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Degenerative Disc Disease Exercises

Degenerative disc disease exercises is one conservative treatment modality typically prescribed for patients diagnosed with mild to moderate DDD who are currently experiencing back pain. Exercise therapy is one of the most common forms of back pain treatment, although the reasoning behind it is sketchy at best. Ask you doctor exactly what exercise therapy for DDD is supposed to do and how exactly it is supposed to do it and you will witness a real interesting show of “ums”, “ahs” and “you knows”…

NO DOC, I DON’T KNOW… DO YOU?

Indications for DDD Exercises

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Degenerative disc disease is a normal spinal aging process that affects every adult on this planet to one extent or another. Most of us demonstrate mild to moderate disc desiccation by age 30 and many of use experience at least that amount much younger. Exercises are prescribed in an effort to “be proactive” and keep physical functionality intact. Statistics show that patients who become frightened of activity often escalate symptomatically, so care providers advise their patients that exercise may help. Typically patients are given a variety of disc exercises and stretches to do and doctors often cross their fingers and hope that these often illogical recommendations bring some measure of relief.

Degenerative Disc Disease Exercises Facts

There is no denying that exercise therapy DOES HELP many patients. However, the reason behind this is not what doctors or most disc pain sufferers believe it to be. Remember, exercise WILL NOT help rehabilitate degenerated discs. It will not lessen herniated discs or help flat discs to regain youthful characteristics. So, how do these exercises help provide pain relief? The answer is simple….

Exercise increases regional circulation (bloodflow) and therefore combats the most common and least diagnosed form of chronic back pain… Ischemia. Oxygen deprivation back pain syndromes will almost always respond favorably, but temporarily, to exercise therapy, explaining why many patients feel better when moving around, but inevitably suffer a relapse of pain shortly after they cool down…

Advice on Degenerative Disc Disease Exercises

I recommend exercise for everyone, with or without back pain. However, I do not generally recommend it as a cure for any type of pain, although it can be an effective symptomatic treatment. The idea behind using exercise is illogical when prescribed for the diagnoses most often associated with vigorous activity regimens. However, when oxygen deprivation is theorized to be the source of pain, exercise becomes one of the many tools in the diagnostic process which can confirm the suspect causation and guide the patient towards a real cure. I bet your doctor didn't tell you anything like this... Why not be kind and send them this article so that they can better answer the next patient who asks this same question...

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Degenerative Disc Disease Exercises to Herniated Disc
4/27/10 Revised 7/16/11

THIS ARTICLE BY:
Sensei Adam Rostocki

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