In the event of a herniated disc, one or more discs are forced out of their physiological position and slide towards the spinal cord, which they ultimately compress. This causes severe pain, up to paralysis and complete loss of function. In most cases, a herniated disc runs off with milder symptoms. Nevertheless, one should do everything to prevent a herniated disc.
Cause
Anyone who has already had a slipped disc does not want to have one again so quickly. Therefore, many patients ask whether there are exercises that can prevent a herniated disc. A herniated disc is not an isolated event, but mostly multifactorially caused.
Causes are, among other things, a permanent incorrect loading of the spine, frequent sitting (office work) in combination with little movement. Little sport, and overweight are also among the causes of a herniated disc. If you know the causes, you can almost answer the question of prevention yourself.
In general, a healthy lifestyle, with plenty of exercise, correct posture, and a balanced diet is crucial. Overweight patients with a BMI of 27.5 or higher, for example, have a twofold increased risk of suffering a herniated disc. Even years of sitting or years of incorrect weight bearing can lead to degeneration of the intervertebral disc. During this process, the inner core of the intervertebral disc – which actually functions like a kind of water cushion – dries out and becomes porous. Thus the disc becomes movable and is no longer fixed in its original position.
Correct sitting
Even though we know that frequent sitting is not good for the intervertebral disc, in reality it looks different. In the office, it is usually unavoidable to sit in front of the PC for hours on end, which is highly problematic for our intervertebral discs if we sit “wrong”. A correct sitting position to prevent a slipped disc looks like the following: If you look at the PC screen while sitting in an upright posture, the top line of the screen should be approximately at the level of the visual axis, to a maximum of a little above.
If you now place your hands in front of you on the keyboard and mouse, there should be a 90 degree angle at the elbow so that the height of the table and chair is not too much out of alignment. There should also be a 90 degree angle between upper and lower leg when sitting. Depending on the size of the monitor, a viewing distance of at least 50 centimeters is recommended.
For larger monitors, the rule of thumb is screen diagonal in inches times three, so that for a 22-inch monitor a distance of a good 60 centimetres would result. This is not only easy on your eyes, but also on your entire body, as subconscious, frequent slipping on the chair is prevented. Last but not least, your feet should also stand on a firm surface, possibly on a stool. This sitting position seems relatively static and cramped at first, but with a little discipline and practice it is easy to train.
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