6 Factors That Make Men More Likely to Suffer a Herniated Disc Injury 

Men’s Health Month comes around each June, an opportunity to point out the male vulnerability to herniated spinal discs. Men suffer from ruptured discs twice as often as women. 

In this month’s blog, our team at Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management in West Des Moines and Des Moines, Iowa, looks at six factors behind this higher risk of herniated discs in men. 

Awareness and understanding are often the foundation for avoiding conditions that lead to spinal disc injury. 

1. Greater mass, less flexibility

Men are, of course, larger and more muscular than women on average. The flip side is that, generally, men are less flexible than women. 

That leads to physical conditions that transfer more of the force of exertion onto the spinal column, rather than spreading out the load, a feature of a more flexible physique. 

Tight lower back muscles, hamstrings, and hips can’t deflect loads away from the spine, placing greater pressure on the spinal discs. 

2. Physical demands

Statistically, men are more likely to work in jobs that take advantage of their greater strength. That means heavy lifting, exertion, exposure to vibrations, and frequent bending. All of these increase the pressure your spinal discs experience throughout a day on the job. 

3. Age changes

About age 35, spinal discs begin to lose elasticity and hydration. Though it’s called degenerative disc disease, it’s a condition rather than a true medical illness. The degeneration part, though, is accurate. 

As well as reducing their shock-absorbing ability, age-related changes can cause shifting of spinal components, so your back can’t move in the ways you expect. Activities you once took in stride may now be too much, causing injury to your discs. 

4. Playing through pain

Men are more likely than women to push through discomfort and avoid seeking treatment for new pain. That can allow minor disc problems to grow in complexity, resulting in pain that doesn’t improve but worsens or persists. 

5. High-impact sports

Men tend to favor sports participation in activities that increase spinal compression, including football, hockey, martial arts, and weightlifting. Twisting motions can place uneven pressure on a spinal disc, leading to injury.

6. Frontal obesity

When men age and gain weight, the extra pounds tend to congregate in the belly. With the weight out front, your body’s center of gravity shifts forward, placing additional stress on your lower back, the lumbar spine. 

This additional stress boosts the rate of disc degeneration, right in the area that holds the greatest loads in your spine, just above the pelvis. Carrying extra weight around your abdomen adds stress to an already forceful load. 

Contact Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management to meet with our herniated disc pain specialists. We can devise a treatment plan that keeps you in the game. Call or click today to schedule an appointment at our nearest location.