A herniated disc can make sitting, sleeping or moving feel uncertain. We’re here to help you understand what is happening and work toward the life you want back.
Ask whether our approach fits and what your first visit would involve. We’ll reply by phone or text to arrange your conversation.
Your first visit: 60 minutes, one-on-one with Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT.
McKenzie certified · No referral needed.
In-person PT at our Holladay clinic, serving Greater Salt Lake City. Virtual coaching from anywhere.
Kim P. on back and leg care
“She quickly identified my back and leg issues within just a few appointments, leading to immediate improvements in my condition.”
DPT, Cert. MDT
Your story comes first with Dr. Emily
Emily’s early work in neurological rehabilitation shaped her interest in movement, pain and what people want to get back to.
Emily listens to the symptoms and activities behind the scan report. She checks movement and relevant nerve findings, explains what can be monitored and practices a starting plan with you. Changes in walking, sitting and sleep help show whether the plan is useful beyond the treatment room.
Meet Emily and explore her approach · Request a Free Case Review to discuss how to move forward with a clearer disc-related pain plan.
What a herniated disc means
A herniation is a localized displacement of disc material beyond its usual boundary. It can irritate a nearby nerve and contribute to back pain or radiating leg symptoms. Some findings are not associated with symptoms, so the scan must be interpreted alongside the examination.
See our explanations of herniated versus bulging discs and what to ask after an MRI.
Hear Dr. Emily explain pain and imaging
Dr. Emily’s overflowing-cup analogy explains why a scan is one part of pain. Watch her explanation, or read the key points below.
Key points from the video
- Dr. Emily uses an overflowing-cup analogy to explain how several factors can contribute to pain.
- Imaging findings, activity, sleep, stress and sensitivity can all be part of the picture.
- The message is that you may have options for improving pain and activity without having to change every scan finding.
Your first assessment: understand the scan and practice a plan
Your first 60-minute appointment is one-on-one with Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT. We make room for questions about the diagnosis and the movements that worry you, then connect the scan with your symptoms, nerve-related findings and daily function.
- Hear the pattern: when symptoms began, where they travel, what changes them and what previous care has helped.
- Compare movement: examine relevant strength and sensation, then check selected movements or positions and a task such as standing up or walking.
- Practice the next step: choose a manageable home plan, explain the starting amount and agree on the changes to notice before follow-up.
Bring an existing report or exercise program if you have one. No referral is needed to arrange care, and you do not have to interpret the MRI on your own.
From a disc diagnosis to a usable home plan
A disc diagnosis names part of the problem; your story helps us understand the person we are treating. Tell Emily how symptoms behave, what you have already tried and what you miss doing. We connect that account with the examination to choose a manageable starting plan, then work toward the mobility, strength and confidence you need for your own goals.
What McKenzie care can look like
We compare selected movements or positions and retest a task such as standing up or walking. When leg symptoms retreat toward the back during testing, we call that centralization. In a study of 176 people with sciatica, this response was associated with later improvement in leg pain and activity. We use it alongside strength, sensation and function to choose and practice your movements. It is a useful clue, not proof that a disc has moved back into place.
Three practical steps between visits
- Change one demand at a time. For a difficult workday, first try breaking up prolonged sitting with a comfortable change of position rather than adding several new stretches.
- Keep a brief activity record. Note what you did, where leg symptoms traveled and how you felt afterward. This helps us distinguish temporary relief from a change that carries into daily life.
- Practice the next task in stages. When appropriate, lifting practice might begin with an unloaded movement, then a light object close to the body, before increasing the demand. Your examination and response determine the starting point.
Pain education helps us talk through what the MRI language means for your life and how to approach movement with more confidence. As you improve, we help you build toward the tasks you want back. Read about disc-recovery milestones.
How we choose treatment when an exercise is not helping
McKenzie care starts with your response. If a repeated movement does not help, we reassess the direction, amount and other findings. You should not have to keep guessing or push harder through worsening leg symptoms.
Your next step may involve a different movement or activity adjustment, strength work, or a closer look at nerve-related changes. Pain education helps us explain the reasoning so you know how to respond at home. Hands-on care can support the plan, while the goal remains useful movement and growing independence.
How we move from early relief to the activities you miss
We begin with a useful response: less intrusive leg symptoms, easier standing or a more comfortable walk. We then check whether it carries into your day and use it to build the strength and stamina for work, lifting and exercise.
- Symptoms: where discomfort travels, how quickly it settles and whether strength or sensation changes.
- A meaningful task: how long you can drive, the walking route you can manage or the stage of a lifting task that feels comfortable.
- Confidence and independence: knowing what to practice, how to adjust activity and when to ask us to review the plan.
We reassess if progress stalls or symptoms worsen rather than repeat the same routine. Useful recovery does not require waiting for a different MRI report. Our disc-recovery guide explains how to think about milestones.
PT, injections and surgery
If you are hoping to recover without surgery, we can help you explore what a nonsurgical plan could look like. We work on relief, movement and rebuilding strength while keeping track of your nerve-related symptoms. If you have already been offered an injection or surgery, bring those questions; we’ll discuss how PT fits alongside your medical team’s advice.
For associated muscle pain, manual therapy or dry needling may support the active plan when appropriate. We explain what each treatment is intended to help and keep the focus on the activities you want to regain.
What has a trial found for disc-related sciatica?
In a trial of 66 people with MRI-confirmed lumbar disc herniation and sciatica, back and leg pain decreased and disability improved in both groups over 24 months. One group received seven McKenzie visits and a patient book; the other received one guideline-based advice session. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in surgery rates or patient-reported outcomes.
This small study does not establish the best plan for every disc problem. We explain your options, monitor nerve-related findings and review whether care is helping the activity you want back.
If an injection or operation has been suggested, useful questions include: Which symptom is it meant to improve? What would make waiting or continuing PT reasonable? Which strength or sensation changes would change that decision? Bring the recommendation with you so we can discuss how your movement plan fits. Read more about discussing surgical and nonsurgical options.
In-person and virtual appointments
In-person physical therapy is available at 4890 Highland Dr in Holladay, serving Greater Salt Lake City.
You can also connect with us through virtual coaching from anywhere: direct video calls with a PT, an exercise program with video demonstrations and messaging between visits. If clinical PT is what you need, we’ll confirm the available options for your location before booking.
When medical care comes first
Do not wait for a PT appointment if you develop new bladder or bowel control problems, saddle-area numbness or rapidly worsening neurological symptoms. Seek urgent medical help. Review our warning-sign guide for more detail.
Explore our patient guides · Appointment locations and formats
Questions about living and exercising with a herniated disc
Can a herniated disc improve without surgery?
Yes. Many people improve with time and nonsurgical care. The 2024 recommendations on conservative lumbar disc care support this as the first approach when serious neurological findings do not require another course. We can help you find manageable movement, rebuild strength and follow leg symptoms while you recover. Exercise does not push a disc back into place. Our disc-healing guide explains the research on shrinkage and why a scan change is different from feeling better. Bring the activity you want back and any advice that has left you afraid to move; Emily can help you understand what a monitored, nonsurgical plan could involve.
Should everyone with a herniated disc do press-ups?
No. A scan does not tell us which direction or amount of movement will help you. We check your response before choosing repeated movements. A movement that feels good in the back but leaves symptoms spreading farther down the leg needs a closer look. Learn the option that fits your response, the starting amount and how to judge its effect before making it a routine.
What if an exercise makes my leg pain or numbness worse?
Stop the movement that is repeatedly worsening or spreading symptoms and contact your clinician to review it. Describe where the symptoms travel and whether they settle afterward; that is more useful than simply saying the exercise hurts. New or increasing weakness needs prompt medical assessment. The warning-sign section above explains when to seek urgent care.
Can I keep walking, working or going to the gym?
We aim to keep useful activity in your day. Try a shorter, manageable walk or a comfortable change of position during desk work, and notice the effect later that day. For lifting, reduce the load or range to a level you can control, then build one demand at a time with guidance. Your usual activity may need a temporary adjustment; you do not have to choose between pushing through everything and stopping everything.
What if I feel better in the appointment but the pain comes back?
Tell us how long the benefit lasted and what happened next. A movement may need a different amount, or your workday, walking or lifting may need an adjustment. We want improvement that carries into daily life. Keep a brief note of the activity, where symptoms traveled and how they settled so we can make the next visit more useful.
How does treatment progress beyond early pain relief?
As movement becomes more comfortable, we help you build strength and stamina for the activities you want back. We might practice a lifting task, progress your walking or work toward a sport. We check together that your exercises are helping outside the clinic, and that you understand how to keep progressing on your own.
Make sense of the scan and your next step
You can bring your worries about sitting, lifting or exercise to us. In your Free Case Review, we’ll discuss what you want back, answer questions about care and help you decide whether working with Dr. Emily feels right.
Send a request and we’ll contact you by phone or text to arrange a time. This conversation is separate from your first 60-minute PT assessment.
You can also call or text (385) 332-4939.