Anatomy
Degenerative Disc Disease or DDD is an umbrella term for disc pathology, most commonly seen in the lumbar spine. The intervertebral disc has three layers and evidence shows that it is mobile and a source of mechanically generated pain. Pain can be generated from stress that is placed on the outer aspect of the disc which is innervated by nerve endings or by movement of the disc into the neighboring nerve roots. This may cause pain radiating down the legs, also referred to as radiculopathy. Dynamic movement and postures affect the pressure in the disc and can affect pain, this is why PT is such an effective treatment.
Who is at risk
As we enter the third decade of life we begin to see increases in risk of DDD. Especially if we participate in sports, heavy labor intensive jobs, develop obesity or participate in high inflammatory habits such as smoking.
How Pt can help
At
Wall 2 Wall Sports & Rehab we evaluate our clients suffering from lumbar spine pain holistically and systematically. We rule out all red flags and then move into a specific movement evaluation called McKenzie Approach that allows us to categorize your pathology and treat you most effectively. • If you are someone who has undergone surgical intervention for DDD (most commonly lumbar laminectomy and discectomy) we can treat you safely and effectively. Studies show that this surgical intervention has approximately 60% success rate and 10-40% of patients will have poor outcomes so please reach out to your movement specialist after your surgery.