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Q&A: What exercises should I do for my herniated disc?
Dave Cruz
Q: I've just been diagnosed with a herniated disc, and my doctor wants me to rest a couple of days and then start working on making it better through exercise. Does Core Performance have a program designed to focus on this sort of injury?
A: Herniated discs can be the result of cumulative and repetitive trauma over time to the discs, or can occur in a single, traumatic incident. The symptoms and severity of the damage is dependent on the location and size of the herniation, as well as how many discs are involved.
Treatment can vary from non-invasive, conservative measures consisting typically of physical therapy and can be severe enough to warrant surgical intervention, which typically has a very positive outcome.
In regard to physical therapy and corrective exercises for disc herniations, a thorough examination should be conducted by a licensed health-care professional to assess all of your conditions. However, a general plan of care will consist of the following:
- Activating your core muscles and improving core stability.
- Manual and/or soft tissue therapy
- An evaluation of ergonomic and postural settings
- Corrective exercises to address muscle imbalances
These measures all have the same goal of decreasing the overall load and stress on the spine.
About The Author
Sue Falsone – As the Vice President of Performance Physical Therapy and Team Sports, Sue Falsone provides the critical link between therapy and performance. She develops and implements therapy regimens for athletes at Athletes' Performance.
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