The spine is your body’s central support structure that helps you stay upright and connects the different parts of your upper body to one another. While this is the case, it often tends to be one of the most neglected parts of the body. Let’s first understand what the spine does before knowing why it’s so important to take care of it.
Functions Of The Spine
- The most important role that the spine plays is the protection of the spinal cord. The spinal cord is the nerve tissue that runs from the base of the skull down your back that carries messages from your brain to the rest of your body and vice versa.1
- It carries the weight of your entire upper body – your head, torso, and arms.
- It allows your upper body to move in any direction.
Now that you know what roles the spine plays in your body, here are 5 reasons why you should take extra good care of your spine.
5 Reasons Why It’s Important To Get Your Spine Checked
1. Your Spine Decides The Quality Of Your Life
It’s important for your spine to be strong for you to stay healthy in the long run. As you age, the chances of your bone health deteriorating are high. And because your spine is made of a number of tiny bones in addition to housing your spinal cord, it plays an important role in the way your entire body works. Taking extra care of it will help you stay healthy and active for a long time.
2. Your Spinal Cord Health Depends On Your Spine Health
Your spinal cord, which is the bundle of nerves connecting your brain to the different parts of your body, is enclosed by the spine. Any damage to the spine is bound to damage the spinal cord as well. This, in turn, is likely to hamper the functioning of most of your organs and your ability to feel.
3. Your Spine Might Be Deteriorating Without You Realizing It
Getting your spine checked is important to identify if your spine is misaligned. Your spine could start deteriorating as quickly as two weeks after misalignment. The health of your spine is also vital for easy movement of all kind. If your spine is injured, chances are any kind of body movement will become quite difficult depending on the extent of the injury.
4. You Can Rule Out Health Risks That Aren’t Accompanied By Pain
Your spine and spinal cord may be unhealthy even if you don’t experience any pain.2 Spinal examinations like posture, weight balance, scans, X-rays, and palpation – physically touching and feeling your spine to ensure its proper size, consistency, texture, location, or tenderness – are better ways of identifying whether or not your spine is healthy.
5. Spinal Injuries Can Cost You – Literally
Any injuries to your spine can be quite expensive to treat. Not just that, an unhealthy spine is likely to bring many more health problems with it. So, ensure that you keep your spine healthy at all times. That way, you don’t have to be worried about spending a lot on getting yourself treated.
Here are a few simple steps that can help you strengthen your spine.
Steps To Keep Your Spine Healthy
- Ensure that you maintain good posture at all times – even when you’re sleeping.
- Exercise regularly even if it’s for a few minutes a day.
- Don’t sit in the same spot and position for too long. If you have a desk job, get up at least once every hour and walk around for a few minutes.
- Exercise care while lifting things. Instead of bending at your waist, bend at the knees to avoid stress on your back.
Don’t wait till your spine starts showing signs of damage to start taking care of it. Consciously ensure spine health starting today to live a long, healthy life.
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