Exercise
Most patients with a disc lesion do not need to stop exercising. They need to stop three or four specific movement patterns for a while and replace them with equivalents that load the spine without flexing it under stress.
Quick answer
Which exercises should I avoid with a slipped disc?
Avoid loaded or repeated lumbar flexion and rotation during an active disc episode: sit-ups and crunches, toe touches, seated forward folds, leg presses taken deep, conventional deadlifts and heavy squats, aggressive seated hamstring stretches, and rotational sports swings. All of them push disc material posteriorly towards the nerve root. Safer substitutes that build the same capacity are dead bugs, bird dogs, side planks, glute bridges, hip hinges to a limited range, and walking.
Bending forward raises pressure in the front of the disc and pushes nuclear material backwards, which is exactly the direction a posterior bulge is already heading. Add load or repetition and you are working against the treatment.
This is why sitting is worse than standing for most disc patients, and why the first fifteen minutes after waking — when discs are maximally hydrated — is the worst time to touch your toes.
The goal is anti-movement strength — resisting flexion, extension and rotation rather than producing them. That is what actually protects a disc under real-world load.
Use the centralisation rule: if a movement pushes symptoms further down the leg or arm, stop it. If it draws symptoms closer to the spine or leaves them unchanged, it is usually safe to continue. That rule is more reliable than any generic list, including this one.
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Answers
Yes, and you should. Walking maintains disc nutrition, prevents stiffness and rarely aggravates a lumbar disc. Start with short, frequent walks rather than one long one, and stop before symptoms begin to travel down the leg.
Freestyle and backstroke are usually well tolerated. Breaststroke and butterfly extend the lower back repeatedly and can aggravate both disc and facet pain, so leave them until later in recovery.
Parts of it. Avoid deep forward folds, seated twists and plough pose during an active episode. Bridge, cat-camel within comfort, and supported extension work are generally fine. Tell the instructor the specific level involved rather than just saying 'back pain'.
Usually from week 4–6 for light hinge and carry patterns, with heavy compound lifting deferred to month 3–4. Progress by movement quality under load, not by the calendar alone.
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