Stand up! – Easy lifestyle Tips for a Healthy Spine

Don Valley Health and Wellness • August 24, 2018

Bend, stretch, sit, stand, jog, sleep, run or dance! All these everyday activities require a healthy spine. Every health discipline, from yoga and acupressure to chiropractic treatments and modern medicine has stressed the importance of a healthy spine. This extra attention towards spine care is fully justified. The twenty-four movable bones, together, support our weight, hold us upright, balance the body, keep an upright posture and facilitate agility in our movements. Most importantly, the spine which holds the spinal cord sends messages to and interacts with different parts of the body.

How to Have a Healthy Spine?

Small changes to your current lifestyle will help you have a healthier spine without being subject to illness or disorder.

1. Sleep:

Seven to nine hours of sleep every day is considered a good amount of sleep by most medical and healthcare experts. Restful sleep is imperative to a healthy spine. Most body organs rejuvenate and repair during sleep, the spine is no exception. A good sleeping posture can avoid spasms and discomfort around the spine. While a sleeping posture enhances your spine’s health, poor sleeping patterns and awkward sleep postures can hurt the spine. Sleeping on a firm mattress, aligning back and head posture and avoiding the use of oversized pillows are some things you should follow for a healthy spine and better sleep.

2. Aerobics and Exercise:

Though many experts emphasize the importance of exercise for spine pain, this is one of the most neglected aspects. Yoga and aerobics provide exclusive stretches and exercises that help in strengthening the muscles around the spine and relieving pain by stimulating trigger points which, when flexed, can reduce stiffness.

3. Stay Hydrated:

The root cause of herniated discs, caused due to sciatic nerve pain, is poor hydration. The discs lose height without enough hydration. Slipped and ruptured discs can be avoided by keeping yourself well-hydrated.

4. Healthy Weight:

Since the bones carry most of your body weight, exposing them to excess weight can cause a rupture or accelerate their degeneration. Maintaining a healthy body weight with exercise and a healthy diet helps in keeping the bones and spine strong.

5. Maintain Good Posture:

Posture issues mostly arise due to a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting for long hours at your desk weakens your spine. For back pain relief, experts suggest a break every twenty minutes, where you flex, stretch or stroll around for a short while before getting back to your sitting position. Use of an ergonomic chair also helps in maintaining an erect and healthy back.

6. Avoid Smoking and Nicotine:

Research indicates that constant smoking and exposure to nicotine products leads to porous bone surface and small annular tears. With time, nicotine makes your spine brittle and causes it to degenerate faster.

An unhealthy spine starts giving off warning signs early on. Fatigue, tight or weak muscles, degeneration of spinal discs, neck and backaches, jaw pain, rib pain, sleep disorders and poor concentration are some of the symptoms that indicate a poor back or unhealthy spine.

These simple tips could be your key to a healthy lifestyle. They will help you maintain good spine health over a longer period of time. In case of prolonged back pain, consult a qualified physiotherapist for an expert opinion. Physiotherapy helps restore, maintain and maximize strength, function, movement, and overall well-being.

The post Stand up! – Easy lifestyle Tips for a Healthy Spine appeared first on Don Valley Health & Wellness – Physiotherapy Rehabilitation & Sports Centre.

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