Hi Alex! I'm sure you're flooded with advice atm, but I basically have the same injury as you ("protruded/bulged" disc but not fully herniated although it is both my L4 and L5). It is a serious injury, but glad to hear you are not opting for surgery as your disc still can be rehabbed.
As it stands, I don't fret too much about having to live a life avoiding triggers, but I do get flareups, but now they last at most 2 days rather than putting me out for a week plus. I find that avoiding trigger positions all together is not good in the long run. You'll learn what your limits are, but controlled risk>>>no risk. Find safe ways to stretch and decompress, but don't overdo it. At the end of the day, only strength training will give long term improvement: not stretching.
My biggest recommendation is to invest in a reverse hyper extension machine. I don't know what PT is like in Germany, and I'm sure it is better than in the states, but my PT focused almost exclusively on core strength which only helped manage symptoms. Technically, your posterior chain/erectors are more directly important for your back support. The reverse hyper machine lets you train these areas with no risk. If you drop the weight, you get traction, not shearing, so it is basically a win-win. Your spine is neutral through the whole movement, so it only uses your static strength to train erectors, which I can safely get them very pumped with this machine. I will even use this machine mid flare up as simply getting bloodflow into the area gives me relief the next day. Also, my PT often had me on a bike to warmup, but the BEST cardio to give me back relief is walking backwards on an inclined treadmill.
And I see you already got a great rec for an office chair, but if you are looking for something that is a fraction of the price if you just want something to sit on so you don't have to stand to eat meals, then I highly recommend the "Ergo Ergo" stool. It's a less extreme version of sitting on a yoga ball, but it is a similar premise: you have to use your legs and core to stay upright or else you topple over. So it's the next closest thing to standing.
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Re: Flexispot E7 Plus Review: Recovering From Injury With A Standing Desk
Hi Alex! I'm sure you're flooded with advice atm, but I basically have the same injury as you ("protruded/bulged" disc but not fully herniated although it is both my L4 and L5). It is a serious injury, but glad to hear you are not opting for surgery as your disc still can be rehabbed.
As it stands, I don't fret too much about having to live a life avoiding triggers, but I do get flareups, but now they last at most 2 days rather than putting me out for a week plus. I find that avoiding trigger positions all together is not good in the long run. You'll learn what your limits are, but controlled risk>>>no risk. Find safe ways to stretch and decompress, but don't overdo it. At the end of the day, only strength training will give long term improvement: not stretching.
My biggest recommendation is to invest in a reverse hyper extension machine. I don't know what PT is like in Germany, and I'm sure it is better than in the states, but my PT focused almost exclusively on core strength which only helped manage symptoms. Technically, your posterior chain/erectors are more directly important for your back support. The reverse hyper machine lets you train these areas with no risk. If you drop the weight, you get traction, not shearing, so it is basically a win-win. Your spine is neutral through the whole movement, so it only uses your static strength to train erectors, which I can safely get them very pumped with this machine. I will even use this machine mid flare up as simply getting bloodflow into the area gives me relief the next day. Also, my PT often had me on a bike to warmup, but the BEST cardio to give me back relief is walking backwards on an inclined treadmill.
And I see you already got a great rec for an office chair, but if you are looking for something that is a fraction of the price if you just want something to sit on so you don't have to stand to eat meals, then I highly recommend the "Ergo Ergo" stool. It's a less extreme version of sitting on a yoga ball, but it is a similar premise: you have to use your legs and core to stay upright or else you topple over. So it's the next closest thing to standing.