Back Pain: If I Have A Herniated Disc, Do I Need To Avoid Physical Activity?

Back pain that’s potentially associated with a herniated disc is, more often than not, a very disconcerting event in the minds of patients. After all, if your back hurts, it’s gotta be the disc, right? WRONG!…

Here’s the story…

The human spine gets a bad rap as being a “delicate” structure that needs to be protected, especially if there is evidence of a herniated disc. I’ve seen patients get so worried about their backs when a bulging disc is seen on their MRI films that they want to stop doing everything.

Worse, yet, are physical therapists that tiptoe around the issue, utilizing benign back pain treatment approaches out of fear of “stirring up that disc”.  They approach back pain treatment from a defensive posture, ultimately leaving the patient no better than when they began treatment.

I call bull%#$& on that because that’s not the way I roll and it’s certainly not what the body is capable of taking.  Here’s the proof…

In a paper scheduled for publication in Spine Journal, Shachar Aharony, MD performed MRI scans on the spines of Navy Seal candidates prior to and following their grueling, 14-week entrance-training program. Identified in the scans were bulging discs along with other degenerative disc disease and congenital spinal disorders.

Now, for those of you unfamiliar with Navy Seal training, it’s probably the most physically and emotionally demanding training on the planet. For over 3 months, soldiers are required to train wearing kevlar vests weighing 15 lbs, carry rifles weighing 10 – 12 lbs, and carry up to 40% of their bodyweight while marching and running for distances of 90 miles in one day. Not your typical civilian job by any means.

And the results… Follow-up MRIs were virtually the same as those taken before training. No swelling, no arthritis, no further disc bulging or protrusion, no trauma whatsoever.

Bottom line: the human spine is a durable structure capable of withstanding extreme physical stress. What that means to you is that no matter what you have (well, almost), you’re probably not going to make it worse by activity.

While the Erase Your Back Pain program isn’t even close to Navy Seal training, it does utilize activity as the primary back pain treatment method. You can get all the info by going here ⇒ No More Back Pain!

I welcome and encourage your comments and questions. Let me hear from you below.

Dedicated To Erasing Your Back Pain,

Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc
Clinical Specialist
Orthopaedic Physical Therapist