You can greatly reduce your chances of developing back pain and spine injuries by taking a proactive approach toward maintaining a healthy back. We often don’t appreciate the key role our spine has in absolutely everything we do, as it not only houses the spinal cord – which enables us to move – but also provides our upright posture when we sit, stand, or walk.
A healthy spine is more resistant to developing herniated discs, osteoarthritis in the spinal joints, and radiating pain due to a pinched nerve in the spinal cord. Let’s talk about how you can take better care of your spine, and where you can go in Connecticut and Massachusetts for outstanding orthopedic care and professional treatment for back pain and neck pain.
Stay Active and Exercise for a Healthy Back
If you are not physically active and have a sedentary lifestyle, you are more likely to face spine-related health problems. Keeping your body moving and staying active will help you maintain strong back and limber spinal joints.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight or even underweight can negatively affect your spine health. Extra pounds will put additional pressure and stress on your spine, and being underweight likely means you’re not consuming enough calcium and vitamin D to maintain healthy bones and vertebrae. It is essential to maintain a healthy weight in order to support your spine and prevent spine-related health issues.
A healthy diet and regular exercise can help you maintain your ideal weight.
Stay Hydrated
Your spine is vulnerable to loss of hydration, especially the discs. Inadequate fluid in the body can make your spinal discs more brittle and prone to cracking, which can cause a herniated disc.
A disc becomes herniated when the softer inner material protrudes out through a crack in the tough outer layer of the disc, and this material can cause constant pressure on a nearby nerve in the spinal cord – leading to chronic pain.
Staying hydrated will therefore help you protect the structural health of your spine.
Watch Your Posture
Your spine shape changes when you don’t keep your spine straight while sitting and standing. Concentrating on your posture can help prevent spinal degradation and injury.
It is best to avoid rolling your shoulders forward and slouching. Keep your shoulders back, and try not to cross your legs when sitting.
Be Careful When Lifting
When lifting something, keep your back straight upward and squat downward with your knees rather than bending over at your back. Harnessing your leg muscles rather than your back muscles will greatly help to reduce unnecessary pressure on your spine.
Interventional Spine Care and Sports Medicine in Springfield, MA
Spine problems and back pain can interfere with virtually everything you do during the day. If you have chronic or intermittent back pain, visit us at Advanced Orthopedics New England. Our orthopedic spine surgeon, Dr. David Kruger, will thoroughly evaluate your spine condition and devise an effective treatment plan for you.
To see Dr. Kruger or anyone else on our orthopedic medical team, contact our friendly staff today at (860) 728-6740. We have convenient offices across New England, and we look forward to providing you with the highest quality spine care!
