Fitness for a lumbar hernia

Everyone who has ever done physical exercise has experienced pain in the lumbar spine. Some of them then went to the doctor and, as a result of the examination, were diagnosed with a herniated disc or intervertebral hernia. As a rule, after this, it is recommended to at least significantly limit the loads, especially axial ones, or even refrain from doing this or that sport.

Let's discuss why an intervertebral hernia is so dangerous and how to dose physical activity when doing your favorite sport. To do this, let's talk a little about the hernias themselves.

Is a herniated disc rare?

Look at the numbers. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, by the age of 35, 40% of the population has intervertebral hernias, by the age of 60, 100%, this is the norm.

By the age of 35, on average, metabolism decreases by 12% and then continues to decrease by 4-5% every 7 years. In the first year of life, the water in the disc is approximately 88-91%, then by the age of 70 it is already 68-70%. As you can see, there is a clear tendency towards dehydration.

A little about the structure of the spine

It is worth considering that water in the body is not in a free state. It must bind something. Water and carbon dioxide are the final link in the breakdown of any hydrocarbons.

Look at the intervertebral disc: in the center, a very dense part - the pulpous nucleus. It consists of proteins: chondroitin, glucosamine and a small amount of collagen and elastin. Bound by water, these proteins always tend to expand. The pressure force under axial loads reaches 25 atmospheres outward! For comparison, in the tire of an average sedan this figure is 2.2-2.4.

The nucleus pulposus is covered by fibrous rings consisting of intertwined collagen and elastin fibers, which, when combined with water, provide a significant portion of the pressure, holding the nucleus pulposus in place.

In the same direction, the endplates of the disc, also collagen, and the entire power of the ligament and muscle-tendon systems that fix the segment and provide their 25 atmospheres for restraint, insure.

Causes of hernia

If the pressure from the inside begins to exceed the pressure from the outside, a hernia is formed as a result of a lack of disc proteins and a disruption of the blood and lymph flow (spasm) that brings these proteins and water to bind them.

There is a rule: the basis for the formation of a hernia (against the background of decreased metabolism: age-related, hormonal), is always an injury. Direct - acute physical impact or chronic - violation of the motor stereotype, which is more common.

We simply do not move effectively and symmetrically. For example, there is the shoulder-scapular joint. It is spherical, which means it must move in three planes, due to the contraction of skeletal muscles.

If a person uses the potential of this joint to hold, for example, only a pen, in a limited range of motion (after all, you can also wave a pen), then he simply turns off the power supply of those motor fibers and the associated capabilities that are embedded in this joint by nature.

This leads to selective, excessive tension of myofibrils groups, asymmetrical load on the joint capsule, change in acidity in this area, and as a consequence, formation of edema and disruption of blood and lymph flow and outflow in this area. And therefore to disruption of biochemistry and tissue structure, which is typical for trauma . All the same will be relevant for the intervertebral joint.

What to do?

And if the basis of the hernia is a broken motor stereotype, can it simply be restored? Don't you think that the word restore is very similar to the word remember. And if we are talking about the back, it would be correct to refer to the muscle fibers that predominate there, and these are stabilizers.

Every muscle has these fibers, but the back has the most of them. Muscles with short tendons and large bodies, not prone to rapid excitation. (Low threshold) These are oxidative muscles, they need a lot of oxygen for normal, regular work.

To train and strengthen them, a static or static-dynamic load is needed, i.e. the muscle must be in constant static tension or contract in the range of 30-40% of its length, without being able to fully contract or relax.

Being under load for 40 to 90 seconds. For example, contraction of the abdominal muscles. The criterion for correctness is a distinct burning of the muscles due to the active inflow and decrease in the outflow of blood. The tissue is acidified at this time, which significantly improves the permeability of the membranes. Over the next few minutes, free ions are washed out and acidity is restored.

This is physiological stress! We need it! The back stabilizing muscles, with a hernia, are not trained to "failure". You need to include them in symmetrical work and excite the maximum number of fibers. If you load them to "failure", the entire load will fall on the discs, ligaments and joint bags, and they are already damaged.

When irritating soft tissues or nerves with a hernia, the muscles are in a heightened tone, and to contract them even more means to increase this irritation. Therefore, we load their direct antagonists. And these are the abdominal muscles in the same mode: statics or statodynamics, time under load 40-90 sec, 20-30-40% intensity (this means that you are under load for 1 minute, or 1.5-2) Until slight or slightly more fatigue and a burning sensation.

If you do 2-3 approaches with a rest interval of 2-3 minutes, then you can train every day. 4-5 approaches, 2-3 times a week.

And now you feel that the structure of the lumbar region has become "stable". There is a working tone, less discomfort, better mobility, more confidence in movements, etc. Using the same training scheme, start to include the back muscles.

Exercises for a herniated lumbar disc

The best exercises for the spine stabilizers are " planks ". These are static poses. For example, in a support lying on the elbows and knees. Those who find it too easy can increase the lever and line up on the toes and palms. It is extremely important that your lower back does not sag.

You maximally smooth out the lumbar lordosis by tightening the abdominal muscles. If you do not do this, it is better to refuse this exercise. You can hold the planks on the parallel bars, on the horizontal bar, on the Swedish wall, bending your legs at an angle that is comfortable for you.

Hyperextension is, of course, good! The main thing is to maintain sufficient time for the excitation of the stabilizer fibers and in no case to reach their "failure". Axial loads with a barbell and dumbbells are less preferable here. Of course, much depends on the technique of execution, desire and experience to listen to your body.
This scheme will also work when doing yoga or Pilates for a herniated disc. Provided that the time parameters and intensity of the load are observed.

In conclusion

Of course, there are exceptions. I deliberately do not write what classifications of hernias there are by size, shape and location. The assessment of these parameters should be done, after all, by a specialist working with you personally.

I will give you European statistics: 5% of patients who seek medical attention with clear signs of infringement due to a herniated disc (decreased sensitivity, loss of reflexes, severe pain syndrome, often of a clear tunnel nature, etc.) end up on the operating table.

Decide for yourself whether this is a lot or a little. There are no such clear statistics in Russia. Therefore, in the acute period, a person is treated: with medication, physiotherapy, etc. But in the subacute period, in remission, the described scheme is quite suitable. And at the same time, the probability that there will be a further exacerbation is significantly reduced.

Therefore, do not be afraid to do fitness. Do it with pleasure, and regularly! Listen and get to know your body. The secret of health is only in this.