Kayla Harrison's neck surgery: what herniated discs mean for athletes

Kayla Harrison says she was "on the verge of having permanent nerve damage" before neck surgery earlier this year, BBC Sport reported on November 12. The UFC women's bantamweight champion had surgery on five herniated discs in her neck. She now defends her belt against Amanda Nunes at UFC 334 in New York on Saturday. This guide covers what a herniated disc is, which nerve symptoms matter, and what the story means for people who lift, run or train martial arts.

TL;DR

• BBC Sport reports that Harrison, 36, had surgery on five herniated neck discs, and wore a neck brace for eight weeks.
• She describes "lightning bolts" of pain before the operation, and says she lacked confidence when she returned to the mat.
• A herniated disc is a bulge of the cushion between spine bones. It hurts when it presses on a nerve, and many people have one without symptoms (NHS).
• Most neck pain settles in a few weeks. Surgery is not usually needed (NHS).
• Pins and needles, a cold arm, spreading weakness or numbness need a clinician. Some signs need emergency care.
• We cannot say what treatment any one person needs. This is general training information, not medical advice.

What did Kayla Harrison say, and what do we know?

Everything about her case in this post comes from one BBC Sport report by Paul Battison, based on her own words. We have no medical records and no statement from her doctors. We do not know the details of her operation beyond what she told the BBC.

What BBC Sport reports:

• Harrison was due to defend her UFC women's bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes in January. The fight was postponed when she found out she needed an operation.
• She had surgery on five herniated discs in her neck. BBC says they built up "following a lifetime in combat sports". She won two Olympic judo gold medals before moving to MMA.
• She said she had "an immense amount of pain" and "lightning bolts" while preparing for the fight. She was "on the verge of having permanent nerve damage", yet kept training.
• She spent eight weeks in a neck brace. She said she did not feel like herself in her body.
• Back on the mat, she "really struggled with confidence" and feared hurting her neck again. After "soul-searching" she decided to return.
• She did not say whether the Nunes fight is her last. Her words: "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

BBC adds that Nunes, 38, is returning after retiring in 2023, and that the two are friends and former team-mates. It calls the bout one of the biggest women's MMA fights of all time. We say nothing about who will win and we give no betting views.

One point matters for readers. Harrison's own phrase "on the verge" is her description of how she felt. It is not a clinical statement. Do not use it to judge your own symptoms. Use the red flags below.

What is a herniated disc?

Between each pair of spine bones (vertebrae) sits a disc, a soft cushion of tissue. The NHS describes a slipped disc, also called a prolapsed or herniated disc, as the point where that cushion bulges outwards. It is painful if it presses on a nerve.

The neck (cervical spine) has these discs too. A disc bulge in the neck can press on a nerve that runs to the shoulder, arm or hand. That is why neck disc trouble can show up as arm symptoms rather than only neck pain.

The NHS lists these symptoms of a slipped disc:

• neck pain or lower back pain;
• numbness or tingling in the shoulders, back, arms, hands, legs or feet;
• muscle weakness;
• trouble bending or straightening the back;
• pain in the buttocks, hips or legs if the sciatic nerve is affected.

It also says that not all slipped discs cause symptoms, and that many people never know they have one. A scan that shows a bulging disc is therefore not the same as a problem you must fix. The symptoms and the exam matter more.

What causes disc problems, and why do combat athletes get them?

The NHS names several causes: ageing, exercising too hard, lifting heavy objects the wrong way, long periods of sitting or driving, and being inactive or overweight. It also advises against smoking, because nicotine weakens the disc tissue in the spine.

BBC attributes Harrison's discs to a lifetime in combat sports. That is the report's wording and we cannot say more about the cause in her case. In general terms, judo, wrestling, jiu-jitsu and MMA load the neck often. Throws, clinches, scrambles and strikes push the head and neck in many directions, many times a week, over years. That is a plausible reason that neck wear is common among long-career grapplers, but we found no study in our sources that gives a rate, so we do not give one.

Desk workers and drivers are in the same story from the other side. The NHS lists long sitting as a cause. A neck that is held forward for hours has a different load, but a load all the same.

How do you know when neck pain is serious?

Most neck pain is not serious. The NHS says it generally lasts a few weeks, and common causes include sleeping in an awkward position, poor posture, a pinched nerve and injury such as whiplash.

Use this table as a simple guide. It is general information, not a diagnosis. The NHS lists the emergency signs on its slipped disc page under back pain. They are also sensible signs to act on with a neck problem, because the nerves of the spine run through the neck too. If you are unsure, ask a clinician or call NHS 111 (UK) or your local health line.

What you notice	What the NHS advises
Neck stiffness or pain that is easing over days	Self-care: stay moving, heat or cold packs, ordinary pain relief if suitable for you
Pain not gone after a few weeks, or painkillers not working	See a GP, or refer yourself to an NHS community MSK service in areas that offer it
Pins and needles or a cold arm	See a GP: this "could be something more serious"
Worsening muscle weakness or numbness	See a GP. A specialist may discuss surgery if other treatment has not helped
Numbness around the bottom or genitals, cannot pee, cannot control pee or poo, lose feeling in one or both legs	Call 999 or go to A&E
Pain after a serious accident such as a car crash	Call 999 or go to A&E

The last rows are the ones people ignore. Do not wait for them to "settle". Do not drive yourself to A&E.

If you have taken a hit to the head along with neck pain, read the concussion warning signs in our post on what a clip like the Merab Dvalishvili scuffle teaches about head injury, and see a clinician.

Does everyone with a herniated disc need surgery?

No. The NHS says a slipped disc usually gets better slowly with rest, gentle exercise and painkillers, and that surgery is not usually needed. It says you will get better more quickly if you start gentle exercise such as walking, swimming or yoga as soon as you can, as long as it does not cause pain or make it worse.

A GP might refer you to a specialist about surgery if symptoms have not improved with other treatment, or if they include worsening muscle weakness or numbness. The NHS also notes that you might be offered physiotherapy, and that tests such as an MRI may follow if symptoms do not improve.

On collars: the NHS says for ordinary neck pain not to wear a neck collar, because it is better to keep the neck moving, unless a doctor tells you not to. Harrison's eight weeks in a brace followed surgery, so that was a medical instruction for her situation. Do not copy it for ordinary neck pain.

What does a return to training look like after neck trouble?

Your surgeon or physio sets the plan after surgery. We do not. What we can describe is the general pattern that sports people tend to follow, and the mental side that Harrison describes.

The physical side

• Start with what is allowed. Walking is the usual first step. The NHS lists walking, swimming and yoga as gentle options for a slipped disc, as long as they do not provoke pain.
• Add load in small steps. Build up one thing at a time: time, then load, then intensity. Do not change all three in one week.
• Let symptoms guide you. New tingling, spreading pain or weakness is a reason to stop and ask your clinician, not to push through.
• Respect sleep. Poor sleep makes pain harder to cope with and slows recovery. See how much sleep you need.
• Keep the rest of the body strong. A strong upper back, trunk and legs share the load that the neck would otherwise take. Our plan in strength training for beginners is a safe place to start for a healthy adult who is cleared to train.

The mental side

Harrison told BBC that a lack of confidence was the hardest part, because she was "so scared to hurt my neck again". Fear of re-injury is common after any serious injury, and it can hold people back even when the body is ready.

A few habits help:

• Set small, dated goals you can meet, such as "three sessions this week at the agreed load".
• Write down what you did and how you felt after. A pattern of good sessions is evidence against a fear.
• Tell your coach and training partners what you are afraid of, so they can adjust drills.
• If low mood, worry or loss of motivation last for weeks, talk to a GP or a mental health professional. If you ever feel unsafe or think about harming yourself, contact your local emergency number or a crisis line in your country right away.

A long layoff also changes your load. A hard week after a month off is a recipe for a flare-up. Read stress, burnout and when to deload for how to ramp back in.

What can a regular lifter or martial artist do this week?

You do not need a title fight to care about your neck. Here is a short, low-risk list for a healthy adult with no current neck symptoms.

1. Break up long sitting. Stand, walk or reset your posture every 30 to 45 minutes. The NHS advises against keeping the neck in one position for a long time.
2. Check your pillow and sleep position. The NHS suggests a firm mattress, a low firm pillow, and keeping your head at the same height as the rest of your body. It says not to sleep on your front.
3. Lift with good technique. The NHS lists poor lifting technique as a cause of disc problems. If you are not sure of yours, ask a qualified coach to look.
4. Train the whole chain. Include rows, carries and hip hinges in your week, not only presses and curls.
5. Pick partners and coaches with care. In a combat sport, pick a gym that matches partners by size and skill and lets you tap early. Tap when a neck feels twisted, not after.
6. Keep notes. In your log, mark any session where your neck, shoulder or arm felt odd, and what you did that day. After two or three entries a pattern is easier to see, and easier to describe to a clinician. If you use an AI assistant with your logs, see what a fitness MCP server is.

If you already train hard, keep one rule: when a symptom involves the arm or hand, such as tingling, weakness or a dropping grip, it is not a "tight muscle" until a professional says so.

When to see a professional

Contact a GP or an MSK physiotherapy service if:

• neck pain or stiffness has not gone after a few weeks;
• painkillers are not helping;
• you have pins and needles, or an arm that feels cold or weak;
• numbness or weakness is getting worse;
• the pain is worse at night, you have a high temperature, or you have lost weight without trying (these are on the NHS list for slipped disc pain).

Call 999, or your local emergency number, or go to A&E if you have numbness around your bottom or genitals, cannot pee, cannot control pee or poo, lose feeling in one or both legs, or developed pain after a serious accident.

Related

• Strength training for beginners
• Stress, burnout and when to deload
• How much sleep do you need?
• Merab's friend viral fight clip: what we know
• Heart rate zone calculator

This is general training guidance, not medical advice. This post reports an interview as covered by BBC Sport. We do not know Kayla Harrison's medical details beyond what she said, and we cannot say what treatment you or anyone else needs. Talk to a clinician about your own symptoms.

Sources

• BBC Sport: UFC 334: Kayla Harrison on verge of 'permanent nerve damage' before neck surgery (November 12, 2026)
• NHS: Slipped disc
• NHS: Neck pain