Best Spine Health Tips to Follow for a Strong Back

Nov 28, 2022

Living with back pain can be difficult and what’s more painful is to undergo back surgery for its treatment. Although back surgery has a great success rate, it is still possible to feel back pain even after the surgery. So it's important to learn the best ways to care for your spine and prevent getting a backache. Whether you're looking for methods to prevent back pain from occurring or need relief from an existing issue, here are some of the most common and effective spine health tips to follow to prevent backache!

5 Best Spine Health Tips to Follow

As it is said, prevention is better than cure; Living a healthy lifestyle can prevent the occurrence of back pain as you age. Based on the latest research, we have put together a list of the 5 most effective spine health tips that you can follow to live a pain-free life. Let’s dive in!

1. Always maintain a good posture

Good posture is one of the most important spine health tips one can give you. Proper posture helps to keep your spine in alignment and takes the strain off of your muscles and joints. It also helps to prevent pain and injuries.

There are a few simple things you can do to improve your posture:

• Stand up straight. Imagine a string attached to the top of your head, pulling you upward. Keep your shoulders down and back, and tuck your chin slightly inward.
• Sit up straight. When sitting, make sure your back is against the chair and your feet are flat on the floor. Avoid slouching or hunching over.
• Use proper lifting techniques. When lifting something heavy, squat down and use your legs to lift it rather than bending over from the waist. Keep the object close to your body as you lift it.

2. Keep your weight in check

Obesity is considered to be one of the major reasons for spinal deformation. People who are overweight find it difficult to maintain the right posture while moving around. Excessive abdominal fat puts a lot of stress on your spine leading to conditions like a degenerative or herniated disc. To keep your weight under control, you can follow the guidelines given below;

• If you are overweight, besides working on decreasing your belly fat you also need to do exercises to strengthen your spine. You can do different stretches and yoga poses that target back muscles.
• To lose weight fast, you need to be on a calorie deficit. What it means is that you need to burn more calories than you are eating. You can do this by having a calorie counter application on your mobile that tells you the number of calories in every food you eat.

3. Do Back Exercises

Any list of spine health tips is incomplete without back-targeting exercises. Having a strong core strengthens abs and back muscles. A sturdy core provides support to the spine and takes the pressure off your lower back. When lifting heavy objects, if the core is not built-up well, the weight takes a toll on the back and thus increases the chances of injury. You can do the following exercises to strengthen your back;

Bridges
Bridges are one of the most effective exercises that target lower back muscles. They are easy to do and do not require any equipment. You can do them at home with a little warm-up.

Partner-assisted stretches

For this exercise, you will need one of your friends or family members to help you. Lie down on your back with your palms on the floor. Bend your legs and have someone push them into your stomach gently.

Quadruped Leg raise

This is another exercise that targets your entire abdominal region, lower back, and hamstrings. See the demonstration to understand this exercise. You can also raise the arm opposite your lifted leg to make it more challenging.

Lift weights
Weight training is known to provide strength to the body and improve overall stability. You can target your back muscles with light or heavy weights. Some of the exercises you can perform with weight to target your back are Kettlebell swings, Deadlifts, Lat pull-downs, and single-arm dumbbell rows.

If you already have a backache, we would recommend you consult a doctor before you do weight training exercises for your back.

4. Eat Healthy

Spine Health tips also include changing your eating habits to improve your overall health. As already discussed, healthy eating habits also help to avoid obesity which is a major reason for spinal deformity. To ensure a healthy intake of food, you can follow the guidelines given below;

• Use dairy products as they are rich in calcium and vitamins, preventing your bones from diseases like osteoporosis.
• Vegetables and fruits are one of the primary sources of nutrients required by your body. Make sure your diet has different sorts of vegetables and fruits.
• Calcium-rich diet doesn’t do any good if your body is low on Vitamin D. Your body absorbs Calcium in the presence of Vitamin D that you can get from foods like salmon, egg yolk, and mushrooms.
• You also need to be disciplined in terms of foods you cannot eat. Alcohol and tobacco consumption can decrease the water level in your spine making it vulnerable to injuries. Cut down on tobacco and alcohol consumption.

5. Regular health checkups

Getting regular health checkups is something many people tend to avoid. But it is as important as all other spine health tips discussed above. There are many ways in which health checkups can keep you safe from getting a backache. Physical examination indicates any injury to the spine that can result in serious medical complications later. If any indications of injury are found, your doctor confirms it by scans like X-rays and MRI.

You might also want to read: Spinal Cord Injury and Diagnosis: Complete guide

See a Spine Surgeon in Los Angeles

If you feel any symptoms of back pain for more than a week, we strongly recommend you see a doctor. You can see a neurosurgeon in Los Angeles by visiting our clinic. To schedule an appointment, call us at 213-369-4583 or fill out the contact form.