Spine Health & Spinal Hygiene

You hear a lot of people talk about the benefits of walking, but may not know how it applies to you. If you have back pain, walking regularly can be exceptionally helpful by providing the spine with added support and increased blood flow. These three spinal health benefits of walking should be enough to convince you.

Walking Aids in Rehydrating Your Spinal Discs

Gravity is not your friend. Well, not when it comes to your back. From the time you get out of bed until you lay down again at the end of the day, the pressure of gravity compresses your spine. When your spine is compressed that means your spinal discs are too. These fluid-filled discs provide a cushion for your vertebrae, but the constant compression that occurs throughout the day due to normal activity squeezes out the fluid out of them.

Dehydrated discs can cause back pain and structural problems. That is why restful sleep and staying hydrated are extremely important for spinal health.

Walking is also important because it increases circulation throughout your body, including your spine. This increased blood flow helps to rehydrate your discs which improves your spinal health. It also helps keep your spine younger, staving off the effects of the aging process.

Walking Relieves Back Pain and Reduces Stress to the Spine

Walking provides a great low impact aerobic workout. It increases blood flow which helps improve mobility, flexibility, and range of motion. When you incorporate stretching, you can reap even more of the benefits of a healthy spine.

The human body is made to move. When you don’t move or are sedentary, your muscles become stiff and inflexible. Moving prevents that, but even if you are experiencing some stiffness walking, stretching, and movement can help you regain that flexibility.

You will also find that walking regularly also helps with stress relief. Lower back pain is a very common stress symptom but walking combats the effects by encouraging the release of dopamine.

When you are stressed, your pain sensitivity is increased. You feel pain more acutely and it is more difficult to manage. By reducing your stress level, you also make your pain more manageable but at the same time, minimize lower back pain.

Walking Improves Posture

When you don’t use your muscles, they become weak and inflexible – and are not able to do their intended job. The muscles of the back are designed to provide support to the spine. When they are not used they can atrophy and weaken, resulting in stooped or other improper posture.

Poor posture causes back pain by putting more pressure on the spine. This can lead to pain, soreness, tension, and headaches. Without the necessary support, it can also lead to misalignment of the spine which can cause a number of problems.

Walking strengthens the supporting muscle groups so that your back muscles get stronger. Your spine gets the structural support that it needs. As your back muscles get stronger your body will naturally begin to adopt a correct posture. The benefits of good posture include improved organ function, reduced pain, less fatigue, and easier breathing.

Walking is good for your whole body as well as your mind. When you walk to reduce back pain you are also doing great things for your body. If you have any questions about the proper form or how to achieve better, healthier posture, your chiropractor can help you. The spine is such an important part of the body; it does so much. Do your best to protect it and keep it in good health. In return, it will keep you moving for a long, long time.

Effective Chiropractic Care

If you are one of the seven out of 10 Americans who have back pain, you are probably looking for relief. What you probably aren’t looking for are injections or pills with harmful side effects. Your doctor may have told you that exercise is a great way to naturally relieve pain, but you aren’t sure where to start or even what activity is best.

Running and walking are both good exercises, but they aren’t for everyone. Some back pain patients can run with no problem with others have significant trouble. So, which is better for back pain sufferers? The answer might surprise you.

Benefits of running

When it comes to health benefits, running and walking, don’t differ much. Both help to decrease your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension as well as lower your cholesterol.

Running also has the added benefit of increasing the bone that connects the femur head to the shaft, substantially strengthening the hips and helping to prevent hip fractures. Both running and walking burn calories, facilitate weight loss and can help to make you healthier. However, one activity is a lot harder on the back, so if you have chronic back pain, there are some things you should know.

How running affects the back

Running puts repetitive impact and stress on the back. If you have a problem with your lower back, running can exacerbate it or lead to additional issues like sciatica.

You can experience back muscle spasms, muscular strain, and other centralized lower back pain. If you have disc problems, the high impact nature of running can make put a lot of stress on your spine and make your disc problems worse. 

How walking benefits back pain sufferers

Walking is a much lower impact activity than running. Although some back problems can be made worse by walking, that is relatively rare.

Most back pain is relieved with walking, and you can enjoy other great benefits as well. By adopting a regular walking routine, you will strengthen your hips, legs, ankles, and feet as well as your core.

This helps to provide better stability for your spine. It also helps to increase circulation in the spinal structures, draining toxins, and pumping nutrients into the surrounding soft tissues.

Pain often restricts mobility. Walking helps to improve range of motion and flexibility. You will find that your posture improves as well as your mood. A stronger body and increased flexibility help to prevent injury.

Walking at least three times a week for at least 15 minutes is great for overall wellness and a strong body. Combine it with a healthy diet and stress relief techniques, and you will look, feel, and move better – and your pain will be easier to manage.

Make walking work

When you start your walking program, don’t push too hard too fast. Go at your own pace and start slow. If you have a higher fitness level, you may want to try speed walking. After a five-minute warm-up, walk as fast as you can for about 8 minutes then slow to a moderate pace for two minutes to cool down.

You can also engage your core muscles by using several techniques. Walk on an incline or using walking poles are excellent for strengthening the core. Pulling your abdominals in toward your spine while you walk is also a great move.

Running is beneficial for your health, but it isn’t for everyone. Walking is a far better choice for most patients with lower back pain. You may even find that your pain is alleviated altogether so get out there and get moving.

Severe Back Pain Chiropractic Treatment