We don’t pay much attention to our neck unless a problem develops and it hinders our ability to move it comfortably, but your neck health is something you should take seriously. This is especially true because every day we face regular threats to our neck health. Below, we take a closer look at the biggest threats to our cervical spine health as we age, and we provide some tips for keeping our necks healthy throughout our lives.
Teens To Young Adults
Screen Time – We have noticed that there has been a significant increase in the number of young adults that come into our clinic with neck problems, and much of the research out there attributes this rise to an increase in screen time. Young adults are more likely to use a laptop for school work or spend hours texting or emailing on their phone, and if their necks are out of alignment when they are hunched forward, this will put excess pressure on their cervical spine. Make sure that you keep your head positioned directly above your shoulders and aren’t leaning forward to look down at your phone in your lap. Also, consider limiting how much time you spend looking down at these devices each day, cause these instances of microtrauma will add up over time.
Adults
Repetitive Motion – Many adults have found their way into a career by this point in their life, and their job likely has them performing repetitive motions. Maybe you’re lifting heavy equipment, moving equipment on and off an assembly line or you might just be working at a desk all day. These same actions can slowly stress your spine and lead to the onset of problems like bone spurs or disc issues. You can prevent repetitive strain injuries by making sure to get regular exercise, eating a healthy diet and practicing proper lifting techniques when moving objects during or outside of work hours.
Seniors
Degeneration – Structure degeneration is a natural part of life, but that doesn’t mean you need to just accept it. You can work to prevent natural spinal degeneration by exercising, maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding excess alcohol or tobacco intake. By the time you’re nearing retirement, degenerative conditions are the biggest threat to your spinal health, but living a healthy lifestyle can help to slow this process. It’s not easy to turn back the clock on degeneration, so prevention is preferred to treatment. Learn more about preventing spinal degeneration in this blog.
While these may be the main threats to your spinal health as you age, they certainly aren’t the only threats. Do what you can to live an active lifestyle while also minding your diet and posture, and odds are you can ward off these potential issues. And if you need help treating a spinal condition, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today.
