Rehabilitation
This protocol was designed for elite athlete who have been diagnosed with a slight disc herniation at the L4 -L5 region. Often times in athletes, lumbar disc herniations occur due to poor technique in the weight room whilst placing an excessive load on the lumbar spine during flexion and rotational movements. The most common direction for protrusion in the lumbar spine is posterior and posterolateral. With that in mind, this protocol was split into phases based on the type of movement that will optimize healing of the disc.
Four Phases of Rehabilitation
- Non-Rotational/ Non-Flexion (Acute Inflammatory Phase)
- Counter Rotation/ Flexion (Repair Phase)
- Rotational/ Power Development Phase (Remodeling Phase)
- Return to Sport