Our spine consists of 24 vertebrae which house our spinal cord as it descends from our brain. At each vertebra, nerves exit left and right to travel all over our body. Our nerves are the pathways between our brain and our body; they create the vital connections that determine how our body responds to our environment.

As a crucial component of our physical body, how do we look after something so important?

Get Walking

Our bodies are designed to walk. We are creatures that are meant to be on the move continuously throughout the day. If your daily life doesn’t allow you to be on the move, can you increase how much you walk? Consider a walk to work (even a stroll around the block before you go to your home office), a walk at lunch or even using a treadmill.

Stand Up

If your job or daily routine require that you must spend a large portion of your day sitting, what can you do to stand up more? A favourite tip of mine is to set a timer every 20 minutes that reminds you to stand up for at least 20 seconds. Small habits like this can soon add up and result in considerably less sustained force on your lower spine.

Stretch and Mobilise

Whether it’s a stretch routine from YouTube, a Leisure Centre yoga class or a visit to the local Pilates studio, get your body moving! Stretching allows you to continue to use the full length of your muscles, tendon and ligaments and keep them supple.

Get Stronger

As we get older, muscle strength will deteriorate. However, you can influence the impact, speed and level of that decrease! Try adding in two or three sessions of exercise each week that use more than just your body weight which will not only help prevent your muscles wasting, but will also help build more muscle mass.

Massage the Knots

If you feel aches or pains in your muscles, such as your glutes or lower back, you can use a tennis ball against a wall to massage those areas and help release some of the muscle tightness. This will not only benefit the muscles but also the spine.

See a Chiropractor

If there is something bothering you with your body – such as pain or stiffness – or you just want to get your body checked over like a physical MOT, see your chiropractor as they might be able to help!

Heal > Adapt > Evolve