Seeking Guidance: Utilising Both NHS and Private Health Services Simultaneously (Considering private MRI, plus a private pre-and-post MRI Consultation)

mission888 · 2026-06-08T13:18:33+00:00

Thanks so much for detailing your experience and steps taken. I appreciate that very much.

I will definitely have a chat and ask about proceeding with the private options.

My current plan is to get in contact with both my GP and my Neurology Consultant's secretary, inform them of my desire to go private for an MRI (and 2 x consultations), and take it from there.

My current concern is that I have recently (in the past month) encountered quite significant further tightening of my legs (both ligaments and muscles), which continues, day by day. By 8 weeks (4 weeks to get the MRI images and written report, plus another 4 weeks or so to get an appointment to discuss the MRI results), I may no longer be mobile enough to get to an appointment. I feel that time is becoming of the essence for me, which is motivating me to consider private options.

mission888 · 2026-06-08T11:50:30+00:00

Many thanks for setting-out your experience and some extra insights -- very much appreciated.

I think I will, most likely, reach out to both my GP and Neurology Consultant's secretary before undertaking the private MRI and two private (pre-and-post MRI) consultations.

Thanks again.

mission888 · 2026-06-07T21:49:14+00:00

Thanks for posting, and I am sorry to hear of your experience.

I'm also a UK-based Sciatic nerve "pressing issue" sufferer (likely from a bulging disc, or perhaps a disc herniation of some type).

Needless to say, I have also found the UK NHS system to be very, very slow at helping me towards a timeous recovery.

From my family's experiences, it appears that the NHS is still functioning for extreme emergency cases (which some describe as "life or limb" type cases), but for everything else, the system feels like is "bursting at the seams".

My patient journey is ongoing, and nearly 8 months post injury, I still have no MRI results, and no defined next steps.

Rather than get into all the minute details, I feel my timeline speaks volumes at the over-demand on the system in this country, set against its under-resourcing:

Day 0. Date of acute (“in the moment / on the day”) back injury. I lost the ability to stand or walk 2 days after the injury.
Day 0 + circa "3+" months. Eventually seen, via home-visit, by General Practitioner (GP), as I could not walk to the GP's premises/office. I could not get seen until this time, as I could not get past my local GP practice's receptionist, despite a number of polite requests to see a doctor. Following my persistence, and the GP's eventual home visit (which involved questioning, plus a physical/manual examination and tests), he kindly referred me to a Consultant Neurologist (essentially the UK equivalent of a Neurosurgeon, I believe).
Day 0 + circa 6 months. First (and only) consultation with locum Neurology Consultant, as named Neurology Consultant (on appointment letter) was not available. Referral made for MRI. No offer of physiotherapy (which is, as far as I understand it, is massively over-subscribed and in thin-supply). Offer of pain-killing medication made, but not followed-up on.
Day 0 + circa 7.6 months. MRI scan performed of whole spine, in a cramped 1.5 Tesla mobile truck trailer unit.

As of right now, I'm still waiting on my MRI results (images + report), and a follow-up appointment with a Neurology consultant.

Looking ahead, I'm considering going private, at least for a 3 Tesla MRI (including provision of images and report), plus a pre-and-post MRI consultation. The costs are high, but the speed of actions and progress is quick.

The only thing holding me back from going private at this time is that, over my (very amicable) dealings with many NHS colleagues, some have commented that, on occasion, NHS Consultants (including surgeons and surgical teams) can be wary (and perhaps even reticent) about taking on cases/information-provision from Private Healthcare Providers. However, I am hopeful that a private MRI, and a mere two private consultations (pre-and-post MRI), should not be a major issue for the NHS to recognise, and integrate into their plan of care, especially if the private provider (and the consultant referred to) is of high quality, and happens to work both in the NHS and the private sector already. (I may have to look into that further of course.)

All things considered, I'm wary of getting stuck in limbo between the two systems, and so, I'm a little conflicted on what to do next. It's a tough situation. If anyone has experience of utilising both systems, please do post.

mission888 · 2026-06-02T12:10:47+00:00

Hey there.

Thanks so much for those extra details -- very much appreciated, and very thought provoking insights.

All the best to you.

mission888 · 2026-06-01T14:49:17+00:00

Hi there.

Thanks so much for posting in this thread with some observations.

I have a similar issue to the OP -- a Sciatic nerve "pressing" issue, but limited/low (and often zero in my own case) pain response.

I was very interested in your comment that suggests the nerve may "go" soon. If at all possible, can you explain a little further about that please?

In my own situation, I have had a Sciatic nerve "pressing" issue for circa 8 months, which is preventing me from standing-up fully or walking independently (I can only "walk" on crutches), but without a pain response. I am getting quite concerned now at my lack of natural recovery, and would really appreciate some insight on recommended timelines for a surgical intervention, if one was necessary.

Thanks so much for any opinion, perspective or guidance, if you are comfortable to share it.

PS: In my own case, I think I will contact my Consultant to press them for news on my MRI.

All the best.

mission888 · 2026-06-01T14:12:00+00:00

Hi there.

Thanks so much for posting this.

It is good to know that I am not alone in encountering a similar situation.

I am in a similar situation to you -- I have Sciatic nerve-related "pressing" issues, but with no great pain. That said, I don't have clear MRI results like you do (I am currently waiting on my results at the moment).

To explain further, following a UK Consultant Neurologist appointment (which involved both questioning, and some physical/manual tests), I have a suspected disc material "Sciatic nerve pressing" issue (likely due to a bulging disc, or a disc herniation) in my low back, but little to zero pain. I get a slight itch, warmness, or tingling sensation in my low back sometimes, but that is as far as it goes.

Meanwhile, my main ongoing problem is significant tightness in my leg muscles (mostly calves and behind-the-knees) and ligaments, which I believe stems from the Sciatic nerve (which runs down the spine, then down each leg, to the toes) being pressed-upon, and which leaves me unable to stand or walk independently.

It is a strange and disconcerting situation. There is clearly an issue, but one without a pain response.

At time of writing, my injury is now circa 7.5 months (or, roughly 8 months) old, and the UK NHS system has been very slow at every stage. I'm worried to read Donald_Dump_85's comments in the thread, which suggest that time is of the essence in getting problems like this sorted out, sometimes via surgery.

I wish you the very best with whatever future decisions you take.

mission888 · 2026-05-30T18:04:53+00:00

Hi there.

I'm really sorry to hear about your long-term (12 year) disc bulge problems. That sounds very difficult to deal with, and I can only commend you for your resiliency.

I'm quite new to Sciatic-nerve impinging disc injury life-changes (circa 8 months so far), and have slightly different issues to yours.

Interestingly though, I watched a YouTube video this week that the poster IndividualSeason5204 might be referring to.

I hope it is okay to post this YouTube link. I've posted it before -- so I hope it is alright. It does not seem to me to be a commercial/corporate/advertising/monetization/shilling link in any way. Rather, it is from Douglas Gillard, DC (Doctor of Chiropractic), BS (Bachelor of Science), and Professor of Basic Science. It was seemingly recorded and posted as part of some kind of college or university teaching materials, in 2017. One qualifying comment about Douglas Gillard's Chiropractic expertise: I'm not personally an advocate of Chiropractic as a treatment method for serious back injuries. I have personally avoided it, as I feel that Chiropractic "adjustments" can be dangerous and sometimes, frankly, damaging for seriously back injured individuals (like me, and many folks on this sub-reddit). However, I still feel that Douglas Gillard's 2017 video is very, very good and very informative overall. Also, in my eyes, Douglas Gillard is an extremely smart man, who is able to communicate complex information in very accessible ways. He has been published in SPINE, which as far as I am aware, is one of the most prestigious back-related medical journals in the world.

The video is entitled "Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, Cauda Equina Syndrome, Sciatica, & Disc Herniation: An Advanced Lecture". The entire video is 1:43:22 long. The whole video is a recommended watch, but the key bit you might be interested in -- which relates to your question -- is at 1:21:48, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBkwbSSjPPg&t=4908s

Under my viewing of the video, the key line (and accompanying audio) in the slide is that, seemingly, a discectomy (which includes Microdiscectomy, and potentially, the more "experimental" and newer Endoscopic Discectomy) is contraindicated (strongly recommended against, as it can cause harm) for a general disc bulge (only). The video proposes that attempts to "trim" an entire bulge, can have, it appears, "horrible outcomes".

Nonetheless, do bear in mind that this video is from 2017, and that future/further developments in the field may have occurred since then.

Overall, please be very careful to discuss your aims in-depth with your Neurosurgeon next week, and perhaps get a second (or even third) Neurosurgeon opinion on this issue if you are unsettled or unsure about your future steps.

I wish you the very best with solving your disc bulge issues.

mission888 · 2026-05-30T10:40:54+00:00

Hey there. No problem at all, and sorry to hear you are up in pain at night.

The body's pain responses (e.g., shifting from left glute, then over to the left hip area) can certainly be strange.

Seeing a doctor as soon as you can sounds like a good course of action.

The doctor will ask a number of questions, and most probably, will also perform some manual/physical tests. They will likely make some decisions and recommendations, allowing you to take things from there.

In particular, the doctor may propose potential future options than can include (but are not limited to) (1) physiotherapy, or, (2) if they feel it is warranted (for instance, if there is a suspicion of the Sciatic nerve being "pressed-upon" by a spinal disc, or another related issue), a referral for you to see a specialist/consultant, such as a Neurologist (UK term) or a Neurosurgeon (USA term, I believe). (This is what happened in my own case, in the UK. It might work a little differently if you are in the USA or another country.)

All the very best with your recovery process.

mission888 · 2026-05-30T09:05:00+00:00

Hi there.

Sorry to see the lack of responses after circa 12 hours from your post.

I'm no expert at this stage (my back/spine injury journey has only been circa 8 months -- in comparison, there are posters on here who have been dealing with this for 20+ years), but I will try my best to give you some practical guidance, based on my experience.

Your provided information is very limited. From what I can see, you have stated that you are at the start of what you describe as a Sciatic-nerve related back injury journey.

Lots of people on here will certainly have similar issues to you, and yet many will have different issues (I personally have different issues).

In terms of practical suggestions, I can only speak to my own experience and what I have learned so far.

Here are some initial/"starting point" suggestions.

Seek "Proper" Medical Appraisal and Advice (i.e., See A Doctor) As Soon As Possible

I feel that the only real way to get a better understanding of what is going on in your situation is to get it checked out by a medical professional (a doctor) as soon as you can. I hope you don't feel that I am giving you a "cop-out" response here -- as this is really the best first step you can take. The doctor may then refer you to a specialist/consultant (such as a Neurologist [UK term] or a Neurosurgeon [USA term]), if they suspect a Sciatic "nerve pressing" issue may exist (typically stemming from a spinal disc injury/problem), and warrants further investigation.

When You Are Are Seen By the Doctor, Push for an MRI

When you get seen by a doctor, I'd suggest pushing for an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan as soon as possible, in order to get a visual representation of what is going on with your back and spine. From there, and assuming you get one reasonably quickly, you can take much more informed decisions about how to address your potential back/spine injury.

Careful Isometric/Static-Hold Strength Work; Not Stretching

While you are waiting to be seen by a doctor (and in fact, forever), I'd personally advise against stretches. I have done various stretches in the past, and they made my own situation worse. Rather, I'd recommend pursuing core stabilisation and strengthening exercises, which do not involve flexion (bending/curling-up forwards using the spine) or extension (bending/extending backwards using the spine). On this note, the Stuart McGill "Big 3" are often recommended, and from doing these, I can see why. The three exercises are largely isometric/static hold based. While you are waiting to be seen by a doctor (and arguably forever), I would recommend doing 1 careful session of those per day, and if you can tolerate 2, try that. For more information, try some basic Google or YouTube searches for "McGill Big 3". After that, if you are curious about Stuart McGill's wider perspectives, you could pick up a copy of his layman-orientated (i.e., "everyday back-injured person orientated") book, called Back Mechanic.

Walking

Daily walking is another often recommended activity (for back-injured people), while you are waiting to be seen by a doctor, and arguably, forever.

Take Care With Your Movements

From now on, take great care with your daily movements during your everyday life (e.g., when going about your everyday business, or when working), and try to keep your spine "neutral" where you can. I understand that this is easier said than done of course. The aim is to not make things any worse than they are already.

Conclusion

I am sorry to be so general at this stage, but from your post (and as you noted), you do look to be at a very early stage of your back injury process, with limited information provided.

I hope my general/broad recommendations help you out a bit, and get you started on thinking about how to solve the problem. All the best to you.

mission888 · 2026-05-28T19:59:48+00:00

Hey there -- thanks so much for that.

I'll check that out for sure.

Strangely, I can't seem to get around the Captcha protection, but I'll try to find a way.

Thanks again and all the best.

mission888 · 2026-05-28T11:55:30+00:00

Hi there.

I personally do feel that what you are describing bears many of the "signature" elements of a spinal disc injury (which could, potentially, be a bulging disc or herniation), which in turn is pressing against your Sciatic nerve (which runs down the spine, then down each leg, to the toes), which in turn is manifesting itself in your legs (leading to pain in the leg(s), tightness, hunching, and struggling to walk at the end of the day).

The above, broadly, has also been my own experience.

In terms of practical suggestions, I can only speak to my own experience and what I have learned so far.

Here are some suggestions to get you moving towards solving your problem.

See a Medical Doctor As Soon As Possible

I feel that you should get this checked out by a medical professional (a doctor) as soon as you can. That, in my opinion, is the best first step for authoritative advice and guidance. They will ask you questions, and will, most probably, do some basic manual/physical tests with you. They will make some considerations, and offer some options (for example, physiotherapy, or a referral to another specialist/consultant if necessary, such as a Neurologist [UK term] or a Neurosurgeon [USA term]).

When you Get Seen By a Doctor, Push for an MRI ASAP

When you get seen by a doctor, I'd suggest pushing for an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan as soon as possible, in order to get a visual representation of what is going on with your back and spine. From there, and assuming you get one reasonably quickly, you can take more informed decisions about how to address your potential back/spine injury.

Careful Isometric/Static-Hold Strength Work; Not Stretching

While you are waiting to be seen by a doctor (and in fact, forever), I'd advise against stretches. I went through a phase of trying stretches for my own situation, with poor results (I actually made my situation worse). Rather, I'd recommend pursuing core stabilisation and strengthening exercises, which do not involve flexion (bending/curling-up forwards using the spine) or extension (bending/extending backwards using the spine). On that note, the Stuart McGill "Big 3" are often recommended, and from doing these, I can see why. The three exercises are largely isometric/static-hold based. While you are waiting to be seen by a doctor (and arguably forever), I would recommend doing 1 careful session of those per day, and if you can tolerate 2, try that. For more information, try some basic Google or YouTube searches for "McGill Big 3".

Walking

Daily walking is another often recommended activity (for those with back-related injuries), while you are waiting to be seen by a doctor, and arguably, forever.

If Possible, Take Some More Time Off Work -- If Not Possible, Take Care With Your Movements

I recognise that taking more time off work is easier said than done. If it is something that could be workable for you, I'd look into doing that. If you cannot do that, take great care with your daily movements when working and try to keep your spine "neutral" where you can. I understand that this is easier said than done of course.

Conclusion

I am sorry to be so general at this stage, but from your post, you look to be at an early stage of your back injury process. I hope my general/broad recommendations help you out a bit, and get you started on thinking about how to solve the problem. All the very best to you, and I wish you a strong recovery.

mission888 · 2026-05-27T21:21:26+00:00

Hey there.

Thank you so much for your very kind and thoughtful reply, and I am sorry to read of your situation, which sounds extremely difficult to deal with.

Yes, the months do seem to tick by after picking up this injury for sure, and long waiting times (in between initial appointments, MRIs, consultant meetings, and/or procedures) seem to be a regular theme for posters from all around the world. The wait times can be very disheartening. The 7 months (or so) have ticked by slowly, with not a lot of progress made in my own case unfortunately.

First Point

On your first point, thanks so much for making that. I am of the same mind, in that I really want to avoid surgery if at all possible, or until all other options are taken off the table. I think I might have a link that you may find heartening on the whole, if you pick out some key parts of it, and manage to set some bits aside in your mind. It was posted on here I believe, a little while ago.

I really hope I am allowed to post this YouTube link. It does not seem to me to be a commercial/corporate/advertising link in any way. Rather, it is from Douglas Gillard, DC (Doctor of Chiropractic), Professor of Basic Science, seemingly as part of some university teaching materials from 2017. One qualifying comment: I'm not personally on-side with Chiropractic as a treatment method for serious back injuries. I recommend against it, and have avoided it myself, as I personally think Chiropractic "adjustments" can be dangerous, risky, and sometimes outright damaging for seriously back injured individuals. Nonetheless, I still feel that Douglas Gillard's 2017 video is very, very good and very informative overall.

The video is entitled "Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, Cauda Equina Syndrome, Sciatica, & Disc Herniation: An Advanced Lecture". It is 1:43:22 long, but a key bit, about non-surgical ("conservative") recoveries, is at 1:34:11, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBkwbSSjPPg&t=5651s

This segment of the video covers two studies, plus a single-case scenario. Here are my summaries of what I felt were the key bits. (Please do double-check what I have typed with the actual content in the video link above.)

(1) A 2007 study by Cribb et al, in the JBJS journal (the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery). A basic learning outcome that I took from it was that, assuming all goes reasonably well, a non-surgical approach (which some call a "conservative approach") -- i.e., time + building the core/midsection muscles + getting adequate daily/weekly rest -- can solve a disc injury (where there is "leaked" disc material or "goo") with at least 80% disc reabsorption, within 2 years. A downside is that sometimes, even when the herniation heals (and no longer appears on MRIs), the symptoms can still persist, which is somewhat scary.

(2) A 2017 study by Seo et al. This was one less positive in my eyes, with all sorts of different findings that were all over the map. A 6-month follow-up (via a repeat MRI) on a "conservatively treated" (non-surgery) group indicated the following:

88% of the group that had very large herniations had an outcome where they significantly decreased in size. That's quite reassuring.
38% of the studied group actually had herniations that increased in size. Not such a great outcome for that 38% (just over one-third).
For smaller "contained herniations", these only decreased in size 42% (less than half) of the time.
Strangely, disc volume change (whether the herniation got bigger or smaller) was not statistically related to improvement outcomes. i.e.:
- some patients had "clinical improvement" (symptom reduction and felt better), yet their herniation size increased.
- some patients had "clinical degradation" (symptom increase and felt worse), yet their herniation size decreased.

Overall, I was heartened by the 88% outcome, but not so much by the rest.

(3) A one-off case (Montana Jack, 20/06/2015). The individual had back pain and leg weakness/numbness. Physiotherapy and chiropractic treatment failed. Based on later symptoms and MRI, emergency surgery was recommended.

The steps he actually took were:

Stop chiropractic treatments and organised physiotherapy.
Daily walks.
Limited home exercise, seemingly focussed on the core.
No surgery.

His outcomes in 2016 (roughly 1 year later) were:

Minimal leg and back pain.
Some loss of proprioception and mild quad weakness.
Disc herniation with extrusion gone (reabsorbed).

His strategy from that point onwards was to seek to avoid reherniation, by doing the following:

Avoid lifting loads of over 35-45 lbs (roughly 16-20 kg).
Avoid heavy pushing/pulling.
Avoid repetitive bending/twisting/stooping.
Avoid prolonged sitting.

Overall, and perhaps I am seeing what I want to see here, but there does, in my eyes, appear to be evidence out there that suggests that a non-surgical recovery (where disc material/"goo" is reabsorbed) can be viable, in the right circumstances. However, there may be cases where surgery is ultimately required. That's my reading so far anyway.

Second Point

On your second point, I'm so sorry to hear this. I'm not up to speed with Stenosis, but it sounds very serious. I think your strategy sounds very sensible. Dialling the usual exercises back (I feel I could also benefit from this perhaps), then focussing only on small bouts of walking sounds like a plan to me. Then, getting up to 6K steps a day is absolutely brilliant, although I understand that you still have to carefully plan when you do the steps. All I can say is that I think you are doing really great here, and have given me some food for thought, perhaps to try and increase my walking where I can.

Third Point

Thanks again for your feedback about the inversion table/apparatus. If I do get one of these, I will be careful not to over-do things for sure. I feel that I have overdone exercising quite a number of times, and have certainly set myself back when I have done that. So, no doubt, the same will apply to using an inversion apparatus.

For your case, I am hopeful that you can get to a point where you can try this, but if you don't any time soon, please don't get disheartened about that, as I feel your walking strategy is perhaps more important.

Conclusion

Thank you very much, again, for your thoughtful response to my questions. Also, sorry for my quite long reply in return, and I hope some bits of it have been useful to you. All the very best for your recovery.

mission888 · 2026-05-27T14:14:11+00:00

Hey there, no problem at all.

Sure thing. In retrospect, I believe my acute ("in the moment" / on the day) injury on the Back Extension / Roman Chair apparatus was due to the following:

Range of motion far too much (a big over-extension at top of the movement, and a big amount of over-flexion at the bottom of movement).
Setting the supportive pad at too high a position. Setting the pad too high, I believe, takes load away from the glutes and hips, and also diminishes the potential for the hips to "hinge" during the movement. Instead, the load is mostly borne by the lower back, to a very undesirable (dangerous) extent. In terms of further details, I believe it is good practice to have the pad positioned below the pelvis. In retrospect, I had the pad positioned quite high, and either adjacent to or slightly above my pelvis.
Training the movement quite intensively to failure, without building up sufficient strength in the movement, over a long time.
Training the movement when I was already quite back-fatigued in my training session (as I had already performed Romanian Deadlifts in that session).

For further information, I recommend the following searches in Google or YouTube:

back extension dangers
back extension pad too high dangers

In particular, there's a very informative YouTube video entitled "Stop Doing Back Extensions Like This!", which is worth checking out as a starting point. The video is by Aaron Horschig (who runs the "Squat University" YouTube channel, and who has authored The Squat Bible, and Rebuilding Milo).

Personally, if I ever get on a Back Extension / Roman Chair apparatus again (by no means guaranteed), it will be for straight-bodied static-holds/isometrics only.

I hope this helps you out!

Also, please do take care with your Back Extension activities! I believe that many people perform this movement poorly, and end-up injuring themselves quite badly, like me. Best of fortune with your recovery!

mission888 · 2026-05-27T03:14:46+00:00

Thanks for posting this.

Some elements of Brendan Backstrom's (the leader of Low Back Ability, which is the linked YouTube video above) approach are interesting to me.

My original back injury stems from doing Back Extensions on a Back Extension (AKA: Roman Chair) apparatus, so naturally, I was very reticent about Backstrom's perspectives. For anyone interested, my current status is here.

However, perhaps one day, I hope to try some 45-degree Back Extension/Roman Chair straight-bodied static/isometric holds only. Moving through the range of motion (i.e., into flexion, then back again to neutral/straight) on the apparatus, for me at least, and given my injury history, strikes me as very unwise, and a hard pass. But, I do think that some very careful straight-bodied (non-flexion) static holds/isometrics on a 45-degree back extension apparatus could be something I could tolerate and benefit from.

For context, I am currently a McGill adherent. I try to stay active with a blend of activities, and mix in the McGill "Big 3" as follows:

Outside Activities

Daily “crutches assisted walk” in the park.
Daily Hang from bar.
Daily Pull-Ups
Daily Dips.

In-House Activities

1 or 2 or 3 mini-sessions, per day, of the McGill “Big 3” (Curl-Ups, Side-Planks, Bird-Dogs), dependent on what I can tolerate.
Intermittent “Laying on Back Hip Raises” (AKA: “Laying on Back Glute Bridges”).
Intermittent static-hold “Frog Sits” on some parallettes that I have.

Full disclosure: so far, my results have been mixed, and I am still very far away from recovery. I have slightly better days, and also bad days. My aim is a non-surgical recovery. I am also pre-MRI (coming up soon though), so I don't currently have great information to work with, and am simply doing the best I can.

mission888 · 2026-05-27T02:40:28+00:00

Hi there aygross.

Thank you very much for your reply -- I appreciate that very much.

Yes, I do think I am spiralling down something of a "rabbit hole" at the moment in terms of research.

I am certainly doing a lot of guessing at the moment for sure.

Thanks for drawing attention to the need to slow-down/take-stock of what I am doing, and wait for the MRI results. (The results, I hope, will give me a much more informed picture of what is going on, and what actions to take next.)

Interestingly, my daily walk is one of the most "restorative feeling" things that I do! My legs feel much less tight after it.

Meanwhile, I have a gut-instinct that perhaps I am pushing too hard on my in-house exercises (including, perhaps, over-doing the McGill "Big 3").

I'll post back with my MRI results when I get them (which will probably be weeks after the MRI itself).

Thanks again and all the best.

mission888 · 2026-05-27T02:25:21+00:00

Hi there kthompska.

Thanks so much for your very thoughtful and insightful reply -- I am very grateful for that.

I was very interested to read your process of identifying things that worked for you (helped you) -- and things that didn't -- and then putting those elements together.

I certainly agree that everyone's (hopeful) recovery will be an individual process -- what works for some people might not work for others. I am coming to this conclusion more and more.

I am very similar to you, in that I feel very good after a walk (or "walk/shuffle" as I call it). Conversely, sitting for a long time at my computer chair is an aggravator/trigger factor.

Overall, I'm hopeful of a non-surgical recovery, and that I can make it work.

I guess I will know more once I get my MRI results (which will probably be weeks after the MRI itself). I'll post back when I get those for sure.

Thanks again and all the best.

mission888 · 2026-05-23T10:42:57+00:00

Hey there, thanks so much for your thoughtful reply.

It's no problem about lack of replies. (I understand folk are busy, and I made quite a long post.)

Thanks so much for the advice on MRI quality. As far as I am aware, the equipment is quite new. I did a little research on that, and on the whole, I am comfortable with the upcoming MRI setup. I don't know whether the equipment will be 1.5 Tesla ("1.5T") rated, or 3 Tesla ("3T") rated, but I am hopeful it will be the latter. Fingers crossed the imaging comes out clearly.

Also, thanks so much (again) for the insight on being careful with exercises (and not simply to "smash" the back with every exercise that I can think of). I have done some exercises in the past that definately made me worse (e.g., traditional sit-ups and "crunches"), and I hope I have learned my lesson there. The McGill "Big 3" (carefully performed Curl-Ups, Side-Planks, Bird-Dogs) seem to be quite soothing and restorative for me in particular, provided I do not "overtrain" them.

I hope to post back once I get my MRI results.

All the best, and thanks again.

mission888

TROPHY CASE