We'll Be Right Back: A Really Big Show

By Krista Elliott

Last night, I went to a concert, to see a local rock band that was pretty popular back in the mid-'90s (Sloan. They're awesome. Check them out). My initial thoughts were, "Wow ... the guys are starting to look middle-aged," followed by a thudding realization that fans like me are all middle-aged as well. Even though the band is a bit older and grayer, with mortgages and kids, they still rocked the heck out of the place. I could see people in the audience, both young and old, bouncing around to the music and bobbing their heads up and down, and wondered what all of us concert-goers have done to our spines over the years. 

I've been to a lot of concerts. Some were more sedate and mellow, like Leonard Cohen. Others, not so much, like the Down concert I saw in Manhattan where a guy with crutches waded into the mosh pit. Thirty seconds later, I saw the crutches fly through the crowd in opposite directions, while the guy, now sporting a bloody nose, gleefully crowd-surfed.

Most people think of concerts as just being hard on the ears, but they're also hard on the back for quite a few reasons. So even if your concert-going days are in your past, it's still worth noting what effect they've had on your body: 

Standing Room Only: A lot of venues (like the aforementioned Down concert) don't have much in the way of seating. There might be a few seats back near the bar, but other than that, it's a floor show. And when you're standing on a hard floor, with bass-induced vibrations running through it, for over two hours? Your spine and hips are begging for mercy by the end of it due to the muscular strain and spinal compression taking place. 

Here We Are Now, Entertain Us: Some concerts are a little ... boisterous. Who knew there were mosh pits at Barbra Streisand concerts? Even if you were never in a mosh pit, being bounced and jostled around by the teeming masses can put serious strain on your muscles and joints. And that's not even counting your own dancing around, bopping your head and shaking your hips. 

An Intimate Evening with Backache: If your concert experiences have been more low-key, with seating being provided, don't think it's risk-free. Venue seating is usally pretty lacking in support and padding, so sitting there for two hours or more can create a lot of stress on your spine and joints. And you don't want to be that guy who keeps standing up during the songs, blocking the view of everybody behind him. Seriously, don't be that guy.  

Whether the concert was last night or 40 years ago (I hear Neil Diamond put on a heck of a great show), today's a great day to visit The Joint Chiropractic! With precise and gentle adjustments, the professionals at The Joint can help relieve lower back and hip pain, correct subluxations, and get your spine and joints back into a biomechanically healthy position. And with routine care from The Joint, you'll be more resistant to back injuries and pain, resulting in a happier and healthier you. 

So stop by The Joint. No appointment is required, and we just might help you feel energetic enough to dive into that mosh pit again.