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Jumpstart Your Fitness: Tips for a healthier spine
Posted on Apr 21st 2008 6:00AM by Rigel CelesteFiled Under: Fitness
Your back is the key to everything. If you have a weak back you're suddenly weak all over. Injure your back and you're pretty much useless until it gets better. Having back pain means you hurt all over. The spine is the center of the human body, and all the muscles that connect to it help make up the core of who you are -- take care of your back and your spine and you're well on your way to taking care of everything else.Try these tips for having a healthier spine:
Stretch your hamstrings
It may not seem immediately obviously how stretching a leg muscle can help relieve pressure on your back, but if you have tight hamstring muscles your pelvis won't be able to move as freely as it should throughout all your daily activitites -- which leaves your lower spine to do all the twisting. Loosen up those hamstrings and have a healthier back!
Move around more
Moving around is apparently a problem for the majority of us, what with the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and the obesity epidemic spreading across the country, but doing simple things like standing up while you talk on the phone and taking lots of breaks at work to stretch can help keep your spine healthy. Sitting puts 3 times as much pressure on the discs in your back as standing does.
Don't smoke!
As if you needed another reason to quit, smoking has the general effect of decreasing circulation, and your back and spine need a lot of oxygen-rich blood flow to stay healthy.
Stay fit/Get fit
Again, this is about blood flow and oxygen -- being generally fit will mean your back muscles are strong and getting good oxygen flow.
Maintain your back's natural shape
Your back naturally curves inward down towards the pelvis, so make a conscious effort to maintain that curved shape in everything you do. Get a lumbar support in your chair at work, or sit with a pillow behind you. And if you need to lift something heavy remember to bend your knees (of course) and also stick your butt out.
Take up biking
Biking will help you build good cardio health (back to the healthy blood flow again!), and strengthen your legs and glutes. Be sure to get a bike that lets you sit up straighter and maintain your back's natural curve (hybrid bikes that can go on either mountains or roads are a good choice).
Save the crunches for the evening
In the morning the discs in your back are full of fluid, which increases the risk for injury, so it's wise to save exercises like crunches and curl-ups for the afternoon or evening hours.
