It’s important to relax and breathe normally. Try laying prone on your elbows to see if it alleviates your pain (like sphinx pose in yoga). For most people with herniated discs, lightly extending the back can help to reposition the discs anteriorly. Prior to exercising, you’ll want to minimize the pain that you experience. Here’s a 3-phase breakdown of how to reincorporate strength training after herniating a disc. The exercises you perform will depend on how you feel and how long it’s been since you’ve injured your back. 3 More specifically, spinal stabilization exercises help more than a general exercise program. How to Start Lifting Weights Again After A Herniated Discįortunately, the best thing you can do to improve your herniated disc is to exercise!Įxercise is not only recommended, it’s required to help retrain the muscles in your back. While MRIs can be helpful, keep in mind that they are expensive, and often unnecessary in treating disc herniations. Only if your health practitioner is not able to identify what is going on, would I recommend imaging tests such as MRI. Nerve tension tests, usually a straight leg raise test or the crossed straight leg raise test. A full neurological examination, which includes a screen of isolated muscles, sensations, and reflexes.Ģ. In addition to noting where your symptoms are, your health practitioner should also perform:ġ. Your health practitioner should be able to tell which segment of your spine is most likely affected based on the exact location of your symptoms. If you do experience weakness, it is generally recommended that you see a health practitioner. People may also have some numbness or tingling, in addition to muscle weakness, in the body part served by the affected nerves. Symptoms may vary slightly, but generally consist of pain or decreased sensation in the back, buttocks, thigh, and calf. In other words, the more your spine moves out of its neutral position during exercise, the greater risk you’re at for experiencing a disc problem 1 2. Poor movement mechanics themselves are often not painful, but the repetition of poor movement (especially with heavy weights) can lead to micro-trauma in the spine that cumulatively adds up and result in injury.ĭegenerative disc disease and herniations are associated with increased lumbar spine mobility, particularly excessive flexion and rotation. This is why lifting weights with proper form during all exercises is essential. The last aggravating motion that caused the acute bout of pain is often just the final movement of several times your back was stressed by poor movement mechanics. While symptoms can come on suddenly and acutely, disc pathology is usually considered a long-term chronic condition. In some cases this can lead to pain and pressure on your nerves, and also cause symptoms in your back that can radiate down into your legs. Unfortunately, these discs can rupture and herniate. These vertebral discs serve as cushions between the vertebrae, and they help to absorb impact while also assisting the spinal facet joints to guide movement in the spine. Between each vertebra in your spine is a vertebral disc. What Is A Herniated Disc?ĭisc herniations of the lumbar spine (元-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1) are one of the more common back injuries. What happens if you herniate a disc? You might be wondering, can I ever lift weights again? The short answer is yes, but first let’s discuss what a herniated disc is, and then address how you can safely incorporate strength training back into your workout program. So much of human movement relies on the ability to both stabilize and fluidly move your spine. Back injuries – an athlete’s worst nightmare.
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