Hi.

Just had a question regarding cervical herniations and weightlifting.

I've had a cervical herniation for a long time. The pain/numbness comes and goes. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes it's bad. The pain/numbness typically affects my whole left arm with pressure at the base of my skull.

I also lift weights, although nothing heavy or strenuous. I know my limits and when I feel it's getting strenuous, I stop.

Lately, my upper back has been bothering me. It's painful sometimes and the pain/numbness radiates down to my left arm.

I went to a neurologist and just asked her about lifting weights in general.

I was surprised and a bit taken back when she told me that weightlifting is good for cervical herniations. She even told me that squats and deadlifts were good for the spine and helped to stretch it out. But she told me the caveat was that it all had to be done with proper form.

I always thought heavy weightlifting (especially squats and deadlifts) were bad for cervical herniations so this really conflicts with what I've known so far.