Help I'm so confused! Please give me your opinion! hernietated disc!?

Question

Hey I'm 17 years old and i slipped 4 discs in my lumbar lower back last football season. It wasn't until Christmas time that i went to a doctor over it. By this time my pain was really bad and he did an MRI and said i was starting to rupture one. Now we are beginning football season again and I am unsure whether i should play or not. My doctor said i shouldn't, my other doctor said i should, my coach said i should, my mom said i shouldn't, my dad said i should. I can handle the pain, I just don't want to ruin my senior year if this thing has the potential to be bad or paralyze me. Its starting to get bad again. I can't touch my toes anymore and it hurts in my right leg when i walk. Also when i hit on the football field i sometime lose control of my legs and fall down. What would you do if you were me? Please give me your honest advice. My dad said that he handles pain better but its not that i can't handle the pain, i just don't want it to ruin my senior year. :( please help im so confused and depressed? I started last year both ways (guard and D tackle) this year i am only starting Offensive guard for obvious reasons.

Answer 1

I work at a Neurology Office and I know that you should not play football. You could seriously hurt yourself and you could become paralyzed if someone hits you the wrong way. I understand that you want to play football and you don't want to s***w up your senior year but you should also thing about your life after senior year. You don't want to be in a wheelchair or have multiple problems moving and getting around.In the long run you would seriously make it hard for yourself to get around. Back problems are not something to s***w around with.It controls alot.Stay healthy and don't do anything you would regret.

Answer 2

To be that young and to be suffering like you are, my advice to you would be not to play.  I'd enjoy my senior year.  You only go around the block once, so make it count.  Good luck.  I understand back pain all to well.

Answer 3

ABSOLUTELY NOT, you should not play football.  It is not even a pain issue.  This is about the rest of your life.  You are 17 years old. Do you have any idea how big of a deal it is do have herniated discs at 17!! You already have done damage to yourself and if you play you may be in a wheelchair or bed the rest of your life.  If you rest and take it easy you might still be able to live pain free most of the time.  Sometimes herniated discs will go back into place. BUT, you are never the same, any movement may make it occur again.  Your right leg hurts because you are pressing nerves!!! Please do not play, you need to think about the rest of your life. Do you want to not play football and be able to still life a fulfilling life or do you want 15 minutes of glory on the field and a lifetime of pain.  Whatever doctor is telling you to play should have his license revoked! People become disable for life due to what you suffer from. Take it easy!! Relax and let your body recover!!

Answer 4

Did you hit your head too? Listen to your heart not your father. Is he going to bathe you when your paralyzed. You may or may not get hurt again, but is it really worth the risk to find out?

Answer 5

You should not...at 17 years old, if you are healthy, something is seriously wrong with the way you are playing, warming up or the impact you are taking to herniate discs.

DO NOT PLAY...do you want to have chronic pain the rest of your life...not just now, but forever?

Work on therapy to strengthen those muscles and stay away from impact sports. Your body doesnt handle them well...obviously!

Answer 6

If you are losing control of your legs and falling down after getting hit you should NOT be playing football. Go see a doctor. I know saying "no more" is not the macho thing to do...but you don't want to permanently injure yourself at 17 and regret if for the rest of your life.

Answer 7

This type of injury is not something to mess around with. It really wouldn't be wise to play football in your condition. You could completely rupture your discs or even herniate more of them. When you herniate discs they put pressure on your spinal nerves and also your spinal cord which is why you are losing control of your legs. That's pretty serious. You may be able to deal with the pain now, but you won't be 17 forever. You have the rest of your life to think about here and you don't want it to be ruined with horrible pain. It takes a lot of work and care to manage the issues caused by disc problems. Also this has nothing to do with whether you are tough enough to handle the pain or not. It's whether you are smart enough to think about your future. I find it troublesome your father is pushing you to play. Maybe he does not understand the gravity of the situation. You just have to be very careful with these injuries as they are easy to exacerbate. I know it's depressing to hear that but you will still be able to enjoy your senior year without football. There are other things out there to do!

Also, I work on people every day that really hurt themselves when they were younger playing sports and such. They are in horrible pain every day because they didn't listen to their bodies and call it quits when they should have. I hate to see that happen to others when it's preventable.