Ask The Trainer

[Note: Submitted questions may be edited for length and clarity]

From Wendy: I would love some exercise tips for someone with degenerative disc disease. There are times my back is ok and other times it severely hampers my exercise regime.

Sydney's Response: Wendy, I'm also living with degenerative disc disease; it's no fun. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to strengthen your back and get regular exercise!

Cardio
Because of your condition it is crucial that your cardio is low-impact cardio. Good forms of cardio for you include swimming, beginner level hiking, recumbent bike and the elliptical machine.

If you swim, strive for at least 30 minutes every day or 45 minutes every other day. Hiking is going to be one of those activities that you need to monitor as walking at an incline can flare up the pain in your back. Choose this activity on pain free days.

The recumbent bike and elliptical are ideal pieces of equipment for your condition. They have nearly no impact when used correctly and both offer diverse programs that can keep you from getting bored.

Strength Exercises and Stretches
I'm going to list a few strength and stretching exercises to get you started. I suggest you Google "back exercises" and try new, low impact exercises a few at a time, to see what works best for you. Obviously, if at any time an exercise causes pain, stop doing it!

There are more than enough exercises out there for you to try. Here are a few of my favorites:

Swiss Ball Back Extension - I recommend 1 to 3 sets; 10 - 15 reps each


Swiss Ball Reverse Extension - I recommend 1 to 3 sets; 10 - 15 reps each



Alternating Superman - This exercise can be performed using a Swiss Ball or could be performed as a floor exercise. I recommend completing 10 reps on each side.



Cat Stretch - I recommend completing 10 reps.



Spine Roll - Roll from the top of your spine to the base of your spine a minimum of 10 times.


Wendy, I hope this helps alleviate some of your discomfort!

Sydney

Sydney Sloan is a Certified Personal Trainer based out of Los Angeles, CA. Sydney holds PT Certifications from ACE, NASM and is a Certified Maddog Spin Instructor. If you're in the Los Angeles area and would like to schedule an appointment wiwth Sydney you can contact her at sydneysloan@sbcglobal.net

Sydney will be answering fitness questions on Catapult Fitness Blog. You can send questions to AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan