5 Risk Factors That Can Lead to a Herniated Disc

Humans are no strangers to lower back pain — about 80% of the global population experiences the issue at least once during their lifetimes. One of the more common ways in which people develop lower back pain is due to a herniated disc, which is a special kind of pain, and not in a good way.

Since herniated discs are so prevalent and painful, the team of spine experts here at Apex Pain Specialists, including Dr. Naveen Reddy and Dr. Maziar Massrour, wants to review a few factors that can place you more at risk for this highly uncomfortable condition. Knowing your risk factors — and doing something about them — is a great way to keep lower back issues like herniated discs at bay.

What happens when a disc herniates

Your spine is composed of 33 vertebrae and 23 intervertebral discs that act as spacers and shock absorbers. Each of your discs is made up of a tough outer layer of cartilage that houses a gooey interior.

When a disc herniates, it means a piece of the disc tears and/or the disc leaks and irritates a neighboring spinal nerve root. As a result, you can feel pain in your lower back, as well as symptoms that radiate down one side of your body into your lower extremities, such as numbness and tingling in your leg, as well as shooting pain (this condition is also referred to as sciatica).

Each year in the United States, about 2% of people develop a herniated disc and 95% of lumbar disc herniations occur at the L4-L5 or L5-S1 vertebrae (L stands for lumbar and the S stands for sacral, so most herniated discs occur where your lumbar spine meets your sacrum).

Top risk factors for lumbar herniated discs

We want to point out that one of the leading risk factors for herniated discs is age — the older you get, the more your discs break down and succumb to issues like herniation. Since age isn’t something you have any control over, we’re going to focus on those factors that you can change, such as:

1. Carrying too much weight

If you’re overweight or you have obesity, these extra pounds are placing more pressure on your spine, including your discs. Over time, this excess pressure can cause premature degeneration in your discs, leaving them more prone to herniation.

So, a great way to avoid herniated discs is to get within a healthy weight range for your height.

2. Standing or sitting for long periods

If you stand or sit for long periods, both of these positions can strain your lower back and place more pressure on your lumbar discs.

If you sit a lot, it’s good practice to get up at least once every hour and move around and stretch. If you stand a good deal, make an effort to get off your feet to rest your back.

3. Weak back muscles

Another issue that can place you more at risk for a herniated disc are weak core muscles. Weak back and abdominal muscles place more strain on your discs, leaving them at a much higher risk of herniation.

One of the best ways to prevent lower back pain of any kind is to strengthen your core muscles and here are some great exercises to get you started.

4. Smoking

If you smoke or vape, you’re compromising the blood flow to your lumbar discs, which causes them to wear down more quickly. Furthermore, if a disc does herniates, it takes far longer to heal since your disc doesn’t have good access to healing resources.

5. Repetitive motions and lifting

If you make repetitive motions that involve your lower back or you do a lot of heavy lifting, this can set you up for herniated discs. We recommend that you be very mindful about lifting with your legs and you should also avoid repetitive stresses in your spine.

Each of these measures will not only go a long way toward preventing lumbar herniated discs, they will also benefit your spine in many other ways and keep other back and neck issues from cropping up.

For a more personalized plan for preventing herniated discs and promoting great lower back health, we invite you to call our office in Chandler, Arizona, at 480-820-7246 or book an appointment online with Apex Pain Specialists today.