Spinal hygiene is simple. 'Take care of your spine and it will take care of you.' Throughout your life, you have been told to monitor your exercise, monitor your nutrition, and monitor your health. Spinal hygiene plays an integral part in your overall health. If your spine's health declines, so does the rest of your body. This is when you begin to feel the aches and pains of an unhealthy spine. (This can include backaches, headaches, muscle and joint aches) All you have to do is take care of your spine and it will take care of you!

The first thing you should do is have a healthy and nutritious diet full of fruits and vegetables. Next, you should be getting some form of active daily activity (We can form a plan designed especially for you for both of these things) Next, you need adequate sleep on a firm mattress. A soft mattress may feel nice at first, but in the end, it actually puts too much stress on our spines and ultimately our health. Last, and probably most important, you need to get a routine check-up on your spine by a chiropractor. This is because everyone puts stress on their spine in one form or another. (Again, think of the dental comparison. You go to the dentist routinely to help prevent cavities. We are trying to help lengthen the lifespan of your spine and your health!)

Think about this for a moment. A dog walks on four legs and has a straight spine. People stand upright on two legs and therefore have curves throughout their spines. Why the curves? They simply act as shock absorbers for gravity pulling us down (the gravity pulling us down is called an axial compression). Without these curves in our spines to help absorb the shock of gravity, we become more susceptible to muscle strains, ligament sprains, disc herniations, and neurological symptomotology! We can correct this by simply maintaining or rehabilitating our correct curvature throughout our spines.

Your spine is the key to good posture, and strong, solid posture is the backbone of feeling good and staying active. Many people, however, don't stand straight. Their heads droop, their shoulders round, their backs slump Over time, poor posture causes muscle weakness or tightness. Slumping while watching TV or using a computer may increase improper stress throughout your spine and cause our curves in our spines to deteriorate. This deterioration can cause a host of problems including migraines, midback and lowback pain. Carrying heavy bags or uneven loads worsens the problem. Our parents and grandparents were onto something when they told us to sit up straight and stand erect. Perfecting your posture requires a lot of attention initially, but with practice it becomes second nature. Good habits build good posture, and good posture gives you more energy, fewer aches and pains, and increases the lifespan of your spine.