Spine Health Dos and Don'ts: 4 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of a Herniated Disc

More than three million Americans experience a herniated disc each year. This injury, which occurs when the soft, jelly-like center of an intervertebral disc breaks through the exterior and places pressure on your spinal nerves or surrounding tissue, typically occurs due to age-related wear-and-tear. 

However, just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to experience this injury. Several daily habits can keep your spine strong and flexible and significantly reduce your risk. 

At Sunshine Spine and Pain Specialists, PLLC, in Sarasota, Florida, our team of interventional pain management experts understands the toll a herniated disc can take and how to help prevent it. 

Read on for four expert tips to help reduce your risk.

1. Do strengthen your core

There’s no way to prevent a herniated disc, but strengthening your core can undoubtedly help. That’s because when your back, pelvis, and abdomen muscles are strong, they serve as a brace to support your spine, improve posture, and help reduce disc injury.

Several core-strengthening exercises include:

• Planks
• Crunches
• Russian twists
• Bird dogs

Although each is performed differently, they all target the muscles in your hips, lower back, and abdomen, promoting strength, stability, and balance.

2. Don’t sit for long periods

If you work a desk job, this can be a challenge. However, it’s important. Every 30-60 minutes, stand up, stretch, and walk around. Since it’s easy to get distracted during the workday, setting a timer may help.

It also helps to invest in an ergonomic office space. Use a chair with ample lumbar support, or consider asking your boss about using a standing desk. 

Practicing good posture matters, too. When sitting, bend your knees at a 90-degree angle, keep your feet flat on the floor, and align your earlobes directly over your shoulders. 

These adjustments take pressure off your spine and reduce the risk of disc injury.

3. Do practice proper lifting technique

Daily activities like bending, twisting, and lifting can strain your spine and surrounding tissues. If you aren’t careful, poor lifting technique can even place stress on weakened areas and cause a disc to bulge outward.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to practice good form. Whenever you need to pick something up, bend at your knees and not your waist. Keep the load close to your body and engage your core muscles. 

If it’s too heavy to lift on your own, ask for help or use a dolly. 

4. Don’t smoke

Smoking is bad for your heart and lungs, but it’s also a leading cause of disc herniation. It prevents oxygen and nutrient-rich blood from reaching your spine, which causes your intervertebral discs to weaken and deteriorate over time.

Quitting can significantly reduce this risk and offers a variety of other health benefits. This rule applies even if you’ve smoked for years or decades. The lack of toxic chemicals in your system can even reduce your risk of inflammation and tissue damage.

Schedule herniated disc treatment

If you’re concerned about having a herniated disc, schedule a surgical consultation by calling Sunshine Spine and Pain Specialists, PLLC. After reviewing your symptoms and performing an exam, we’ll recommend the next steps to help keep your spine healthy and pain-free.