How The Back Experts Care For Their Own Spines
Category: Spine | Author: Stefano Sinicropi
They say that you should practice what you preach, and Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute believe that in order to help protect the backs of others, we need to take care of our own spines. But how are the experts ensuring that their spines stay healthy long into old age? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the ways spine surgeons work to keep their spines healthy.
How Experts Care For Their Back
As we’ve said countless times on the blog, prevention is much preferred to treatment, so Dr. Sinicropi and staff put in plenty of effort to help ward off common spinal issues. Some of the ways they do that include:
- Regular Exercise – Regular exercise is incredibly important for your whole body, but it is also key for maintaining optimal spine health. Exercise helps to develop key muscle groups that aid in spinal stability. When nearby structures can better support the spinal column, it takes pressure off the spinal vertebrae and discs, slowing the natural degeneration process. Exercise also helps to promote optimal circulation, ensuring that key structures receive plenty of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood.
- Posture Awareness – Now, a spine specialist may be a little more aware of the effects of poor posture and when they are in a poor posture position than the average person, but if you are willing to conduct some self checks throughout the day and make corrections as needed, you can improve the health of your spine. Avoid sitting for long periods or extended time spent looking down at your phone, as this will put excess pressure on your cervical spine. Mind your posture, and you’ll be able to ward off some common spinal conditions.
- Proper Diet – We don’t eat perfectly all the time, but we are aware that our bodies need a range of vitamins and minerals from food sources to function optimally. Calcium, Vitamin B, Vitamin D and iron are all nutrients that play a crucial role in healthy spine development and upkeep. Strive to eat a healthy diet full of leafy vegetables, vitamin-rich fruits, lean proteins and whole grains, and your spine will be able to get the nutrients it needs to thrive.
- Weight Management – Our experts also understand the correlation between excess weight and spinal conditions like disc degeneration and spinal stenosis. We’re not saying that we all have four percent body fat, but we understand that managing our weight is a great way to take an immense amount of stress off our spinal column. Really working to get regular exercise and improving your diet can help make achieving this goal a little more realistic.
- Taking Care Of Small Problems – Finally, one way in which our back experts work to keep their spines healthy is by caring for minor issues when they develop. We’re not pushing through the pain and hoping it will go away on its own. We’re resting our bodies, taking part in low-impact strength training exercises, participating in physical therapy and working to get enough restorative sleep every night. We know how easy it is for mild back issues to snowball into a major problem, so we always want to care for an issue in its infancy.
If you want to trust your care to a team who works hard to take care of their own spines, connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute. For more information, give our office a call today at (651) 430-3800.
