| Herniated disc exercises can be helpful or harmful, | | | | inexpensive, and you can find one at most sports |
| so it's important that you follow some basic | | | | stores. |
| guidelines for exercising with this condition. This | | | | However, you will not be using the trampoline in |
| article will discuss some simple exercises that you | | | | the way you may imagine - in other words, you |
| can do for herniated disc healing, but before we | | | | will not be jumping on the trampoline. Basically, I'm |
| can discuss that, we need to briefly discuss how | | | | going to recommend that you simply stand in the |
| a spinal disc functions so these recommendations | | | | center of the trampoline and march in place. This |
| make sense. | | | | should be a very controlled movement, and you |
| The discs of the spine are cushions that separate | | | | want to make sure you keep your head looking |
| each set of bones in the back. Their primary | | | | straight ahead and your arms at your side when |
| function is to act as shock-absorbers, which | | | | you are marching. |
| prevents the bones from absorbing this shock | | | | This exercise should be done for 5 minutes every |
| and helps you avoid quite a bit of pain. | | | | day. The goal of this herniated disc exercise is to |
| Each disc is made up of two parts - a strong | | | | improve your balance, which strengthens the |
| outer covering called the annulus, and a soft jelly | | | | smallest muscles around the spine. When you |
| center called the nucleus. This structure basically | | | | strengthen these muscles, it not only balances the |
| resembles a jelly doughnut. | | | | spine, but it removes pressure from the discs, |
| When a person has a herniated disc, the strong | | | | allowing them to heal more quickly. |
| outer covering of the disc tears and the jelly | | | | The next exercise I'll recommend involves the |
| begins to shift out of the center into the area | | | | use of a therapy ball, which is one of those large |
| where the disc is weakest. This creates a bulge in | | | | balls you see in health clubs or physical therapy |
| the disc, which applies pressure to the nerves of | | | | clinics. Basically, you just want to sit on the ball, |
| the spine. | | | | and gently bounce up and down, keeping your |
| This is actually why this condition is so painful and | | | | head looking forward and your arms to your side. |
| debilitating - the nerves of the spine control | | | | This exercise should be done for 5 minutes every |
| everything in the body, so when they have | | | | day, and it's best that you do it immediately |
| pressure applied to them, not only is it painful, but | | | | following the trampoline exercise we just |
| whatever they control in the body will begin to | | | | discussed. This exercise is actually the most |
| malfunction. | | | | important one I'll be discussing today, because this |
| One of the most difficult things about healing a | | | | is the one that's going to help bring new oxygen |
| herniated disc is the fact that the discs of the | | | | and nutrients to the injured disc for faster healing. |
| spine do not receive a good amount of blood | | | | Basically, when you bounce on the ball, you are |
| flow. The body normally depends on the blood to | | | | pumping every disc in the spine. This pumping |
| transport oxygen and nutrients to an injured area | | | | action (called imbibition) is literally pumping new |
| for faster healing. | | | | oxygen and nutrients into the disc, and pumping |
| However, because the discs of the spine do not | | | | toxins from the injury out of the disc. |
| receive a lot of blood flow, they can be very | | | | Finally, we need to discuss stretching and |
| stubborn and frustrating to heal properly. | | | | strengthening herniated disc exercises. Stretching |
| This is actually a very important point to discuss | | | | should also be done every day, but I recommend |
| when talking about herniated disc exercises, | | | | that you do your stretches immediately after you |
| because the discs of the spine receive their | | | | do the trampoline and ball exercise. These |
| oxygen and nutrients in a very different way. | | | | exercises combined will act as an excellent |
| Remember how we were discussing the fact that | | | | warm-up and prepare your muscles for your daily |
| each spinal disc has a jelly center? | | | | activity (which reduces the risk that you will |
| Well, this jelly center is very important, because | | | | re-injure your herniated disc). |
| the disc will actually store oxygen and nutrients in | | | | Strengthening exercises, on the other hand, need |
| this jelly for proper healing. So, one of the | | | | to be done just 3 days per week. These |
| exercises we'll be discussing will be helping to | | | | exercises are a little more aggressive, so I don't |
| replenish this oxygen and nutrient supply so you | | | | recommend you begin these until you've been |
| can experience faster healing. | | | | doing the stretches for two weeks. The |
| Alright - now that we have that background, it's | | | | stretches will prepare you for the strengthening |
| time to talk about some specific herniated disc | | | | exercises, and you should always stretch before |
| exercises you can do. I'm actually going to give | | | | strengthening. |
| you a routine that you can do, which I use in my | | | | In other words, I would recommend that you do |
| clinic for the fastest and best results. | | | | the trampoline exercise, then the ball exercise, |
| The first exercise I will recommend will require | | | | then stretch, and finally strengthen. This routine |
| the use of a mini-trampoline, which is a small | | | | will gradually warm up the area around the |
| trampoline that's about 4 feet wide. They're very | | | | herniated disc, which ensures the fastest result. |