Lumbar degenerative disc disease -- DDD -- can manifest as you get older. Though disc degeneration itself is not really a problem, it can lead to inflammation and mild to severe discomfort in the lower back. Symptoms often include pain and weakness in the lower back muscles, particularly when lifting or bending. Stretching exercises help to alleviate this pain.
Causes and Symptoms
Degenerative disc disease begins to affect around 30 percent of adults between the ages of 30 and 50, according to Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD, writing for Spine-Health website. It can be caused by a twisting injury to the lower back, or may develop from wear and tear on the spine as you age. Age-related changes include drying out and shrinkage of the discs, small tears in the discs, loss of space between discs, growth of bone spurs and narrowing of the spinal canal. Many patients with lumbar degenerative disc disease will experience mild, continuous pain that occasionally can become an intense flare. By age 60, Ullrich notes, most people have some level of disc degeneration.
Yoga
Stretching exercises that build flexibility and exercises that increase your body's range of motion can help reduce the discomfort of lumbar DDD. Yoga uses gentle stretching motions to flex and extend the muscles. Postures such as the cat pose, the bridge pose and the downward facing dog, also can strengthen the lower back.
The Hook-Lying March
The hook-lying march is a strengthening exercise for lumbar DDD that can help to alleviate pain symptoms. Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your arms relaxed by your sides. Breathing evenly, slowly raise your right foot 4 inches from the floor, lower it and repeat with the other foot. Continue this 'marching' for 30 seconds, break for 30 seconds, then repeat. This exercise can help with degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis-driven lumbar spondylosis because it strengthens the lower back, working those muscles.
Straight Leg Raise
The straight leg raise is a stabilizing exercise. Perform it on the floor lying on your stomach with your legs out straight and your arms relaxed by your side. Keeping your upper body on the floor, raise your right leg 3 to 4 inches from the ground, bending the knee slightly. Hold the raised leg for four seconds then lower and repeat with the other leg. Repeat these sets 10 times. Exercises such as this one, which strengthen the abdominal muscles, can help reduce lower back pain.
References
- Spine-Health; Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease; Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD; Nov. 6, 2006
- Spine-Health; Exercise for Sciatica from Degenerative Disc Disease; Ron S. Miller, PT; Nov. 25, 2010
- Princeton Brain and Spine Care; Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease; 2011
- Albany Medical Center; Spinal Disorders - Lumbar Spondylosis, Disc Disease; 2011
- "Yoga Journal"; Poses - Lower Back; 2011
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