Ready for some herniated disc myth-busting? Dr. Alexandre Mota spills the real deal with practical tips, fresh advice, and a few laughs along the way! Whether you’re dealing with back pain or just want a healthier spine, this video’s got your back. Hit subscribe for more game-changing health content and let us know in the comments which tip helped you most! #health #spine #backpain #wellness #fitness
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@dralexandremota
0:00 - Introduction and Video Overview
0:44 - Hydration and Spine Health
2:33 - Physical Activity Guidance
4:39 - Morning Routine for Herniated Discs
6:49 - Spinal Strengthening and Common Myths
7:42 - Choosing the Right Shoes
9:48 - Breaks, Posture, and Daily Movements
13:25 - Sleep Quality and Final Advice
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@dralexandremota
0:00 - Introduction and Video Overview
0:44 - Hydration and Spine Health
2:33 - Physical Activity Guidance
4:39 - Morning Routine for Herniated Discs
6:49 - Spinal Strengthening and Common Myths
7:42 - Choosing the Right Shoes
9:48 - Breaks, Posture, and Daily Movements
13:25 - Sleep Quality and Final Advice
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🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00This video is going to ruffle some feathers.
00:02There are things that everyone with a herniated disc should know.
00:05This is important because it helps you take better care of your discs,
00:09helps with healing, with treatment, and prevents it from getting worse,
00:12prevents the hernia from getting bigger.
00:14In this video, I'm going to give you all the guidance that I give to my patients,
00:20including telling you what is already outdated, what is no longer used,
00:24and explaining important points,
00:25points that still today cause friction between doctors and physical therapists.
00:32I'm going to cause trouble with this video.
00:34This guy is crazy.
00:38This video is divided into chapters.
00:40You can skip ahead or go back to any part you want. Deal?
00:44Let's start by talking about those more obvious guidelines that almost everyone knows.
00:48But it's important for us to mention them because there's always someone who got bad advice.
00:54You should drink plenty of water throughout the day.
00:57Hydration is important because the discs in our spine work like a sponge.
01:04When we're not compressing the discs, when we're lying down, resting,
01:09the discs absorb the water that's around them.
01:12They stay hydrated and they need this water to stay healthy.
01:18When we don't drink a lot of water during the day,
01:20when we don't hydrate enough during the day,
01:24the discs can't get hydrated and they get sick more easily.
01:29In other words, without water, you'll have more herniated disc episodes
01:33and you're more likely for the hernia to get worse, for the hernia to increase.
01:37Then you ask Dr. Alexandria Mota, how much water should I drink?
01:40What's the ideal amount?
01:42There's no magic number here.
01:44A lot of people say that we have to drink 35 ml of water per kilogram of body weight.
01:49If you weigh 100 kilograms, you should drink 3.5 liters of water.
01:53But I think it's much easier, much more practical for us to develop the habit of drinking water.
02:00Always carry a water bottle with you and take a few sips every 15 minutes or at most every half
02:07hour.
02:07You can set an alarm on your phone or watch.
02:11When the alarm goes off, you take a few sips, drink however much feels good and comfortable to you.
02:17In a very short time, you'll see that you won't need the alarm anymore.
02:21You'll start to feel the need to drink water.
02:24And this will make an incredible difference at the end of the day and in how often you feel pain.
02:30You'll see that you'll feel pain less often.
02:32It's true.
02:32So, regarding physical activity, our spine needs movement to stay healthy and to help improve and even heal a herniated
02:42disc.
02:43So, the general rule is start or keep doing the physical activity you're doing with proper supervision from a qualified
02:51fitness professional.
02:53When you're doing a pain flare-up in that acute phase, in the phase of greatest pain, in the worst
02:59phase, it's okay for you to stop for a few days.
03:02But as soon as the pain decreases, you go back to your weight training, to your physical activity.
03:07A qualified fitness professional will know how to adjust and tailor the exercises for you.
03:13Usually, we go back with half the weight we were using.
03:16And as we feel better, we progress safely.
03:22Don't worry.
03:23It's not like you're going to lose half of your progress.
03:26You'll come back safely.
03:27And you'll see that you'll get back to where you were before much faster.
03:32Now, for those who don't exercise yet, it's important to start.
03:37And people always ask me, Dr. Alexander Emota, is walking good?
03:40Can I go for a walk?
03:42I recommend choosing a more dynamic form of exercise, one that gets your spine moving more.
03:49Think about this.
03:53Our spine needs mobility, movement in the joints, and strong muscles to relieve pressure on the discs.
04:00So, walking is not that good.
04:03It's not ideal.
04:04It's not as good as weight training, pilates, water aerobics, dancing, or swimming, which are activities that move the spine
04:12in different ways.
04:15When we walk, we move very little.
04:17It's almost just the same repetitive movement.
04:21Now, if you don't have the means in your city to do a well-guided, well-supervised physical activity,
04:28and if walking doesn't hurt your spine, on the contrary, it makes you feel good, makes your back feel lighter,
04:35then you should walk.
04:37And here we go!
04:39Anyone with a herniated disc knows that the morning is the worst time.
04:44It's the time when the pain is worse.
04:45It's when your back tends to lock up more.
04:48It's when that feeling of an injured spine increases.
04:52Remember when I told you that the discs work like a sponge, that they absorb water and get fuller when
04:58we lie down, when we're resting?
05:01So, in the morning, when we wake up, that's when the disc is at its highest.
05:07It's the fullest.
05:08So, it's much easier for it to compress the nerve that's already irritated.
05:13The best thing we can do is prepare the spine to start the day.
05:17It's like we're going to grease or loosen up the spine to avoid that pain, that stiffness that usually happens
05:25in the morning.
05:25There's a routine, a sequence that I've been teaching my patients for years.
05:31You're going to start by lying on your stomach.
05:35Turn slowly, take your time, and get into a position that's comfortable for you.
05:40In this position, you'll stay for 30 seconds, breathing more slowly.
05:48Feel your breath, relax your spine, and create space.
05:53After 30 seconds, prop yourself up on your elbows.
05:58Keep breathing, and you can also move your head up and down, looking forward and looking down.
06:06This will help not only your lower back and thoracic spine, but also your cervical spine for another 30 seconds.
06:16Lastly, you're going to do this movement.
06:18Look, place your hands at shoulder height.
06:21Let your feet hang off the bed.
06:23Relax your spine, and stretch your arms as far as is comfortable for you.
06:28Stretch and return.
06:29Turn, you're going to do this for another 30 seconds, or you're going to do it 10 times.
06:36These three movements are more than enough for most people to avoid flare-ups, locking up.
06:43And that discomfort, that feeling of an injured back during the day, I loved it.
06:49Whoa, this is where the debate starts.
06:52A strong spine isn't that, and it doesn't get stronger like that.
06:56A strong spine is one that has support, that has stability.
07:01The muscles that really protect our spine are much deeper.
07:05They're actually closer to the spine itself.
07:09To be clearer, these muscles move the spine.
07:13These muscles protect the spine.
07:15And not knowing this causes a lot of people to have back pain flare-ups,
07:20worsen their herniated discs, and give up physical activity.
07:24And if you don't have a good fitness professional or a good Pilates instructor to help you with this strengthening,
07:31I've already made some videos showing how to strengthen your spine at home.
07:35It's a series of videos that I'm linking it here in the card,
07:38and I'll also put it in the description to help you.
07:41All right?
07:42Of course.
07:43It used to be said that people with a herniated disc shouldn't wear high-heeled shoes
07:48because it puts strain on the lower back.
07:51And especially not shoes with little cushioning to protect your spine from impact.
07:58But that doesn't make much sense.
08:00First, because for many people, wearing heels or shoes with a higher heel helps maintain the normal curve of the
08:07lower back.
08:08For these people, wearing flat shoes increases the pain.
08:12So, if you work standing up, like if you're a salesperson, for example,
08:18and if you wear flatter shoes, that causes you more pain,
08:21how am I supposed to tell you to wear something that causes you pain?
08:24So, you can wear heels or shoes with a higher heel if that makes you feel better.
08:33But understand that it's like a crutch style.
08:36So, as your spine gets better, you'll be able to wear flatter shoes.
08:42And that's when it's time to switch shoes.
08:44Second, impact helps strengthen the discs.
08:48There are many studies that show that the spinal disc of runners,
08:52people who run, are much stronger and healthier.
08:57Besides that,
08:59shoes or sneakers with a lot of padding, a lot of cushioning,
09:04very soft.
09:05For many people, don't give a sense of firmness.
09:09I'm one of those people.
09:10When I wear very soft shoes,
09:12it gives that feeling of walking on clouds.
09:14It feels like I'm stepping on a mattress.
09:18And automatically, our body acts as if it's trying to balance itself.
09:23The posture changes and the muscle tension changes.
09:26They are ready to spring into action,
09:29to act at any moment.
09:31So, remember to listen to your body
09:33and look for shoes that make you feel good,
09:36that reduce the pain you feel.
09:39Shoes are meant to give you comfort.
09:41It's like the saying goes, right?
09:43Only you know where the shoe pinch is.
09:47I got the reference.
09:49Especially, people who work sitting down need to take breaks.
09:52Ideally, you should work for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break.
09:56At most, work for 50 minutes and take a 10-minute break.
10:01A lot of people know this.
10:03But what I don't see many people talking about is that
10:06this isn't just any break.
10:08It has to be an active break.
10:10It's not about getting up from the computer and sitting on the couch.
10:15So, during the break, stand up, move around,
10:17fill up your water bottle, and do these two movements.
10:21Place your hands here behind your back at the level of your lower back.
10:24Preferably, your fingers should touch each other without bending your knees.
10:29Lean back until you feel that nice stretch in the front of your spine.
10:35Go back and forth.
10:36You're going to do this 10 times without forcing it.
10:39It's just to get the feeling of stretching without pain,
10:42the sensation of a good stretch.
10:44You've done it.
10:4510 times.
10:47Sit on a chair.
10:50It can be a firmer chair.
10:51The important thing is that your entire spine from your buttocks,
10:55from your sacrum, all the way up,
10:57is supported by the backrest of the chair.
11:00Interlace your fingers behind your neck.
11:03Bring your elbows forward and simply lean back.
11:06You'll feel your neck stretching.
11:10The thoracic spine and even the lumbar region.
11:14Go as far as you can stretch.
11:16Hey, that feels good.
11:18And come back.
11:20Do this.
11:2210 times.
11:23This is important to decompress the entire spine.
11:26Relieve muscle tension.
11:28And also ease the strain and tension on the ligaments.
11:32Each one is better than the last.
11:34In the past, people used to talk about the right posture.
11:38You have to sit like this all the time.
11:40You have to lie down like this.
11:41You have to sit like this.
11:43Stand up like this.
11:45But what I hear people say the most is,
11:47Dr. Alexander Mota, if I sit like this,
11:49that's when the pain starts.
11:51Or Dr. Alexander Mota, if I lie down like this, I can't sleep.
11:54Or I even try to sit and stand up this way.
11:58But if I do it like this, my back locks up.
12:01I've already said that our spine needs movement.
12:03So it's not about staying in just one position.
12:06It's about changing positions from time to time.
12:08That's what's natural, physiological, and normal for our body.
12:12If you watch people in a line, for example,
12:15you'll see that everyone will change positions.
12:17They shift their weight from one foot to the other,
12:20turn a little to the side, move a bit,
12:22lean on the shopping cart.
12:24Or when we're sleeping,
12:26we change positions several times during the night,
12:29automatically, without even noticing.
12:31So here the rule is,
12:34sitting down, you'll make small adjustments.
12:37Sit a little more forward or a little more backward.
12:39Cross or uncross your feet.
12:41Rest one elbow or both on the table.
12:45Make these corda musculus jifei.
12:47Because that will bring change.
12:49Improve how your body is supported.
12:52Give your discs a break.
12:54Improve your joints.
12:55And also, wake up different muscles.
12:57This helps reduce that pain at the end of the day.
13:00When it's time to lie down or get up,
13:03do it in the way that hurts you the least.
13:04Even though turning to your side,
13:07putting your feet out,
13:08sitting up slowly with the help of your arms,
13:11is what works for most people.
13:13You can adapt, change the order,
13:16and do it in the way that feels best for your body.
13:19The way that hurts you the least.
13:20Now I get it.
13:21Now I understand.
13:22Yeah?
13:23Take it, take it, go on.
13:25Another thing that a lot of people give wrong advice about
13:28is sleeping position.
13:29And look, sleep quality is extremely important for our spine.
13:33It's during sleep that the spine rests,
13:36the discs get hydrated, nourished, and repaired.
13:40And then come those outdated tips.
13:43You have to sleep on your back without a pillow under your head,
13:47with a pillow under your knees,
13:48or sleep on your side with a pillow under your head,
13:51and another between your knees.
13:52Or you can't sleep in a hammock.
13:54You have to sleep in a bed.
13:56People used to say that
13:58thinking only about spinal position,
14:00as if you had to sleep with your spine straight.
14:02But first,
14:04we move around when we're asleep.
14:06So, for the vast majority of people,
14:09trying to control the position you fall asleep in
14:12is a waste of effort.
14:15Because when you fall asleep,
14:17you're going to change positions.
14:19Second,
14:20what matters most to us
14:22is the quality of sleep.
14:24For our spine,
14:25what matters is the quality of sleep.
14:29So,
14:30the rule is,
14:31focus on sleeping in the most comfortable position for you,
14:34whether it's in a bed,
14:35or a hammock.
14:38Focus on sleeping in a way that helps you fall asleep.
14:42Faster.
14:43Have deeper sleep.
14:44Wake up less during the night,
14:46and wake up feeling refreshed.
14:48And energized.
14:51A very important tip,
14:53especially for those who have a herniated disc,
14:56is to take two minutes before going to sleep
14:59to do some movements
15:00that release all the tension accumulated during the day,
15:03which builds up in our spine.
15:06This will help you fall asleep faster,
15:08help you have deeper sleep,
15:10and might even help you wake up without.
15:14I show you how to do it in this video right here.
15:17Just click here on the screen.
15:18And if I manage to help you today,
15:21if you learn something new,
15:23share this video with someone
15:24who has a herniated disc,
15:26that's all I ask of you.
15:28Make sure this video reaches those who need it.
15:30That's it for now.
15:31Take care.
15:32And see you next time.
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