A herniated disc is one of the more common types of spinal conditions that we see on a regular basis, and while we are familiar with managing and treating them, most patients aren’t. That can be problematic, because if you’re not sure how to protect your spine while you have a herniated disc, you can make the problem worse with one wrong move. With that in mind, we wanted to use today’s blog to showcase five activities that you should limit or avoid if you have a herniated disc.
Avoid These Actions If You Have A Herniated Disc
If you’re dealing with a bulging or herniated disc and you want to help the problem get better, you’ll want to pursue some common conservative treatment techniques and avoid these five activities.
- Excessive Sitting – It’s common to want to get off your feet if you’re dealing with back pain, but sitting down isn’t exactly a relaxing position for your spine. Sitting typically puts a fair amount of strain on your lumbar spine, and if this is where your herniated disc is located, sitting will make the problem worse. Don’t overly baby your spine while you’re dealing with a disc issue, because sitting can channel more stress through your discs.
- Bending – This may seem obvious, but bending incorrectly can be very strenuous on your spine. If you have to bend over to grab something off the ground, you need to do all of the heavy lifting with your knees. If you bend at the waist, your spine ends up handling all of the additional stress. You can quickly make a herniated disc issue worse by bending at the waist instead of with your knees.
- Excessive Lying Down – Lying down will help to alleviate discomfort caused by your disc issue, but this doesn’t mean that you should spend all day in your bed. The strain of gravity is absent when you are horizontal in your bed, but blood isn’t circulating as well as it does when you’re up and about. Mild activity will help push nutrient-packed blood around your body and to your spine, which can help with the healing process. If you just hope to lay in bed and let healing run its course, know that your recovery period will be prolonged, and your spine won’t be as strong as it would be if you chose some other methods.
- Forward-Lunging Actions – There are a number of tasks around the house that require us to lunge forward a bit, and this action is hard on your spine. Whether you’re vacuuming, moping, raking leaves or shoveling snow, all of these actions will significantly increase the strain on your spine, and if it’s already dealing with a bulging or herniated disc, these actions can make the condition much worse.
- High-Impact Exercise – The right exercise can help to strengthen your spine and the structures that support your spinal column, but the wrong exercises can make matters much worse. Walking, using an elliptical or a water-based exercise routine can be great ways to strengthen and protect your spine while overcoming a disc issue because they are low-impact activities. Conversely, activities like running, box jumps or any exercise where you land hard on your feet can cause additional issues for your spinal discs. We want you to stay active, but not all exercises are right when trying to recover from a herniated disc.
If you can avoid these activities and you trust your care to a specialist like Dr. Sinicropi, we believe that you’ll make a strong recovery from your herniated disc issue. For more information, or for help with a different spinal issue, reach out to our team today at (651) 430-3800.
