In this article, our medical team reviews some of the activities that you should avoid if you have a herniated cervical disc. Take note of this information to prevent unnecessary pain and keep your condition from getting worse.
A herniated disc can develop anywhere in the spine. Most occur in the lumbar area, but they also occur in the cervical spine. Cervical disc herniation occurs when the fibrous outer ring of the vertebral disc ruptures and part of the soft inner material is expelled and presses on a cervical nerve.
Herniated discs occur as a result of aging or natural deterioration, but they can also happen to young people as a result of injury, receiving a violent blow, or exerting some kind of excess stress on the spine.
The symptoms of a herniated cervical disc will depend a lot on its location in the neck and which nerve is affected. Most often, the effects will be noticed principally on one side of the body with symptoms such as follows:
- Arm or shoulder pain: this may appear when making certain movments, or sneezing, or coughing.
- Weakness: The muscles around the cervical herniated disc usually weaken, which can affect the ability to grasp things with your hands.
- Tingling in the arm: The hernia can lead to numbness or tingling that radiates from the affected nerve roots down to the arm muscles.
In keeping with the nature of this injury and its symptoms, we offer you the following list of seven activities that you should avoid if you suffer from a cervical disc hernia.
What should I avoid doing if I have a cervical disc hernia?
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Running: Running is considered a high impact sport. It requires significant physical effort and basically forces you to lift your feet off the ground, which subjects your body to a force of three times your weight. Therefore, running is at the top of the list of exercises to avoid if you have a cervical herniated disc.
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Tennis or paddle tennis: In the case of tennis, the force exerted is less than when you run or jump rope. However, it involves a series of abrupt, forceful movements with the arms, which could further worsen your condition. In the case of paddle tennis, the way the game is played makes the impacts stronger than in tennis.
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Soccer: Soccer is also considered a high impact sport and it is definitely a sport to avoid for anyone with a cervical hernia. A common movement during soccer involves one of a player’s feet being off the ground, shifting all the player’s body weight onto one side of the body, and this could be counterproductive.
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Basketball: Research has confirmed that high impact physical activities such as basketball, are a risk factor in the wear and tear on the joints and bones, so we recommend that people with injuries or joint problems avoid practicing this sport.
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Dance: If you are a dancer or if you regularly practice some kind of dancing, your neck may be subject to sharp turns, and you could sustain a head injury if you fall, which could cause further damage to the spinal discs. Dance may also cause stress on the intervertebral joints.
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Cycling: If you ride a bike with incorrect posture, you will probably suffer from pain in your back as well as your neck and shoulders. If, in addition to this, you already suffer from a cervical disc hernia, the prospects aren’t encouraging. Normally, when riding a bike we tense the muscles of the neck too much anyway, so that’s another reason to avoid this sport if you have a cervical hernia.
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Pain-causing postures: The neck muscles can be strained by poor posture, such as when you lean too far over the computer, or you tend to slouch over your work table
Cervical hernia: recommended exercises
We offer you the following information with a reminder to always check first with your doctor whether the exercises are appropriate for you or not. Every person’s body is different and each pathology is too, so don’t begin an exercise program without getting medical advice from a specialist first.
The recommended exercises include:
- Swimming
- Pilates
- Yoga
- Stretching exercises
If you would like more information, you can contact us here
Categories: Spine pathologies, Wellness, Cervical pain