Reduce sedentary behavior to protect the disc

  Lumbar disc herniation is a common condition that commonly affects the spine in young and middle-aged patients. The lumbar intervertebral disc is a complex structure consisting of the nucleus pulposus, the fibrous ring and the cartilage plate which can be considered as a shock absorber in the human body. As the body’s tissues age, the metabolic activity of the intervertebral disc tissue decreases accordingly and leads to a decrease in proteoglycans, which in turn affects the loss of water content within the disc tissue and the collapse of the disc tissue; these pathological changes increase the stress on the fibrous ring, which gradually develops cracks and damage.  When subjected to external factors (such as automobile accidents, falls, lifting heavy objects), the fibrous ring of the lumbar disc ruptures and the nucleus pulposus tissue protrudes (or exits) from the rupture in the posterior or spinal canal, resulting in irritation or compression of the adjacent spinal nerve roots, resulting in a series of clinical symptoms such as lumbar pain, numbness and pain in one or both lower extremities. The incidence of lumbar disc herniation is highest in lumbar 4-5 and lumbar 5-sacral 1, accounting for about 95%.  Modern lumbar disc herniation appears younger, which is related to long time sedentary and lack of physical exercise. Properly increase physical exercise and reduce sedentary, can reduce the occurrence of lumbar disc herniation.