Do You Know There Are Severals Ways In Which You Can Protect Your Spine?

5 simple tips to help keep your spine as healthy as

possible:

1. Let your spine really rest while

sleeping.

While you’re lying down, all the structures in your

spine that have worked hard all day finally have an

opportunity to relax and be rejuvenated. To make

the most of this time, you need a mattress and

pillows that allow your spine to rest in a supported

and comfortable way.

Your choice of mattress and pillow is largely based

on personal preference, your preferred sleep

positions, and your specific back or neck problem.

As long as you’re choosing a mattress to ensure

the best support and sleeping position for your

condition, there are many available types of

mattress can be helpful.

2. Exercise your core to strengthen

abs and back muscles.

Your core muscles—your lower back and

abdominal muscles—need to be strong and supple

in order to support your spine and take pressure off

your lower back. Unfortunately, for most of us our core muscles are

rarely used during everyday activities; they need to

be toned through specific, targeted exercises.

These exercises are simple and can be performed

in 20 to 30 minutes as part of a daily routine.

 

3. Your shoes need to support your

spine.

Whether you’re walking for exercise or just to get

where you’re going, the shoes you wear play an

important role in supporting your lower back. Good

shoes provide a supportive base that helps the

spine and body remain in alignment. For example,

make sure the area of the shoe that fits the back of

your heels is snug, but not overly tight, as a good fit

in the heel prevents over pronation or supination—

or too much rolling of the foot to the outside or

inside.

4. Enjoy the benefits of massage.

Did you know that massage has a number of

therapeutic benefits in addition to general stress

relief? A good massage will help increase

endorphins—the body’s natural painkiller—in your

bloodstream, which in turn may allow you cut back

on pain medications . Massage can also encourage

blood flow, which in turn brings healing nutrients to

the affected area and can speed healing. While it’s not the same as going to a massage

therapist, having a massage chair in your home

can be a practical and easy way to get some of the

benefits of a shiatsu or Swedish massage.

5. Practice good ergonomics while

sitting—and limit total sitting time.

The discs in your lower spine are loaded 3 times

more while sitting than standing, so long periods of

sitting can create or aggravate a painful back

condition. Moreover, when sitting at a desk and/or

looking at a computer screen, our natural tendency

is to slouch and lean forward, stressing our lumbar

discs even more.

It’s also important to do whatever you can to avoid

sitting for long periods. Get up to stretch and walk

around every 20 to 30 minutes, try working at a

standup desk for at least part of the day, or get up

and pace around when talking on the phone. The

spine is meant to move to

stay healthy, and

movement fuels the spine with healthy nutrients.