By Dr. Joseph Horrigan | Huffington Post | View Full Article
Dr. Joseph Horrigan’s latest piece for The Huffington Post tackles chronic low back pain and why stretching can actually worsen the problem. While many people dealing with low back pain believe stretching can help ease the soreness in the back, if the source is an injured intervertebral disc, the pain will most likely increase. The intervertebral disc, which provides space for the vertebrae, acts like a shock absorber. If injured, the disc can cause inflammation to the exiting spinal nerve root that runs down to your lower body. Attempting stretches to try and ease the pain will only aggravate an already inflamed nerve. Don’t try stretching if you feel a worsening of symptoms or until you discuss with your healthcare provider.
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