Our health depends largely on the condition of the spine. And the condition of the spine depends on the muscles of the back and abdomen. If the muscles are weak, then under strain the spine can deform. Conversely, strong back muscles and a press maintain the spine in the correct position even under heavy loads.
Muscles of the back, located symmetrically on both sides of the spine, provide flexibility and mobility. And allow us to maintain the correct position of the body. Consider what determines your healthy spine, prevention in healthy and treatment of patients. The spine performs its functions if the muscles work properly. Excessive muscle tension, back pain with simultaneous weakening of the abdominal muscles leads to an incorrect position of the vertebrae. And this can lead to serious damage to the spine.
Control your weight
Each new kilogram of weight that you "nakushivaete, this is an additional load for the spine. Even if excess fat is evenly distributed throughout the body, it still overloads the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. That leads to premature wear of cartilage, pinching of nerves and deformation. Even more dangerous is the situation where most of the fat cells accumulate in the abdomen. Abdominal obesity most heavily loads the lumbar spine (the stomach pulls the spine forward). Obesity usually leads to relaxation of the abdominal muscles. The weak flabby muscles of the press aggravate the instability of the skeleton and therefore the curvature of the spine is possible. Therefore, an effective measure of prevention in healthy people with problems with the spine and treating patients is to control their weight.
Exercises for sports
The lack of movement also has a negative impact on the spine. Sedentary lifestyle provokes a constant tension of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. This means that their tissues absorb less and less nutrients necessary for continuous recovery. Premature wear of the spine occurs. Insufficient mobility also weakens the muscles of the abdomen, shoulders and neck. They lose their elasticity. As a result, they no longer fulfill their role, namely, to securely support the spine.
The best way to strengthen the muscles and keep them in good condition is the gym. To get the desired result, you must train every day. Preferably twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. In addition, it is worth at least a day to change sports. To train different muscle groups. But be careful! Not all movements are useful for the spine. The best sports are swimming (the most balanced option), fast walking, skiing and biking. Try to avoid the exercises associated with jumping. When landing, the shock load on the spine increases several times. Also inappropriate gymnastic feats. Enough simple warm-up exercises. However, in any case, especially if you want to intensively engage in any sports discipline, consult a doctor and coach at the club. You must be sure that doing sports does not hurt your spine, and do all the right things. Acting without the advice of specialists on your own initiative, instead of maintaining your healthy spine, you will only hurt yourself.
Sports can replace fast walking. Provided that you will make intensive walks on a regular basis, even in bad weather. The advantage of walking is fresh air (unless, of course, you are not strolling along the motorway). Use every opportunity to increase the number of kilometers traveled. Instead of going by the elevator to the second or third floor, it's better not to hurry down or climb the stairs. A leisurely climb up the stairs perfectly coaches muscles.
Always try to go straight
Correct posture has a positive effect on the health of the spine. Correct position of the body provides an even distribution of pressure on the vertebrae, intervertebral discs and joints. Prolonged excessive overloading of these elements of the spine can lead to various kinds of defects that limit our mobility and can even cause severe pain. Wrong posture is considered the most common source of back pain. In fact, incorrect posture leads to overstrain and asymmetry of muscles and ligaments supporting the spine.
Sometimes the cause of the various curvatures of the spine are irreversible degenerative changes. Most of us associate the health of the spine only with their own posture and a straight back. However, this is only one of its elements. It is also important that it becomes a habit to constantly keep the muscles of the buttocks and abdomen in tone. They provide important support for the spine. The more the belly hangs and the flabby buttocks become, the worse their muscles perform their work.
Beware of lifting weights
Especially harmful for the spine lifting weights. Naturally, performing daily tasks, we can not completely exclude this step. But you can minimize its negative impact on the spine. Just remember a few basic principles. Lifting heavy objects from the floor - crouch while keeping the back straight. All movements should be smooth. In no case can you lift heavy objects with a bent back and straight legs! If you lift the weight from the floor with a bent back, the pressure on the spine is doubled! As a result, the ligaments may stretch and disc disks may occur. Also you can not lift the weight with jerks. This is a common cause of a painful disc hernia. In addition, when shopping at a store, distribute their weight in two hands.
Choose the right shoes
Our women are probably the only ones in Europe who sacrifice health for an attractive image. European women have recently realized that it is health that is the most attractive feature of the fair sex. In this regard, ergonomic footwear from environmentally friendly materials has won popularity all over the world. And there is no place for high heels! Incorrect high footwear causes displacement of all parts of the musculoskeletal system. And ultimately leads to painful problems with the spine and joints.
When choosing shoes, pay attention to the sole and height of the heels. The soles should be soft and flexible. Thus, even walking on an uneven surface does not affect the spine. Rigid material of the sole does not provide cushioning when walking on asphalt and paving slab. This often leads to excessive muscle strain. Many people are familiar with the situation when after work or shopping the feet are literally buzzing! Heel height should not exceed 10 centimeters (4 inches). This does not mean that you should generally give up high heels and go exclusively to slippers. Just do not wear high-heeled shoes every day. Save it for special occasions.
Do not slouch
As soon as you sit down, the pressure on the spine increases to 150 kilograms! Like a weightlifter lifting a bar ... Compare, in the supine position on the back, the pressure on the spine is only 25 kilograms. Do you feel the difference? Of course, no one discourages you from abandoning your favorite chair. But we must learn to sit properly. If in the sitting position you are slouched and the back is bent by an arc, then the pressure on the spine increases to 175 kilograms. Continuous stoop, shifting the posture in one direction or the other in a negative way affects not only the vertebrae, but also the muscles. Some muscle groups are tired of holding the spine in an unnatural position, turning a healthy spine into a problematic one.
The culprit for the wrong situation is often furniture. Correctly arrange the workplace. Pay attention to how you sit, especially if you spend a lot of time at your desk. The height of the table should be such that you do not have to bend during work. The height of the chair should be sufficient to make your feet comfortable to the floor. And the hip joint and knees were bent at an angle of 90 degrees. The back of the chair (chair, car seat) should have a ledge at the level of the sacrum, and at the height of the thoracic vertebrae slightly concave. Ideally, the back should be tilted down at an angle of 5 degrees.
If you work at a computer, the monitor should be located opposite the face. If your monitor should stand aside, for example, so as not to interfere with communication with customers, at least every three months, move it from one corner of the table to the other. The keyboard layout should be below the elbow. Arrange it so that, while typing, the angle between the shoulder and forearm is greater than 121 degrees. Observance of these parameters will protect you from pain in the shoulders and neck. If possible, buy yourself a helium mouse pad. This will avoid pressure on the nerve end of the wrist, which is usually caused by the position of the arm on the hard surface of the surface. This can lead to irritation of the nerves and cause pain not only in the wrist, palm, but the whole arm.
Healthy sleep strengthens the spine
In bed, you spend 6-8 hours a day. During sleep, the spine should be in the right position, and the muscles - relaxed. If the bed in which you sleep is not properly equipped, it can cause back pain and even spinal injuries. The most important element is the mattress. It should not be too soft or too hard. The most correct position of the spine is provided by so-called orthopedic mattresses. They are much more expensive than traditional ones, but our health is priceless in general! When choosing a mattress, pay attention to the quality and reputation of the manufacturer.
Also, the health of the spine depends on the posture during sleep. The most natural pose is a dream on the side with bent knees - the embryo posture. The spine is also not designed by nature to sleep on the back. If you have already developed such a habit and you can not sleep otherwise, then place a small cushion or small pillow under your knees. This will reduce pressure on the spine. The most unhealthy is a dream on the abdomen - especially for women (due to "outstanding" anatomical features). This pose often becomes a cause of poor health in the morning, causes "stiffness" of the occipital muscles and back pain. Therefore, this habit should be fought mercilessly!
Adjust the seat in the car
Even a comfortable sitting position in your favorite chair in front of the TV has a great strain on the spine. And now imagine what kind of overload our vertebrae feel when driving on domestic roads! Therefore, even if you spend a little time in the car, your iron horse should ideally be adapted to your anatomical features. Be sure to adjust the seat height and backrest inclination. And so that your knees were slightly bent, the hips were placed horizontally on the ground, and nothing interfered with access to the steering wheel. To the gear lever and the pedals, you should easily reach out without any extra effort. If the seat back does not have a corresponding bulge at the height of the lumbar spine, place a pillow or pull a special cover.
The implementation of these simple recommendations will help keep you healthy spine, prevention in healthy and treating patients. Be healthy!