Slipped (Herniated) Disc in the Lower Back: Symptoms, Causes & PT Treatment
Updated October 20261 minute read
A "slipped" disc is a herniated disc — the soft center of a spinal disc pushes through its outer wall and can press on a nearby nerve. This often causes back pain plus pain, numbness, or tingling down the leg. The good news: most herniated discs improve within weeks to a few months with physical therapy and time, and surgery is rarely needed. Seek emergency care for groin numbness or loss of bladder/bowel control.
What is a herniated disc?
Discs are cushions between the vertebrae. With a herniation, the inner material bulges out and may irritate a nearby nerve root. Despite the scary name, nothing actually "slips out of place," and many herniations heal on their own as the body reabsorbs the material.
Symptoms
You may feel lower back pain, but the hallmark is leg symptoms — pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness traveling into the buttock, thigh, calf, or foot, often on one side. Coughing, sneezing, or sitting can worsen it.
What causes it / risk factors
Age-related disc changes, heavy or repetitive lifting, prolonged sitting, and sometimes a single straining event contribute. Genetics and smoking also play a role.
How it's diagnosed
A clinician diagnoses it from your symptom pattern and a neurological exam. MRI is reserved for severe, persistent, or worsening cases — because many pain-free people have disc bulges on imaging.
Physical therapy treatment
What a PT does. Your therapist identifies which movements reduce your leg symptoms (often a "directional preference"), calms nerve irritation, and progressively restores strength and tolerance. Exercises & progression (overview). Symptom-centralizing movements, nerve mobility work, and graded core and hip strengthening. Exercise-based care is first-line for most herniations. Recovery timeline. Many people improve within 6–12 weeks; some take a few months.
Treatment options compared
PT and time resolve most cases. Injections may help select cases. Surgery is considered for severe or progressive nerve problems that don't respond to conservative care.
Red flags
Emergency signs: numbness around the groin, loss of bladder/bowel control, or rapidly worsening weakness in both legs.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes — most improve with conservative care, and the body often reabsorbs the herniated material over time.
Sources (5)
- MedlinePlus: Herniated disk. — NIH/MedlinePlus
- AAOS OrthoInfo: Herniated disk in the lower back. — AAOS OrthoInfo
- Peul WC, et al. Surgery versus prolonged conservative treatment for sciatica. N Engl J Med. 2007. — PubMed
- Qaseem A, et al. Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2017. — Ann Intern Med
- Oosterhuis T, et al. Rehabilitation after lumbar disc surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014. — Cochrane
This article is for education only and isn't medical advice. Always talk to a licensed clinician about your specific situation.