It's a very complicated thing, these protruding disks. I have had two repairs of ruptured or protruding disks. It wasn't back pain that forced the surgery; it was the pain in the sciatic nerve running down my leg. The pain in my back (muscle pain and stiffness) was only the symptom of poor body mechanics, sleeping on the couch too much, weakened muscles, etc. Those poor body mechanics and weak muscles (and a couple other events) led to the ruptured disks.

I learned during time that many many people have protruding and/or ruptured disks don't even know it and have no symptoms. I would say if your mom doesn't have any nerve-related pain (shooting pain down the leg, for instance), that maybe a structured program of exercise to strengthen her core would help. But the docs would know best.

Karen