daily? Will it be best to do it in the Morning or time won't matter. Please help.
My doctor told me today that I have advanced degenerative cervical disc disease, and last year my osteopenia progressed to osteoporosis. I also have mild arthritis in my knees. I’m an active 70 yr old - completed a 50k trail race last year and hope to do a Half Ironman this year. I’m reluctant to take over the counter or prescription meds, so I greatly appreciate all your exercise videos and information on your website! I will add these to my regular exercise routine, thank you!
Nice work! Sounds like you’re doing all the right things. Keep it up!
What about right sided scoliosis and thoracic and nerve pain?
Thank you doctor, but all this excercise, injections etc. are only a kind of "buying time" until I had to go on spinal surgery two years ago. It was guite extensive surgery L1, L2, L4, L5-S1, and because I delayed to do this surgery I had right hip replacement surgery last year. My doctor thinks that I will have to replace left hip too. Conclusion is: when you have to do something-do it, don't delay
Hi, your video is inspiring. Do you have a PDF showing each exercise or is there a book? A quick reminder sheet of what each exercise looks like would be a tremendous help.
Hey Bev, thank you! I don't have anything specific to this video. But most are included in my free, joint friendly strength program. You can download here: solvingpainwithstrength.com/free-guide/
My spine has become (naturally) fused. Looking at these exercises, I'm wondering which ones I should perhaps avoid. Also, I can't rest on my knees due to a knee replacement and the other knee with arthritis. Thank you.
All these exercises are safe. Just perform slow and controlled to avoid aggravating anything. Just skip the ones that hurt your knees 💪🏻
Bodyweight squats ok??
@@timr8456 Most of the time, yes. As long as the form is good 👍🏻
Wow thank you! How many of each/how many days a week? And how long does it take to build a noticeable difference!? :)
The first three can be done for as long and as frequent as you want (for stiffness and pain relief). The others I do for 60 s at a time. 3-4x a week.
How should we go about if laying on you back is incredibly difficult?
It would depend on a lot of factors. I would just stick to the ones which you can perform and try to work your way up.
Maybe a dumb question, but would these exercises also be effective for large/plus-size people or are modifications needed?
If you’re able to perform they would be safe. There are modifications if unable to perform.
@@DrCarlBaird Awesome, thanks for the reply, will give it a cautious go!
CAN I DO THESE WITH a herniated l5 s1...
I have that also and ddd would like to know
I have lumbar fusion three disc L4,L5 and S1
These will still be great exercises to limit impact on the spine!
can you do this when your back is acting up a little!
You may have to be careful with the hinge and lift movements. But the first 3 will help tremendously when your back is acting up.
I don't think I'm able to do some of these with left hip total replacement?
Thank u
I can't do glute bridges
Try this instead: ruclips.net/video/IGvEePlTbZQ/видео.html
When I do the cow I get stuck in severe pain
Hi does mild DDD (C5 & C6) cause numbed areas in the body? I got an xray and it's all it showed. Waiting on mri to be done. I can't sleep laying on my side or back since it makes it worse. Burning pain down my body. I get pins n needles, stingy burning, crawling areas and numbing in various places. I'm weak on muscles. My core is weak for sure. Just 2 months ago i could turn my head and had no numbing at all. PT seemed to make it all worse. I've been diagnosed with anxiety. I can walk and very limited moving around. Hard to get up from sitting. Vitals are always good. Is this DDD as they said that's what's flaring up now.
Also spinal stenosis runs in the family supposedly.
Hello, I´ve got a disc dehydrated in my lumbar region.
Since it is similar to degenerative disc disease would these exercises help me to walk around without pain, I usually start feeling pain after 30mins of walking and standing.
Since I am quite young i´ve gotten recommended to strengthen my muscles around that area.
If these would help, how often should i do them and for how long?
These could help. I would download my free program (link in bio) for an actual
Program.
thanks
But I'm only 38 years old 😢
How many reps are recommended for each?
I have Spondylosis in my cervical and lumbar spine I'm only 42 and it's painful. I want to do weight training such as deadlifts and squats is that OK?
Those are some of the best movements for pain as long as they are performed with good form. Download my free program for a step-by-step joint friendly strength program.
It does but it is also very very individual.
Is there a different way to do the cow/cat that doesn't put pressure on my shins? I have OA in my right knee and I'm heavy to the point that it can't hold my weight even with padding
Of course! You could try using padding like a pillow. Or you can do it standing and holding onto a counter. Hope it helps.
Can a epidural steroid injection relieve the pain of DDD? Thanks.
It can relieve pain without fixing the problem (requiring more and more shots) and has a host of side effects. If it were my spine I would avoid steroid injections.
solvingpainwithstrength.com/three-reasons-to-avoid-steroid-injections-for-joint-pain/
I can do all these exercises with no problem except for the twisting. I want to build core strength to help hold my spine upright so thinning discs don't get compressed and cause pain. My disc thinning is mainly in my thoracic spine and twisting (rotation) exercises put me in bed for days. In your experience is rotation in thoracic spine bad if those discs are already degenerated?? Thank you
Maintaining rotation is very important for degeneration. Perform slow and controlled to avoid aggravating anything.
thanks for your quick reply. I thought maybe the rotations were causing rubbing on nerves or bones but I'll keep trying the rotations with just a couple at a time to see how that goes @@DrCarlBaird
Dr can you do some of the exercises on the bed or on the floor??
I would recommend a firm surface like the floor. Not so much the bed.
My age is 20 and i have been working out from last 2 years and don't know how but now am having ddd and the ap canal diameter is 7 mm and doctors are saying i have to get surgery
Oh dear. Mine is 16mm and not having surgery. Please be careful with such a huge decision as surgery 😢 🙏
@@rachaelmt2984 dear u don't need any surgery and I think u don't even have any pain because 16 mm ap canal diameter is kinda perfect
Do you have any tips on keeping proper form during the deadlift or bird dog? I don't have giant mirrors.
Here’s a video for kettlebell deadlift: ruclips.net/video/-oKz0Pgl444/видео.html
Hot off the press (How To Perform The Birddog): ruclips.net/video/LrhCJc7-YxM/видео.html
Hi! What is the best back support for DDD?
Hey Joan, I don’t usually recommend braces for DDD so wouldn’t have an answer for you.
What exactly do we do with the core while doing bird dog and cat cow and windshield wiper etc .Should we leave it lose or hold it under some minimal tension?
Cat/cow and windshield wipers it can be loose bc the goal is to get some gentle movement in the spine. Bird dog should have some tension to avoid twisting. Good luck!
@@DrCarlBaird thanku👍
I have it dd along with heirnated discs will this help my situation
Yes, but I would be very careful with the herniation. I would recommend having someone take a look and fix the herniation before getting too deep into strength exercises.
@@DrCarlBaird I've been like this for 3 years so it's a waiting process I can't really wait for nobody to fix it and so far nothing or no one has been able to fix it I was told my solution would be PRP therapy stem cells or prolotherapy for for the moment I'm always looking for stretches that help but flare-ups and spasms at least
no it has nothing to do with aging