Hello Everyone,
I am in my 40's, relatively fit, and had a miscrodiscectomy at L4-5 eight+ weeks ago to relieve and impinged L5 nerve root. The disc had herniated and fragmented. It resulted from an injury that caused paresthesia through the entire left lower extremity at the end of one week, along with sever sciatic pain in the gluteal and hip region. At the end of the second week, I had foot drop (could not dorsi flex at all), numbness from the middle of the lower leg and down, and severe pain through the entire L5 nerve distribution. It was a large herniation with a significant amount of fragmented material. The doc states a total of 40% of my disc was removed. I feel I am healing well. Nerve is still tight and painful when put on a stretch. I am continuingto do nerve glides. Minimal paresthesias and numbness at this point. 50% dorsiflexion ROM has returned, but the strength is not near where it was prior to the injury. i am nearly finished with my Physical Therapy. I have Dean's book, Rebuild Your Back. What exercises would be safe for me to be doing at this point?
Thank You,
Kristi