This is a great article by Dr. Reginald Q. Knight taken from the Spine Universe website. I highly recommend that you read it over.

http://www.spineuniverse.com/blogs/knight/will-eventually-need-surgery-degenerative-disc-disease

Here’s an except:

Question: I’m 60, and I just found out that I have degenerative disc disease (DDD). Since it’s a degenerative condition, I assume it’ll just get worse as I get older. What’s the likelihood of me needing surgery for DDD?
—Ottawa, Ontario

Answer: This is a very common question I get from patients who have degenerative disc disease (DDD). And for the majority of my patients, the answer is: “No, you probably won’t need surgery.” In fact, there are several requirements you need to meet in order for your doctor to recommend spine surgery for DDD. READ MORE

Spine Strong’s comments:

This is a good article that stresses the importance of always taking a conservative approach first when dealing with benign musculoskeletal issues and back pain.  However, I would like to make a comment on his reference to abdominal and core strengthening for spine related issues since this is an extremely common mistake made when recommending exercises for spine related issues. 

The “core” has become a way overused term and in many people’s minds is associated only with the abdominal muscles.  The problem is that the “core” refers to the group of muscles that support, protect and stabilize you lumbo-pelvic or mid section area. 

Of these muscles, the most important group for spinal stabilization are your deep spinal erector muscles known as the multifidi muscles. These muscles are located on the rear portion of the spine and promote spinal extension and some aspects of rotation, but primarily they stabilize the spine during body movements to prevent excessive or aberrant motion of the spinal segments.

Exercises for the multifidi muscles are not the some as those done for the abdominal muscles.  And in my opinion, if you have spine related pain and degeneration, addressing only the abdominal muscles may do more harm than good.  I will address this more specifically in future posts.

Daniel J. Bruno D.C.

Read more on the importance of spine strengthening HERE