Top Tips for Spine Health

Every single day, millions are impacted by the burden of back pain. Living with that pain is unpleasant enough, but more than that, weak spine health can lower your quality of life. You can start missing out on social activities, hobbies, personal passions, and even time at work. Eventually, you might have difficulty accomplishing even the most basic tasks of routine life.

This threat carries over to your financial well-being as well, since data suggests that low back pain is one of the primary causes of employment-related disabilities. Caring for your spine health can help you manage current pain and help to reduce future issues.

Keep reading to learn top tips for good spine health, including exercises to strengthen your back, proper nutrition for spinal health, getting good rest, and appropriate ergonomics for your office chair.

Exercises For Strengthening Your Back

Staying active is crucial for having a healthy spine. Being inactive or physically unfit increases your odds of spinal pain which can affect not only your neck and back but other areas such as shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and more. Exercise is best in short bursts. You don’t have to exercise for extended periods of time to get positive spine health results.

Practice proper lifting at home and at work, using your legs and knees to pull things up instead of your upper body or back.

Stretch every day as well. Flexibility maintains a good range of motion and healthy joint functions.

Specific exercises that can help your spine stay or grow strong include bridges, partial curls, cat stretches, pelvic tilts, and knee-to-chest stretches. Also, use draw-in maneuvers, lying lateral leg lifts, and supermans.

Nutrition That Promotes Spine Health

Maintaining a healthy weight is a big factor in spine health.  Carrying extra weight, particularly belly fat, can add stress to not only the spine, but also the tendons, ligaments, and muscles of your lower back.

Start off with staying hydrated. This maintains fluidity in the joints and elasticity in soft tissues. Spinal disks are susceptible to inadequate hydration as well.  Dehydrated spinal discs can cause you to start losing height and if it progresses can hamper your mobility.  In addition, it has the potential to wear down the discs and harden the inner nucleus of the disc causing even more pain and loss of mobility.  

Maintain your weight and avoid inflammation by filling your diet with plant-based proteins as much as you can. Also, get as many actual veggies as you can. Among animal products, dairy products and salmon are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids and calcium, which respectively fight inflammation and strengthen your bones. Herbs and spices also help. They add taste and flavor, but they can also fix damaged tissue, like turmeric. You can also fight inflammation with ginger, basil, rosemary, and cinnamon.

Proper Rest For Your Back

Your body needs rest.  Proper sleep is essential to your health and wellness.  When our bodies are at rest, such as when

we are sleeping, our brains produce chemicals that promote healing. Try to sleep on your side, rather than your stomach, since that puts more pressure on your spine. Side-sleeping can also help to reduce the collapse of the upper airways, which can help the symptoms of sleep apnea. 

Also, be sure to turn your mattress on a regular basis and use supportive/body pillows for good neck and back alignment.  You spend a third of your hours of life in bed. Make sure that your sleep is sound and restful to promote your body’s natural healing.

Good Ergonomics For Sitting In Your Office Chair

Desk Chair

If you have a sedentary desk job involving hours and hours of sitting, you don’t have to succumb to years of spine pain. You can stay comfortable and boost your spine health when sitting at work, or even at your home office, by using the right office ergonomics.

Your chair is the most essential element to your success in this endeavor to good spine health. If you’re free to pick one, choose a chair that properly supports your spinal curves. Adjust its height so you can keep your feet either flat on the floor or on a footrest. In either case, your thighs need to be parallel to the floor. The armrest should likewise be positioned so that your arms can rest on them gently so your shoulders can relax.

Desk Organization

Anything that you need to reach for frequently from your desk, including your stapler and telephone, need to be close to your body. You want to minimize reaching as much as possible. If you can reach something comfortably while seated, stand up to get it.

Your mouse and keyboard should be on the same surface. When using either, keep straight wrists and with upper arms remaining close to your torso. Your hands should either be at the level of your elbows or slightly under them.

Your monitor should be right in front of you, at about the distance of your arm’s length. Ideally, the top of your screen will be right around your eye level.

Stretches for Spine Health at Work

If you’re at your desk for a long time, take occasional breaks to do seated lower-back rotational stretches. These relieve pain and fatigue, and they also strengthen your lower back while working your core muscles.

These exercises work best in seating without arms. Put your feet flat onto the floor and then twist at your core in a rightward direction. Maintain a tall spine and square hips. Put your hands either behind your head or just rest your left hand on your right knee in order to support your stretch.

Hold this position for at least 10 seconds before reversing in an identical fashion for just as much time to the left. Repeat this exercise from 3 up to 5 times per shift.

Concluding Spine Health Tips

Always be mindful of warning signs that present themselves. Never ignore spinal pain or problems. Nearly everyone has back pain now and then, but if it lingers or happens often, it might be indicative of more serious issues. When left untreated, spinal problems can get worse, so listen to your body and what it is saying to you. Avoid overdoing it in exercise or your job, and limit over the counter anti-inflammatory medications to mask symptoms. 

Be willing to enlist chiropractic care so you can learn more about spine health and get the most effective treatments and diagnosis possible. Start your journey to a healthier life. Schedule an appointment with Evexia Family Chiropractic today.