The new year means it’s time to make some resolutions to change our lives for the better, and if you’re looking to add something to your list, consider resolving to care for your spine in 2020. We often ignore our spine until an injury develops, which can be problematic because by then, a lot of natural spinal degeneration may have taken place. Although degeneration and spinal canal narrowing occurs naturally as we get older, we want to stave it off as long as possible because it brings with it a number of spinal issues.
So to ward off degeneration and spinal canal narrowing, we have to care for our spines while they are still healthy, and you can do that by making some small changes to your daily life. Below, we share some ways you can help care for your spine in the new year.
Resolutions For Your Spine
Here are some small changes you can make on a daily basis in 2020 to help protect your spine against short-term and long-term injuries.
- Be Posture Aware – Natural spinal degeneration doesn’t just occur when we suffer significant trauma to our back, it also occurs slowly over the years due to repeated stress and microtrauma. We are exposed to these forces when we have poor posture, which puts excess stress on our cervical and lumbar spine. In the new year, resolve to perform regular posture checks to ensure you’re not leaning forward or slouching and contributing to uneven stress on your spine. Correct your posture whenever you notice that you’re out of a natural alignment.
- Exercise – Getting more exercise is probably on everyone’s list of New Year’s resolutions, but exercise is one of the best ways to strengthen your spine and help ward off spinal degeneration. Exercise will also help to get healthy blood pumping through your system, which brings vital vitamins, nutrients and oxygen to key spinal structures. Any form of exercise is good for your body, but you’ll get bonus points in the new year if you avoid activities that put a lot of stress on your spine. For example, while running is good, it can also put a lot of stress on your back with every stride, so a more spine-conscious exercise would be swimming.
- Eating Healthy – Again, this is a good idea for your whole body, but healthy eating can help prevent weight gain and the onset of spinal inflammation. If you gain weight, your spine will have to handle more stress, and this will take a toll on the area over the years. Similarly, junk foods or foods that are high in fat can contribute to spinal inflammation, which can compress key structures and cause pain. Strive to eat a little healthier in the new year, and your spine will thank you for it.
- Ditch The Bad Habits – Certain lifestyle choices can really do a number on our spine. Most notably is smoking, which speeds up the spinal disc degeneration process. Kick the habit to the curb in 2020, and your spine will be better off. Other habits to dial back or consider ditching altogether include excessive alcohol consumption, improper lifting techniques and failing to stretch adequately before activity.
- Stop Small Issues – Finally, resolve to take care of your health in the new year by getting small problems examined before they snowball into a bigger issue. Don’t ignore your back pain or hope it goes away on it’s own. Treat the problem head on, because odds are it’s only going to get worse if left untreated.
For more tips, or for help with your spine in the new year, look no further than Dr. Sinicropi and his experienced staff. Contact his office for more information.
