A Healthy Spine This Spring

Can you believe it’s already March?!

We didn’t have much of a winter, so many of our patients have already started their spring cleaning. Those conversations made us feel like this was the perfect time to share some spring-cleaning hints and reminders. While it’s always a great way to refresh for the new year, there are a few important things to keep in mind.

As you begin raking your yard and weed piles, cleaning flower beds, or tackling indoor chores, remember that your posture is so important. How you move and lift can be the deciding factor in preventing back injuries.

Here are a few tips:

1. Keep your spine neutral. Imagine a straight line from the top of your head to your hips and focus on engaging your core muscles, not your back. When you need to bend over, “hinge” at the hips. Don’t expect your back to take the load.

2. Lift with your legs. When lifting heavy items, bend at the knees and squat to pick them up, then come straight up using your leg muscles. If you can’t lift this by yourself because it is too heavy or awkward, it then becomes a buddy lift! Find a friend and try again!

3. Avoid twisting and turning. When raking, shoveling, or reaching to pull, be intentional with your movements. Keep tools close to your body and pivot with your feet. Maintain good posture even when sitting or kneeling.

4. Use the right tools for the job. This one always makes people laugh, but we’ve all done it, and it’s a great way to cause an unnecessary injury!

5. Warm up first. This is especially important if you’ve been sitting most of the winter. Don’t expect your muscles to do excessive work without proper stretching.

Our major takeaways are simple: move with intention, warm up your muscles, maintain neutral posture, and lift with your legs. And we’ll say it a thousand times: ALWAYS drink water! Do yourself a favor and stay hydrated.