Let's Start Thinking About a Healthy Spine
By Donna Stark
How often do you stop and think about the health of your spine? Probably not as often as you thought about your overall health during this past flu and cold season, but it definitely should be something that you give some serious consideration to. If you are like most people, you may assume that everything is fine as long as you can complete your tasks and get through the day. You may not actually think about your spine at all, at least not until something causes it to hurt. And if and when you get to that point, I’m afraid to say, you may end up thinking about your spine a lot more than you will actually want.
Spine Health and Back Pain
Most people who are suffering from chronic back pain usually have the same thought running through their mind during most hours of their day. “How can I make this pain stop?” And with such a high likelihood that the majority of us will experience back pain at some point or another in our lives, it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle that favors and strives for a healthy spine. Here are some tips for leading such a life.
- Maintain weight - It’s important to eat a diet rich in nutrition in order to maintain a healthy weight, and once you establish that, stay within 10 pounds of it. Carrying unnecessary body weight will place added stress on the spine.
- Exercise - Our bodies were designed to move … so do that. Exercise helps to strengthen your core muscles and keeps the spine healthy, flexible, and strong, all which reduce the chances of injury and pain.
- Stretch - Stretching before and after your workout is critical to giving your body the proper warm-up and recovery.
- Support your sleep - Invest in a good mattress and set of pillows so that your body has the proper support it needs while you sleep. Also, try to sleep on your back or sides and avoid all tummy sleeping.
- Lift properly - Always engage your legs, knees, and hips when lifting and avoid letting your back muscles do all of the work themselves.
- Maintain good posture - Stop slouching in your chair! Keep the shoulders back and the spine straight and focus on maintaining great posture at the office, school, and home.
- Get adjustments - See your local chiropractor regularly. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive approach to your spinal health and overall wellness. It addresses the source of the problem and helps to correct any damaging behavior that may contribute to the back pain that you may be experiencing.
Like anything in life, there are no promises that you will avoid hurting your back or experiencing some type of back pain. Integrating these simple tips into your lifestyle will certainly increase your chances of living a healthy life free of pain, and isn’t that such a better thought to occupy yourself with?
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Phoenix, Ariz.