Staying active is a great way to promote good spinal health while being treated for a bulging disc. By stretching and strengthening the muscles that support the spine through low-impact activities like yoga, walking, cycling or swimming, you 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 of participating in high-impact sports

Playing high-impact sports that involve intense or frequent jumping, running or collisions can place excess strain on the spine’s 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:

1. Football
2. Basketball
3. Soccer
4. Hockey
5. Karate
6. Soccer
7. Running

Before participating in any sport or activity, it’s important to consult with your physician. He or she 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.

USA Spine Care 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 board-certified surgeons+ through a less than 1-inch incision.

Contact USA Spine Care today to learn more about our surgical bulging disc treatment. If you’d like to discover if you are a candidate for our procedures, be sure to ask our team how to receive a free MRI review.*