Up to 20% of all injuries that occur in sports involve the neck and lower back. Although exercise and activity are an important part of keeping your spine healthy, some sports cause disc disease. This is due to the fact that some sports require repetitive high impact that is jarring to the spine, or repetitive movements that are harmful to the spine. Fortunately, there are also plenty of activities that are not harmful that you can participate in as well.
How Sports Cause Disc Disease
Although there are many factors that can cause the development of degenerative disc disease, sports that require repetitive heavy stress to be placed on the spine are known to increase one’s risk of developing this condition as well.4 This is because the repeated impact to the spine over time causes the spinal discs to develop annular tears, and these tears can eventually lead to the development of degenerative disc disease.
If the repeated trauma tends to impact the head or neck most, it can also cause stingers or burners. Stingers cause intense pain similar to the feeling of an electric shock that runs down your arms, shoulders, or back. In some cases, it can feel as though your arm or hand has fallen asleep. This pain can be indicative of a spinal cord injury.
Sports That Increase Your Risk of Degenerative Disc Disease
Now that you know why some sports cause disc disease, you need to know which sports specifically put you at the most risk. Keep in mind that whether or not any sports lead to the development of degenerative disc disease will depend on how often you participate in them and whether you are careful about using the proper technique and form to avoid injury.
Football. Because of the nature of football as a sport, spine fractures, disc herniation, and spondylolysis are very common injuries for people dedicated to the sport, and this damage to the spine generally goes hand in hand with degenerative disc disease. Weightlifting and overextension that are part of the sport are also factors that increase one’s risk of developing degenerative discs. Studies have found that football players do have an increased risk of developing this condition.2
Hockey. The way that hockey is played requires extension and rotation with heavy loads that are known to put stress on the spine. This sport causes further trauma through the combination of high-speed skating and violent contact, which is worsened by the fact that this generally takes place in off-balance situations. These impacts are repetitive and eventually cause the spinal to break down, leading to the onset of degenerative disc disease.4
Golf. Swinging at a golf ball requires a repetitive twisting motion that can place a lot of strain on your spine. It also requires the body to generate high amounts of force as it is twisting, which only further exacerbates the stress that the spine endures in this activity. Further, this motion does not only have the potential to harm your back, but it can also cause strain in the neck area. Although this is not related to playing the sport, if you prefer to carry your own bag, this can also damage your back. This is because golf bags are usually picked up with incorrect lifting form, which places significant pressure on the lower back, and over time can lead to the development of herniated or degenerative discs.
Weightlifting. Even when the proper technique and form is used, the act of weightlifting places significant stress on your back. The extension and rotation loads required when participating in weightlifting are known to cause degenerative disc disease.4 It is also well known that loading weight at the end of a range-of-motion is very stressful for the spine.5
Tennis. Low back pain is very common in this sport. This can be caused by consistent rotation, flexion, and extension of the back while playing, especially when playing competitive, fast-paced matches. Serving requires the back to be hyper-extended, while both front- and back-hand shots require the spine to twist.1 When this is done repetitively, the stress placed on the spine can damage the spinal discs, leading to degenerative disc disease.
Other sports that require repetitive impact or twisting that can cause injury to the spine over time include running, diving, wrestling, and skiing.
Activities That Are Gentle on Discs
Although these options for activity may not seem as exciting as those previously mentioned, if your focus is on protecting your spine health, this is the direction you will want to go in for your exercise. These activities are low-impact and allow you to maintain your spine in a safe position so that harmful stress is not placed on it.
Walking. Walking is a great choice for your back because it is low-impact and allows you to get movement into your routine without overextending yourself in any way.3
Swimming. Swimming is a particularly good option for working out while protecting your back because water provides both support and resistance.3 This allows you to effectively work out your body while also providing the support your back needs in order to avoid damage.
Yoga. This particular activity combines flexibility and strength and contains many specific exercises that are meant to strengthen your core, which is important in providing support for your spine. It is also easy to adapt your yoga routine to exercises that will be most beneficial for your needs, which makes this an ideal activity as well.3
Although sports like golf, football, and hockey come with an increased risk of degenerative disc disease, there are some things that you can do to possibly prevent damage to your spine. Making sure to warm-up prior to any exercise goes a long way in preventing sports injuries, especially when you take the time to warm-up in a way that targets the muscles used in the sport.5 Your warm-up time should also be used to prepare your back for the stresses that will be experienced while playing. Giving yourself time to cool down following activity will also give your body time to adapt and lessen your likelihood of damaging your back.
Taking things slow and gradually building your strength is another way to avoid injuring your spine, along with being aware of your posture and technique to ensure that it’s correct.
Knowing which sports increase your risk of developing degenerative disc disease and why helps in ensuring that you take the best care of your body. If you participate in any of these activities, you don’t necessarily need to give them up, but using this knowledge to make yourself more aware will likely help you protect your spine health in the future.
- Common Tennis Injuries Affecting Your Favorite Stars – Penn Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/musculoskeletal-and-rheumatology/2017/july/common-tennis-injuries-affecting-your-favorite-stars
- Gerbino, P. G., & d’Hemecourt, P. A. (2002, February). Does football cause an increase in degenerative disease of the lumbar spine? Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12831647
- Iliades, C. (2017, November 15). The Best and Worst Exercises for Back Pain: Everyday Health. Retrieved from https://www.everydayhealth.com/back-pain-pictures/the-best-and-worst-exercises-for-back-pain.aspx
- Participation in ‘heavy’ sports shown to increase risk of disc degeneration. (2006, March 1). Retrieved from https://www.healio.com/orthopedics/sports-medicine/news/print/orthopedics-today/{8955e789-0240-48fe-a1cf-0136c3e0c7d2}/participation-in-heavy-sports-shown-to-increase-risk-of-disc-degeneration
- Spine Injuries in Sports. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hawaiipacifichealth.org/healthier-hawaii/live-healthy/spine-injuries-in-sports
