7 Tips for a Healthy Spine

Whether you have a spinal condition or not, maintaining a healthy spine as you age is critical for your health and quality of life. Often, people ignore back pain and proper back care until problems persist. The good news is there are many things you can do to help prevent painful spinal conditions and maintain a good, healthy spine. Keep reading to learn 7 simple and easy tips for a healthy spine.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Carrying around extra weight puts pressure on your spine, including the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your lower back. The lower back is a commonly seen area for back pain. To prevent back pain and maintain a healthy spine, it is recommended to maintain healthy body weight. Not only will this help prevent pain, but it will also allow you to regularly exercise and stay active, which can help keep your spine in good health.

Proper Footwear

Poorly fitted shoes can cause your spine to be misaligned and cause pain. To maintain a healthy spine, always make sure your shoes fit correctly with a snug heel that is not overtightened, proper arch support, and the correct size. Your spine will thank you later!

Hydrate Frequently

This may sound crazy, but staying hydrated can actually help your spinal health! Staying hydrated is important for our joints and spinal discs, to prevent dehydration. When dehydration occurs, this can lead to problems such as slipped discs. 

Consider Massage Therapy

 If you’re experiencing pain, trying massage therapy may be effective. Massage therapy can help stimulate blood flow, relax sore muscles, and help improve your sleep quality. All of these components are essential to maintaining good spine health.

Proper Lifting Form

Exercise and weight lifting do not need to be avoided to maintain good spine health. Rather, it is important that you ensure you’re using proper form and lifting from your knees. Always be sure of your form before performing a new exercise or lifting heavy weights to prevent spinal injury.

Strengthen Abs & Core

To take pressure off of your low back, work to strengthen your abdominal and core muscles. These muscles are often not used on a day-to-day basis, so you’ll need to perform specific exercises to target these muscles. With only 20 minutes a day and some basic abdominal exercises, you can strengthen your core over time to help support your lower back.

Be Mindful of Posture

Many people struggle with poor posture and may not even realize it. Paying close attention to your stance and posture, and actively trying to correct your posture can help in maintaining a healthy spine. Patients who pay attention to their posture have reported positive improvement in symptoms associated with certain spinal conditions. If you don’t have a condition, good posture can help prevent them later on.

Looking for a comprehensive spine specialist? Give us a call today at Atlantic Spine Specialists. We specialize in the treatment and care of many spinal conditions and can help restore your quality of life!