Our spines are one of the most important parts of our body as they control so much movement, stability, and balance. Unfortunately, though, so many of us do not take care of our backs and we end up with back pain and issues that could have been avoided with proper, proactive care! Whether you’re struggling with back pain or not, learning how to support your spine is crucial for lifelong physical health.
Here are a few tips and ways to get started on your healing journey:
Start With Proper Sleep
First of all, make sure that you are sleeping in a way which is actually conducive to having a healthy, happy spine. Support your spine with positions that are not twisted or uncomfortable and allow your body to extend rather than crunch up. Many experts say that having too many pillows can cause both neck and back pain, so it may be a good idea to limit the height of your pillows and avoid sleeping on your stomach where your spine is compressed and curved rather than flat or in a natural position.
The best rule of thumb is to listen to your body! If you wake up feeling crunched, achy, or twisted, try adjusting how you sleep, what you sleep on (if possible), where you sleep, and your body’s physical position to try to support yourself a little bit better.
Workout Your Core
Although it may seem counterintuitive, core exercises are hugely important for the health of your spine! When you have a strong core, your back is going to receive a lot less strain, so the spine itself is actually going to have less pressure put on it. So, anything you can do to build up your core is really going to help here. That would include ab crunches and pull-ups, for instance. If you have a regular core practice, you’ll find that your spine really feels the difference.
See A Chiropractor
Chiropractic care can be a saving grace when it comes to back pain or supporting your spine. Whether you go to a chiropractor preventively (to help with alignment and body position) or as a result of pain (to get vertebrae back into position and/or remove stress from specific muscles, ligaments, and joints), it can be incredibly helpful and healing.
Your chiropractor will be able to highlight any issues and provide solutions, including in-the-moment techniques so that you can walk away feeling physically better. They will also be able to recommend exercises tailored to you for you to take away and practice on your own.
Get A Massage
Having a massage from time to time can really help support your spine as well. In addition to being a wonderfully relaxing and de-stressing experience, you’ll find that a regular massage helps to keep all your muscles, ligaments, tendons (and even vertebrate!) where they should be. Why? Because when your muscles are relaxed they’re not pulling or overstretching different areas of your body.
With a massage, your back muscles are going to work better, be stronger, and stay in the right place. As a result, your spine will have a lot less pressure. And you’ll be a lot less stressed, too!
Featured Image Credit: Ryutaro Tsukata