It definitely feels like fall here in downtown Toronto. Our downtown Toronto Chiropractic Clinic has been flooded recently with calls from new chiropractic patients. Almost all of these new patients have neck and back pain caused by poor spinal habits. As a result, I felt it would be a good idea to share some healthy spinal habits.
Move Your Body!
Of all the tips for a healthy spine, this is the biggest! As the colder weather develops in fall, people develop a more sedentary lifestyle. As a result, people develop poor posture, muscular imbalances and tightness. Ultimately this leads to increased tension on your spine and begin to develop back and neck pain.
One of the best tips I can give you is to set up a timer for 30 minutes. If you have been sedentary for more than 30 minutes, get up and move around for at least 5 minutes. Try to incorporate 3-4 minutes of walking and 1-2 minutes of stretching. If you are looking for some helpful stretches, read one of our previous blogs here.
Stay Hydrated!
Make sure you are drinking at least 2-3 litres of water each day! Dehydration can lead to increased levels of pain in the body and spine. For example: dehydration can cause headaches, muscle pain, arthritic pain and back and neck pain.
In your spine, you have inter-vertebral discs, which have a significant water component to them. Dehydration can lead to changes in water levels in your spinal discs. Consequently, this could lead to you exacerbating and spinal health problems.
Determine your hydration levels by the colour of your urine. As an example: dark yellow urine means you are dehydrated. As a result, you need to drink water until your urine turns clear. Consequently, you will be fully hydrated!
Work Ergonomics!
As a free service to our existing patients, we offer a virtual ergonomic assessment of their workstation. As a result, this has allowed patients to have a much better workplace ergonomics. Whether you are working in the office or working from home, a proper workplace ergonomic setup is key. A bad ergonomic setup results in increased forward head posture and slouching. Consequently, this results in an increase strain on spinal muscles and puts extra pressure on your spinal nerves. Schedule an ergonomic assessment today.
If you have questions or would like to schedule a spinal assessment, contact us today. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook to stay up to date with all the best spinal health tips.
