Each year, up to 2% of Americans end up with a herniated disc. Herniated discs occur when you damage the intervertebral tissue between the bones in your spine.
When healthy, these rubbery discs act like cushions between your vertebrae, helping your spine bend and move with ease. However, discs are also highly vulnerable to tears or leaks, especially among people ages 30-50. If these injuries occur, the disc loses shape and presses on nearby spinal nerves, triggering symptoms that include:
Dr. Arien Smith provides advanced forms of treatments for herniated discs at Brain and Spine Institute of New York and New Jersey, ranging from conservative therapies to minimally invasive spinal surgery.
In this blog, Dr. Smith outlines the best steps you can take today to avoid a herniated disc in the future.
One of the best things to do for your body is exercise and remain physically active. And there are specific areas you should focus on when it comes to maintaining a healthy spine.
A sedentary lifestyle increases your chances of a herniated disc, so most forms of regular exercise will do wonders in keeping you injury-free. But if you really want to take it to the next level, it’s crucial to practice core strengthening exercises to keep the supportive muscles in your truck strong.
For the best results, Dr. Smith recommends skipping situps and crunches — these classic core exercises can actually increase your risk of spine injury. Instead, focus on isometric core work, exercises that engage and work your core muscles without moving them.
Ready to try an isometric exercise? Get into a “plank” or push-up position and squeeze and hold your abdominal muscles. Try to maintain this position for at least 30 seconds, slowly increasing the time until you can hold it for a minute.
Next to exercise, weight management is essential for avoiding painful conditions, like herniated discs. Carrying extra pounds puts added pressure on your entire body, even the rubbery discs in between your vertebrae.
It also affects your posture because it shifts how your skeleton and spine have to support the added weight. This puts added wear-and-tear on your discs in the process.
It’s never too late to lose weight to protect your spine. The added bonus? It can even help resolve your symptoms if you already have a herniated disc.
Have you paid attention to your posture lately? If you haven’t, it’s time to start.
Whether you’re walking, standing, sitting, or sleeping, practicing good posture reduces unnecessary strain on your spine. This simple step often gets overlooked, yet it can make a world of difference when it comes to spine and disc health.
To start, Dr. Smith suggests adopting the following practices:
Also, remember to maintain good posture while lifting heavy objects. Always rely on your legs to do most of the work while keeping your back straight — never bending and twisting at the waist while lifting.
Last but far from least, it’s time to ditch your smoking habit if you want to avoid herniated discs. When it comes to risk factors for this injury, the No. 1 cause is being a smoker.
Nicotine deprives your cells of vital nutrients, causing disc tissue to break down. They then become less pliable, dehydrated, and malnourished, increasing their chances of injury. On top of that, it’s more common for herniated discs in smokers to bulge out of the disc, irritating nerves in the area.
People who smoke also cough more frequently and typically engage in less physical activity. These additional factors not only put more strain on the spine that increases your chances of herniated discs, but they also increase the rate of back pain in general.
If you have a herniated disc, Dr. Smith can help you learn more about your treatment options and avoid additional injuries in the future. Schedule a consultation at the Brain and Spine Institute of New York and New Jersey nearest you by calling or booking online today.
