A lumbar spine disk herniation can be very painful and cause neck and back pain, shooting arm pain, and tingling, numbness, or weakness in the leg, foot, or one arm. This condition occurs when the soft jelly in the middle of the disk slips out beyond the tough exterior of the spine. Surgery is generally not needed to treat this condition and doctors usually recommend physiotherapy and EMG/NCS testing. Doing exercises can also help to ease pain, speed up recovery, and also help to keep a herniated disk from occurring again. Here is a look at a few exercises that may help with low back pain. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any exercise regimen.

Use Stretches to Relieve Lumbar Spine Disk Herniation Pain

The first exercise is a back flexion stretch. This will stretch the spine and back muscles. It is performed by laying on your back and holding both of your knees toward your chest. Also move your head forward so that you feel a nice stretch across the mid and lower back. Repeat this exercise several times.

Another good one is the knee to chest stretch. This will work the muscles on each side of your body separately, allowing for a gentle stretch. To do it, lie on your back with your knees bent and both heels on the floor. Put both of your hands behind one knee and pull it toward your chest. Do this with the other knee and then repeat several times.

A final stretch to try is the piriformis muscle stretch. To perform this stretch, lie on your back with your knees bent and both heels on the floor. Cross one leg over the other and rest your ankle on the bent knee. Gently pull the knee that you crossed toward your chest until you feel a stretch in the buttock. Repeat several times on both sides.

Exercises are very important for recovery and to strengthen the muscles and promote flexibility to help keep lumbar spine disk herniation from occurring again. Start slow and consult with your doctor about all exercises.

Get in touch with Precision Medical Group if you think you need an EMG/NCS test.