GUIDELINES FOR A HEALTHY SPINE

As we get older we often have problems with our spine. Herniated disks, arthritis of the spine, sciatica, scoliosis, spinal stenosis, rotator cuff injuries, neck problems and more. Spine pain has the capacity to change our lives significantly with forced inactivity as a result. That in turn leads to fragility, anxiety and a higher likelihood of falls. Among other things, lower back pain causes foot shuffling which in turn also makes falls much more likely. It doesn't have to be this way.

Many spine issues are complex and therefore can be difficult to resolve. However, treatment can actually be very simple. I have developed a different approach that has been effective both for me and for my students. You can reduce stress, pain and inflammation and provide a healing environment for the spine. It is not hard to do.

For a deeper understanding of this subject please click here to read about the anatomy of the spine. Included in this link are instructions on how to use the incredibly helpful skeletal diagrams of the nervous system called dermatomes.

As we age, the spine is burdened for different reasons.

  • Neck and Shoulders: Stress tenses the muscles across the back of the shoulders and neck. Chronic tension in this area causes poor posture and inflamed nerves leading to rotator cuff, arm and neck problems. If it is painful for you to lift your arms it is probably because of upper spine stress.
  • Rib Cage: When we slump the front of the ribs tighten and breathing becomes shallow. We receive as much as 30% less oxygen resulting in compromised health. This shoulders-rolled-forward posture also places our body weight off balance and it is harder and more stressful to stay upright while also placing us at a higher risk of falling.
  • Lower & Middle Back: We have many painful nerve problems like sciatica in the lower back. As we are less active and our core muscles weaken, compression takes a higher toll, squeezing the bones and disks of our spine, placing pressure on the root nerves, particularly those of the lower and middle back. The pain and stiffness that comes makes it much harder to pick our feet up and as a result we are more likely to fall.
  • Core: Our core weakens substantially as we age because we sit more. Core muscles serve the incredibly important purpose of protecting and supporting the spine and all the internal organs of the torso. When the spine has less support from the core, it is vulnerable to injury, misuse and the process of aging with pain often resulting. Without core strength we use the spine in a rougher, less graceful manner, placing even more stress on fragile joints with every step that we take. No wonder arthritis of the spine is common.

How can we reduce back pain?

  1. Reduce tension in the major joints and muscles near the spine: The major joints that buttress the spine are the shoulders and hips. When they are tight for whatever reason, they compromise the spine, throwing it out of balance. Relaxing those major joints goes a long way to reducing spine pain and inflammation. For the lower back, release the hip joints. To reduce tension in the neck and shoulders, stretch the muscles on the front of the rib cage and back of the neck while releasing the shoulder joints. (Lower back tension receives special attention below including specific exercises to do to accomplish lower back release that is simple and safe.)
  2. Stretch and release the spine itself using rotations, circling and lateral stretches, making the joints of the spine movable. Spinal joints move as a unit with each separate joint having a very small range of motion. Even though there is very little individual movement, keeping the joints adjustable and preventing them from becoming fixed is very important.
  3. Strengthen the core to reduce stress in the lower back: The lower back and the abdominals are designed to be in balance. When the abdominals are weaker, the stress of motion goes to the back joints, already fragile for other reasons. If the core is engaged, stress is placed more properly on the core muscles and the spine joints are allowed to relax, heal and thrive. 
  4. Strengthen the muscles of the upper back: When the muscles beneath the shoulder blades on the back are strengthened, the rib cage and neck are properly supported. This takes pressure in particular off the neck.
In general:
Tension where you need it (core).
Not where you don't (shoulders/neck/lower back).
We tend to retain tension in our shoulders and neck and lower back as a result of all the stress in our lives. We lose strength in our core because we sit so much. This is the exact opposite of what we need to do. As we age we need to reduce tension in the shoulders/neck/lower back while we build strength in our core. For more explanation and solutions please click on the link below:

A simple but novel way to release lower back tension and pain.

Although so many suffer from lower back pain and inflammation, solutions can often be hard to find. This is partly because the lower back area is a main crossing for many physical functions. All the nerves of the legs run through the lower back. Since the lower back is the bottom part of the spine, compression affects it more substantially. Poor habits and inactivity compromise the functioning of the area as well. But there is a simple solution to reduce the complexity of this situation. Read further for more information.

In general, keep the spine straight but relaxed, supported by an engaged core with movement enabled by relaxed hip joints.

After teaching simple Building Better Balance lower back exercises at a luncheon presentation, one of the attendees came up to me to say that the exercises had caused his lower back pain to disappear! The other 7 gents at his table experienced the same thing!

The exercises I have created for improving spine health are detailed throughout all 4 of the DVDs in the Building Better Balance series, but the 3rd "Developing Spine Health" focuses on it. Learn how to pick your feet up and no longer shuffle with "Walking Made Easier". Learn how not to fall in "Balance Basics". And finally learn an effective technique for reducing pain and inflammation occurring in any area of the body deteriorating or injured in "Arthritis and other Chronic Conditions".

Published August 30, 2019