When you are experiencing pain and discomfort resulting from a bulging disc, specific exercises recommended by your doctor or physical therapist may help you find relief. The goal of these prescribed exercises is to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, to increase flexibility and to get blood, oxygen and nutrients flowing to your spine so it remains as healthy as possible.

Creating an exercise program

A qualified medical profession should help you create an exercise plan designed to address your particular symptoms. Generally, it is recommended that you start an exercise program gradually and then build on it over time to avoid pushing yourself beyond your limits. It is important to stop exercising if you feel sudden or excessive pain. Follow the instructions you are given on the type of exercises you should perform when you have a bulging disc, how you should perform them, how often you should perform them and in what quantity of repetitions.

Commonly recommended bulging disc exercises

The following are some common exercises recommended by doctors and physical therapists to address bulging disc pain:

• Pilates and yoga
• Elliptical machine and stationary bike workouts
• Stretching exercises
• Stability ball exercises
• Trampoline exercises

Activities to avoid

Not all exercises and activities are recommended for people who have bulging discs. For example, you may be advised to stay away from running or any other exercises that jar the spine, potentially irritating a bulging disc. You might also want to avoid any stretches or exercises that involve keeping your knees straight, such as leg raises and toe touches, because they can strain your back. Weightlifting is another potentially dangerous activity, particularly if proper form isn’t being used. When not exercising, you should still always take special care when lifting heavy objects to make sure you’re not placing undue stress on your back.

While exercise and other conservative treatments can often provide lasting relief for a bulging disc, they don’t work for everyone. Surgery can become an option if you and your doctor decide that conservative treatment options have been exhausted. For more information about the advantages of our minimally invasive spine surgery for the treatment of bulging discs, contact USA Spine Care. These procedures are a safer and effective alternative to traditional open spine surgery, offering our patients a shorter recovery time with less risk of complication.^

If you’d like to find out if you are a potential candidate for one of our procedures, reach out to our dedicated team today for a no-cost MRI review.*

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