Conflicting advice on living with slipped disc

[KAYMACK]

Whether you look on the internet or you consult with an expert in the field, I am astonished at the conflicting advice which is given on living with a slipped disc. I wonder if anyone who actually has/had it can inform me what they have found?

For example, cycling. I have been told it is both good and bad for a slipped disc! I would personally go with bad, because of the bending over.

Likewise for sleeping, I have heard lie on your back or lie on your side and curl up into a foetus. I would similarly think that the latter is bad...

I have been told that jogging is good, on soft surfaces and with good shoes. I am not sure about faster running, especially downhill...

It depends where the slipped disc in your back is, how far it has "slipped" and which way....

I have my third herniated disc at the moment. The thought of any kind of running is terrifying! I think once it's well on the path to being healed then I can see that people could run again, probably best on a softer surface, as building up muscle tone is important. Core exercise like pilates would be much more important though.

I think there's a definite recognition by doctors and physios that once it's healing, you shouldn't allow it to reduce your overall fitness and strength. Certainly whilst there's an active herniation and nerve compression, anything that creates impact on the disc is bad. Also any flexion of the spine before the disc wall has healed risks more of the disc protruding.

Keeping the nerve mobilised seems important from what I've learned. Flossing the nerve sounds weird but that's the term.

Aside from exercise, there does seem to be conflicting advice on surgery and whether it's a positive or not.