Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

We oftentimes take our health for granted in our youth, which means we can feel the consequences of those choices when we’re older. However, if we are a little more proactive about how we treat our bodies and specific areas in it, like our spine, we can give ourselves the best chance to be physically fit long into our golden years. That process starts by doing a few small things now to help protect your spine down the road. In today’s blog, we share five things you should be doing now to help protect your spine when you’re older.

Do These Things To Benefit Your Spine Down The Road

If you can achieve these five goals, we’re confident that you’ll be setting yourself up for improved physical function and a reduced likelihood of back pain as you get older.

1. Regular Exercise – Arguably the most important aspect for continued spine and total body health is regular exercise. Physical activity gets blood flowing through our body and works to strengthen key muscle groups. The stronger your muscles and ligaments are, the better they can stabilize structures like your spine. You don’t even need to pursue an intense workout in order to achieve these benefits. Activities like swimming, cycling or even walking can help promote long-term spine health.
2. Weight Management – Your spine is tasked with helping to disperse the stress of your body weight as you move, so the more you weigh, the more pressure areas like your spinal discs need to handle. Over the course of months and years, all this extra pressure adds up and can wear down spinal structures, leading to degenerative disc disease and other problems like spinal stenosis. Minding your weight it important for your whole body, but overweight and obese individuals are much more likely to have spine pain later in life, so if you can manage your weight you can reduce your risk of back problems when you get older.
3. Mind Your Posture – As we mentioned in the intro, we oftentimes take our health for granted when we’re younger, and that sentiment is especially true when it comes to our posture. You might slump into the couch or hunch forward at your work computer and think nothing of the little soreness you feel when you eventually stand up, but that static pressure and repetitive strain can cause issues for your spine. Many people only start paying attention to their posture when certain positions become painful, but if you want to have great spine health when you’re older, start minding your spinal positioning well before symptoms develop.
4. Get Your Vitamins And Nutrients – Make sure that your diet is full of ingredients that help to support bone health. Our ability to replace old bone with new healthy bone slows down as we get older, so we need to ensure our body has the nutrients it needs to help with this process. Calcium and Vitamin D are two of the main nutrients to focus on, and you’ll find them in dairy products, leafy green vegetables and fish. If you’re worried about your nutrient intake, talk to your spine specialist about supplements.
5. Snuff Out Small Problems – Finally, a lot of spine problems and similar health issues only get better when they are actively treated. If you ignore back pain or try to push through any discomfort, it’s more likely to become chronic or never fully resolve, which can lead to more problems when you’re older. Take care of any problems that develop now, even if they seem small, so that they don’t snowball into a larger issue when you’re older.

If you do these five things when you’re younger, we’re confident that you’ll be laying the foundation for a healthy spine when you’re older. For more information, or for help with your spine pain, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today at (651) 430-3800.

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