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A herniated disc doesn’t just hurt, it can rewrite your whole identity overnight. I’m joined by Katie (Katie Sorta Wellness on TikTok), a hypermobile mom of two who went from long-term “normal” chronic back pain to a frightening postpartum flare that left her shaking, bedbound, and unable to care for her baby the way she wanted to. She walks me through the exact timeline, why her symptoms ramped up over the first day, and how months of cycling pain finally led to an MRI and a serious conversation about nerve damage risk.

We also get specific about what helped and what did not. Katie explains why stretching can backfire for hypermobility, how pelvic floor physical therapy and postpartum hormones can complicate stability, and why she believes you should feel a signal of progress with a new physical therapist within just a few sessions. We talk about practical survival tools like pillow-based sleep positions, lumbar support for car rides, and gentle decompression, plus the mindset shift of asking more questions and walking away from providers who are guessing.

Finally, we dig into the real recovery work: corrective exercise, muscle activation, glute engagement, and rebuilding core strength after a C-section with approachable movements like wall planks and the McGill Big Three. If you are dealing with sciatica, an L5-S1 or L5-level disc issue, postpartum back pain, or the fear of reinjury every time you sneeze, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review with the one lesson you wish you heard sooner.

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