Degenerative disc disease describes the deterioration of the spine, which affects individuals above the age of 50. As you get older, more stress accumulates on the discs in the spine, causing them to lose the ability to function as shock absorbers and cushions for the spine. This can lead to a variety of debilitating symptoms.

If you live an active lifestyle, we know how hard it can be for degenerative disc disease to interrupt your routine. Working out with this degenerative condition can prove extremely challenging without the guidance of a medical professional. For this reason, we have outlined what to watch out for when beginning a new workout as well as activities to avoid in order to prevent damaging your spine further.

How to properly work out with degenerative disc disease

Keeping active with degenerative disc disease is a key component of recovering from your condition and maintaining a healthy spine. The following recommendations may be helpful as you work out:

1. Consult your doctor before beginning a new workout, as it can worsen your condition
2. Follow your doctor’s advice on keeping an appropriate pace for your condition and modifying a workout to ease the stress on your body
3. Stop any workout immediately and call your doctor if you begin to feel any pain and discomfort
4. Avoid high-impact workouts like deadlifts of squats, as this can place excess strain on your spine
5. Try low-impact workouts, such as walking, swimming, biking, dancing and water aerobics to help increase your blood flow, strengthen your muscles and support your spine

When to consider surgery for degenerative disc disease

In the event that you do not find relief from nonsurgical treatments like working out, or your symptoms worsen, surgical intervention may become necessary. If this is the case for you, contact the dedicated team at USA Spine Care to learn about our safer and effective alternatives to traditional open spine surgery.^

Our degenerative disc disease surgery uses a small incision to remove part or all of the damaged disc and inserts a replacement to stabilize the spine. To learn if you are a candidate for our outpatient procedures, reach out to us today and ask for a free MRI review.* We can help guide you on your journey to wellness.

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