Stretching for Herniated Disc
Just as there are myriad ways to cause a herniated disc, so there are, at least as many, ways to treat them. When devising a plan of physical therapy for herniated discs, it is important to do so under the guidance of a medical professional. This is where we come in: we want to teach people to use their physical activity to improve their herniated disc symptoms. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we offer you a range of professional services that we believe will create pain-relief and supplement recovery. We truly believe in the power of using the factors that are within your control to improve pain symptoms.
We begin by relieving pain and restoring movement. This is done through a combination of gentle adjustments and low-level stretching; movements that you feel comfortable with that will work to lengthen restrictive muscles and reverse the deterioration. From here, we slowly up the ante, focusing on core strengthening: this includes both the muscles of the lower back and the abdomen. Conditioning your back through exercise creates pain relief and helps the spine bear more stress without falling out of alignment.
We also want to focus on correcting muscular imbalance and poor posture. Both of these increase stress on the spine and are counterproductive to your healing. Once you are through the most intense period of pain, we institute advanced exercises that focus on building up the back so that the injury never recurs. This means addressing the asymmetry that may have contributed to the injury in the first place, and learning how to sit and stand without putting unnecessary pressure on the spine.
Your regimen for physical activity depends on the severity of pain and location of the injury: some people cannot comfortably lay prone and others cannot perform stretches standing up. If you are seeking relief from herniated disc injury, but want to heal naturally, call our office in Sacramento. Learning these stretches will benefit you for life: long after your injury is healed, you can reap the benefits of a stronger core for spinal health. We can be reached at (916) 457-8825.
Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.