5 tips to bolster your spinal health

5 tips to bolster your spinal health-blog-sunset

5 tips to bolster your spinal health

It’s never too late or too early to start taking steps to improve your spinal health! These tips won’t just get you moving again, but they’ll also help prevent long-term back problems.

1. Improve your posture

We spend the majority of our waking hours sitting, standing or walking. Regardless, you can improve your posture simply by standing up straight and not slouching. Being mindful of your posture and taking steps to improve it will greatly benefit your spinal health.

2. Exercise

Staying active is essential for spinal health, as well as just your health in general. But as our lifestyles become increasingly sedentary, we tend to miss out on exercise. This can ultimately contribute to back, shoulder and neck pain. So how do we combat this?

Start by making simple changes. Here’s what I do:

  • Get up from your desk every half-hour
  • Walk to work
  • Take up a sport
  • Use your lunch break to do some exercise

These make a huge difference for me. And they aren’t just preventative for back pain – they also make me feel great overall.

3. Avoid “text neck” – take breaks from your phone

Looking down at mobile devices too frequently or for long periods can create strain in your neck and spine, which can lead to what’s been termed “Text Neck”. Symptoms associated with text neck include:

  • chronic headaches
  • upper back pain
  • shoulder pain
  • neck pain
  • increased curvature of the spine

Some studies have even suggested that text neck may lead to early onset arthritis. Make sure to take breaks from your mobile devices. Set reminders on your phone so you don’t forget.

4. Support your back if you’re lifting and carrying heavy items

If you’re doing heavy lifting without properly supporting your back, you’re in for a potential serious injury. Bracing your core muscles and bending your knees (rather than your back), makes moving and lifting items much safer.

5. Sleep with good posture. That’s right, sleep with good posture

Posture isn’t just important during the day. We spend about one-third of our lives asleep, so the position in which we sleep is also crucial.

Poor spinal health can lead to lower back or neck pain, which can in turn affect our sleep. Chiropractors generally recommend sleeping on the back or side, rather than on the stomach. They also recommend using a supportive mattress.

If you sleep on your side, it’s recommended that you sleep with a pillow between your knees. This ensures good spinal and pelvic alignment at night.

Regain control of your spinal health today

Interested in learning more? Contact us to book an appointment and look after your spinal health today.

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