3 important things you should know about bulging disc in lower back

Bulging disc in lower back is one of the commonest conditions we treat as physios! It may sound daunting but you can definitely be completely pain free with physiotherapy. However, it does depend upon how severe and what stage is the bulging disc. What I mean by this is depending upon how long you’ve had back pain or sciatica for and how severe it is, your disc injury can be more or less severe. Your physio will definitely be able to give you a more tailored treatment plan for your recovery. In the meantime, here are 3 things you should know about bulging disc in  lower back

Does not mean you have to keep standing all day! Prolonged sitting i.e for more than 30 minutes at a time or sitting with a bad posture puts tremendous pressure around the structures of your back especially the discs. Prolonged sitting in a poor posture can in fact cause a bulging disc in lower back. This is when you start getting pain with sitting and gradually it worsens. It’s just so important to support the natural curve of your lower back when you sit. Office workers are notorious with sitting on the edge of their chairs and lean on the desk. It’s improtant to sit right back in a firm chair with good back support. In fact , if you’re suffering from a bulging disc in lower back , this simple step will help you recover quicker.

Another movement that puts major stress on the discs in the lower back is bending over. Perhaps you may have heard someone say or even  felt back pain yourself on bending over ? You weren’t even picking up anything heavy? Well, bending over is enough to have caused the bulging disc in lower back but it’s usually the repetitiveness of the movement. So if you’re a physical worker doing repetitive lifting and bending , then you’re definitely more prone to this injury. It’s absoloutely important to use your legs and sqaut rather than bend over to lift. That’s why there’s so much emphasis on lifting correctly because incorrect way of lifting can actually cause bulging disc in lower back.

A lot of people don’t realise this. They think, they’re “working out” if they have a physical job. Yes, it ‘ll keep your heart and lungs healthy but protecting the back is a completely different beast. The core muscles that support your back have to be targeted to increase strength.  There are specific exercises like reformer pilates that specifically target these muscles and help to protect the back. In fact even regular gym goers have to do specific exercises to specifically strengthen the core muscles. There should be a good balance between working on limb muscles and the core. Because ultimatley it’s a strong core that’ll protect you from having a bulging disc in lower back

So I hope the above points have given you more information about protecting your lower back. However, if you still find yourself suffering from a bulging disc in lower back, the best step to take would be to see a physio asap! Our physios will do a complete assessment of your injury to find out exactly if the bulging disc in lower back is the cause of your pain. After that we will do hands on treatment to give you pain relief followed my specific core strengthening exercises to help you prevent future issues.