For all but the most serious spinal injuries, bed-rest is an outdated prescription. Many people with conditions that contribute to back and joint pain and stiffness experience a marked improvement when they get up and pursue some form of light aerobic exercise. The problem with remaining sedentary is that it weakens the body so much: supportive muscles experience atrophy, and soft tissues become more susceptible to injury. Intervertebral discs also stiffen and dry out when they are not called upon to move. 

Moving with the pain is not impossible! Light aerobic activity such as walking or swimming, when combined with flexibility-rendering stretch and corrective exercise can help you heal quickly and make it less painful along the way. There are also certain stretches and exercises to avoid with a given injury; for example, herniated discs symptoms are usually exacerbated by leg lifts, dead lifts and standing hamstring stretches. Instead, utilize planks and side-planks and twisting crunches to strengthen the core as a stabilizer.
 
Conditions such as herniated disc will heal by themselves, but the time frame depends on the severity of the injury and the efficacy of your personal response. At Associates in Chiropractic, successful healing means restoring full strength and making the affected structure or muscle less likely to incur future injury. No adjustment to a health plan should be made without consulting a health professional. At our office in Hackensack, we provide chiropractic adjustment, therapeutic massage, spinal decompression and traction and corrective exercise and stretching to help you heal.