Prevention and Wellness: Comprehensive Spine Center’s Tips for Spine Health

August 9th, 2024 by New Jersey Brain and Spine

Maintaining a healthy spine is crucial for overall well-being and mobility. A strong, flexible spine supports the body, allows for a wide range of movements, and protects the spinal cord—a key part of the central nervous system.

Being of such importance, how can you keep your spine in tip-top shape? Equally essential, what are the signs of potential problems? We’ve compiled these tips to help you maintain spine health and improve it if necessary.

Why Is Spine Health So Important?

The spine’s health is vital for several reasons. It supports the body’s structure, enables movement, and protects the spinal cord, which is crucial for transmitting messages between the brain and the body. Poor spinal health can lead to pain, reduced mobility, and even neurological problems.

These symptoms significantly impact quality of life and often contribute to lost work. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) attributes lower back pain as the leading cause of disability worldwide.

How Do You Keep Your Spine Healthy?

There are a number of strategies you can proactively implement to optimize your spine health. Here are three key practices to start with.

Maintain Proper Posture. Proper posture is essential for spine health. Whether you’re sitting, standing, or moving, aligning your body correctly ensures minimal strain on your spine. Use ergonomic furniture and practice posture that keeps your back straight, shoulders back, and head level.
Stay Active. Regular physical activity is beneficial for spinal health. Activities like walking, swimming, and cycling promote flexibility and strengthen the muscles that support your spine. Incorporate stretching into your daily routine to maintain spinal flexibility.
Watch Your Weight. Excess weight, especially around the midsection, puts additional pressure on your spine. Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise helps relieve this pressure and prevents back pain.

Can You Strengthen Your Spine?

If your spine is not as strong as it should be, there are ways to course correct that. These exercises are designed to train the smaller muscles closer to the spine, which are crucial for maintaining proper spinal alignment and reducing the risk of injury.

Bird Dog: Start on your hands and knees, hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back, keeping your body in a straight line from your extended hand to your extended foot. Hold for a few seconds, then switch sides. This exercise improves stability, balance, and coordination.
Segmental Bridge: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Slowly lift your hips towards the ceiling by peeling your spine off the floor one vertebra at a time, starting from your tailbone and moving upwards. Lower back down in the reverse sequence. This exercise strengthens the lower back and improves spinal articulation.
Side Plank: Lie on your side with your legs straight and prop yourself up with your forearm directly under your shoulder. Lift your hips off the ground, forming a straight line from your head to your feet. Hold this position for a set time before switching sides. The side plank targets the obliques and lateral stabilizers of the spine.

Don’t forget about stretching! Regular stretching improves flexibility, which can prevent stiffness and pain. Yoga and Tai Chi are great practices for enhancing flexibility and strengthening the spine.

How Do I Know If Something Is Wrong with My Spine?

One common question we get is, “How would I know something is actually wrong with my spine?” There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but the commonality among the following symptoms is a fairly clear indicator

Persistent back or neck pain
Sharp, localized pain or a dull ache
Difficulty standing or sitting for long periods
Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the limbs
Loss of flexibility or mobility

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional, ideally one who has expertise in spinal health, for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. We recommend a routine spinal health check in order to determine what might be at the root of these symptoms.

What Is a Spinal Health Check?

A spinal health check involves a thorough examination by a healthcare professional to assess the health and function of your spine. This may include physical exams, discussing your medical history, and possibly imaging tests.

Even if you’re not experiencing debilitating symptoms, it is valuable to pay attention to your spine health before you go down a poor spine health road. Regular checks can identify potential issues early, allowing for preventive measures or early treatment.

Why Is It So Important to Look After Your Back?

Taking care of your back is essential for preventing future spine issues. Simple practices like lifting objects correctly, staying active, and maintaining a healthy weight can significantly reduce the risk of back pain and other spinal problems.

By following these tips for spine health, you can maintain a strong, healthy spine that supports your body and well-being throughout your life. Remember, prevention is key. Incorporating these practices into your daily routine can help ensure your spine remains healthy for years to come.

A Comprehensive Guide to Spine Disc Herniation: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

A herniated disc is also commonly known as a slipped, ruptured or bulging disc. It is one of the most common causes of neck, back and leg pain. Fortunately, most herniated discs will heal on their own with simple treatments or at-home measures. Herniated discs occur most frequently in people between the ages of 30 and 50. The condition has been shown to affect men twice as often as women. What causes a herniated disc? While a strain or injury...

Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing Down the Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Approaches

Spinal stenosis is a painful narrowing of the spinal canal, which puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. The condition may frequently cause pain or numbness in the legs and feet. The condition mostly occurs in people over the age of 50. Symptoms may appear gradually over time. What causes spinal stenosis? Spinal stenosis can be caused by several factors. Normally the vertebral canal will provide enough room for the spinal cord and nerves. However, aging and age-related changes...

Preparing for a Lumbar Discectomy Surgery

A lumbar discectomy is a type of surgery that removes a small disc fragment in your lower back. This surgery uses a small incision to remove part of a damaged disc, which will help ease pressure on the nerve roots, helping to eliminate pain. Your physician may recommend this type of surgery if you have a herniated disc in your lower back that is causing symptoms. These symptoms may include weakness, pain, or tingling throughout the back area and legs....

Herniated Disc Surgery & Recovery Time: What to Expect?

A herniated disc, also known as a slipped or ruptured cervical disc, is a common cause of neck and back pain that can travel to other areas of the body. Herniated discs are often a common cause of disability and many patients are recommended for surgery. However, the majority of herniated discs do not require surgery. What causes a herniated disc? With the natural aging process, discs dehydrate and lose resiliency, making them more susceptible to wear. The problem starts...

Spinal Fusion for Scoliosis: Correcting Spinal Curvature and Enhancing Quality of Life

Spinal fusion surgery, or SFS, is the surgical treatment for scoliosis. It includes fusing two or more vertebrae together to help straighten the spine and stop the curvature from progressing. Most people diagnosed with scoliosis don’t need surgery; many don’t require treatment at all. However, spinal fusion surgery is reserved for those with severe scoliosis, or patients who develop scoliosis during their infancy. Without treatment for this type of scoliosis, curvature of the spine may progress and cause health complications...

Exercises and Stretches for Sciatica Relief

If you’re suffering from sciatica, there’s good news: Exercises and stretches are a viable route to sciatica relief. Sciatica is an extremely common condition, affecting about 40% of Americans at some point in their lives. Although sometimes sciatica improves on its own without significant intervention, it’s important for patients to know that there are ways to address challenging symptoms. What is Sciatica? Sciatica is pain from damage to or pressure on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is actually the...

Laminectomy vs. Laminotomy: What’s the Difference

Laminotomy and laminectomy are types of surgeries to remove part or most of a spinal bone called the lamina. The lamina is the back part of each vertebra (spinal bone) and covers the spinal canal, the area around the spinal cord. Both procedures reduce pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerves to relieve pain. What’s the Difference? The difference between these two different procedures is significant. A laminectomy refers to a surgical operation that totally removes the lamina. On...

Exercises and Rehabilitation for Spine Disc Herniation Recovery

Spine disc herniation has a range of treatment and recovery plans, ranging from more conservative and small-scale options to more intensive treatment. In many cases, specific exercises and rehabilitation will make the recovery effort the smoothest. As you assess your level of discomfort, consulting with a doctor can help you decide the best next steps for a full and relatively fast recovery. Spinal Disc Herniation and Treatment A comprehensive spine center can help provide you with the resources you need...

Dr Roy Vingan New Jersey Brain and Spine

Spinal Fusion Procedure Relieves Back Pain

Back pain. These are two words that can send a shiver down your spine (no pun intended). Back pain is a ubiquitous problem that plagues people globally and may originate from an array of causes, including poor posture, heavy lifting, injury, or underlying health conditions like osteoporosis, scoliosis, and herniated discs. Data from 2019 reveals that approximately 39% of adults had experienced back pain within the past three months. With almost four in every ten adults dealing with such back...