Staying active is a great way to promote good spinal health while being treated for a bulging disc. You can stretch and strengthen supporting spine muscles through low-impact activities. This can include yoga, walking, cycling, or swimming. All of these can help improve the health of your spine while burning calories and enjoying a nice workout. However, it’s important to note that not all exercises are beneficial to your neck and back. In fact, participating in certain sports may actually damage your spine further and leave you more susceptible to injuries and degenerative spine conditions in the future.
The Potential Risks in High-Impact Sports
Playing high-impact sports that involve intense or frequent jumping, running, or collisions can place excess strain on the spinal facet joints and cushioning cartilage discs possibly accelerating the body’s natural degenerative process. In turn, this can worsen your bulging disc symptoms or cause new problems to develop. Examples of popular high-impact sports to avoid if you have a bulging disc include:
- Football
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Hockey
- Karate
- Soccer
- Running
Before participating in any sport or activity, it is important to consult with your physician. They will be able to evaluate the extent of your bulging disc, review your symptoms, and suggest ways to get in touch with your competitive side while preserving your spinal health. Carefully following your physician’s suggested treatment plan may also help you overcome your bulging disc symptoms and get back in the game sooner.
How BEST Can Help Your Bulging Disc
BEST Health System offers a minimally invasive alternative to traditional open spine operations for patients who cannot manage their bulging disc symptoms with conservative treatments alone. Our decompression and stabilization procedures are performed on an outpatient basis by our board-certified surgeons, Dr. Girton and Dr. Abbott, through a less than one-inch incision.
If you would like to learn more about our surgical bulging disc treatment or have any other general questions, contact BEST today!
