Newsletter Health &Wellness
5 KEYS TO A HEALTHY SPINE
INSIDE: • FINDING THE SOURCE TO PAIN CAUSED BY THE SPINE • PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT • EXERCISE ESSENTIALS • DISCOVER HOW TO LIVE PAIN-FREE ONE-ON-ONE PERSONALIZED TREATMENT WORK ACCIDENTS WE HELP YOU HEAL SPORTS PERFORMANCE ENHANCE YOUR SKILLS SENIOR PROGRAMS TREATMENT FOR ALL AGES
1. Watch your sitting. Sitting is the position that puts the most pressure on the low back. It is important to break up your sitting time throughout the day and take frequent breaks. Work in standing or walking tasks at various times throughout the day, limiting your sitting to about 30 minutes at a time. 2. Protect your spine with better posture. How you sit, stand, stretch and lift all play a role in the pressures on your spine. We all know to bend with our knees, not our back when lifting, but do you really do it? Really bend down deep with your knees to pick up objects off low shelves, such as in the refrigerator or shoes off the floor. When standing, walking and sitting, imagine a string pulling you up through the top of your head. This brings your neck, shoulders and back into better alignment. 3. Tighten your core muscles. Your core muscles are made up of your abdominal muscles, spinal muscles and pelvic / hip muscles. It is very common for these muscles to become weak with prolonged sitting, before/ after pregnancy, after surgeries or injuries. Strengthening your abdominal and hip muscles can go a long way to providing the necessary muscle support to your spine. Speak with one of our experts on what exercises are right for you.
4. Improve your nutrition. Your body is a machine and it needs the right fuel to run. Since you use your body all day long, it needs to rebuild itself constantly. The ligaments, tendons,musclesanddiscs inyourspineneed the right nutrition to stay healthy. Make sure to eat dark green leafy vegetables, lean protein and stay hydrated. Avoid smoking and fried foods, which actually harm your tissues and make pain more prevalent. 5. Get your spine moving. Your body was made to move, especiallyyourspine. It iscommonforareasofyourspine to tighten up, placing too much strain on other areas. These areas, then become irritated and painful. Restore the flexibility in your spine with gentle, specialized hands on therapy as well as specific exercises. Participate in Yoga and Pilates to improve your stability, strength and spinal balance. “If you hurt your low back, starting PT within the first 14 days can save you (on average) $2,700.” Make your back as healthy as it can be this year by investing in it. Physical therapy is the right solution to improving your spinal health and saying goodbye to that aching neck or back. Prevent future pain by seeing one of our specialists today. Contact us at 208-523-8879 to learn more about how you can return to a pain-free active lifestyle!
CALL TODAY! (208) 523-8879
www.EllisPhysicalTherapy.com
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