To put it lightly, maintaining a healthy spine is important. In fact, one of the major things the spine does is protect the spinal cord.
The spinal cord forms a vital link between the brain and the rest of the body and is part of the central nervous system.
Along with your brain, the spinal cord controls bodily functions including movement and behavior.
If your spine did nothing else, this would be enough reason to take excellent care of it.
However, it also provides structural support and balance to maintain an upright posture and enables flexible motion.
So it should be fairly obvious now that it is in your best interest to take care of your spine.
Below are several things you can do every single day to keep your spine as healthy and as strong as possible.
Article Table of Contents:
- Get A Massage
- Stay Hydrated
- Strengthen Your Core
- Maintain A Healthy Weight
- Get Good Rest
- See The Warning Signs
- Wear Good Shoes
1. Get A Massage
In case you ever needed a good reason to get a massage, here it is.
A massage has a number of therapeutic benefits in addition to stress relief.
It can increase endorphins, which are the body's natural painkiller, in your bloodstream, reducing the need for pain medications.
It can also improve blood flow, which can help get healing nutrients to your spine to speed up the healing process after an injury.
If you don't have the time or the resources to go to a massage therapist regularly, a nice massage chair will often do the trick as well.
2. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated helps us maintain tissue elasticity and fluidity in our joints, which is important for spine health.
Our spinal discs are vulnerable to a loss of hydration, so it's very important to stay hydrated.
Slipped discs occur when a loss of fluid causes the disks to become brittle and eventually slip out of place.
Slipped disks are also a major cause of sciatica, making it even more important to keep your spine hydrated.
3. Strengthen Your Core
The muscles in your lower back and abdomen that make up your core need to be strong in order to support your spine and take pressure off of your lower back.
Unfortunately, we rarely use our core muscles by doing everyday activities.
Our cores need to be strengthened through specific, targeted exercises.
Luckily, the exercises are simple and can be performed in 20-30 minutes every day.
4. Maintain A Healthy Weight
General exercise along with a healthy diet will help you maintain a healthy weight.
Being obese or overweight are major risk factors for lower back pain.
Excess weight, especially belly fat, puts added stress on the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your lower back.
5. Get Good Rest
Your spine and the structures in your spine finally have a chance to relax and rejuvenate when you lay down at night.
To make sure you get the most out of this time, you need to be sure you have a mattress and pillows that allow you to rest comfortably.
The mattress and pillow you choose is mostly a personal preference but can be influenced by your preferred sleeping positions and existing back and neck issues.
As long as you choose a mattress and pillows that best support your sleeping position and your current conditions, you will be fine.
6. See The Warning Signs
Never ignore any problems or pain that may arise in your spine.
It's common to have back pain every once in a while, but sometimes it indicates a more serious problem.
If left untreated, problems in your back and spine can become very serious.
Listen to your body, and don't overdo it if you're in pain.
Don't try to fix it yourself either; always seek medical attention for issues that arise.
7. Wear Good Shoes
Whether you're exercising or just walking around the house, the shoes you wear will play an important role in supporting your lower back.
A good pair of shoes will provide a base that helps support your spine and keep your body in alignment.
For example, make sure the part of the shoe that fits the back of your heel is snug, but not too tight, so your foot doesn't roll too much to the inside or outside.
Keep Your Spine Strong
If you follow these suggestions, you are more likely to keep a strong, healthy spine.
Keeping a healthy spine is a great way to maintain your overall health.
Another excellent way to keep your spine strong is to visit your chiropractor on a regular basis. Your chiropractor can also help with exercises and stretches to relieve back pain as well as prevent it.
Your chiropractor will keep your spine in proper alignment to help keep the rest of your body, in optimal health.
If you'd like to schedule an appointment to see one of our Florida Back Pain Chiropractors, click the button below.
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