World Spine Day 2023
With World Spine Day just around the corner on 16th October 2023, we are getting excited as it is one of our favourite events on the Calendar! World Spine Day is a one-day-campaign organised by the Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA), aimed at raising awareness about spinal health and wellbeing.
“Move Your Spine” has been announced as the theme of World Spine Day 2023, and so now we are calling out to you, to care for your spines by staying active and implementing some simple, but effective spinal health habits! Over the next month, we will be highlighting the ways in which you can help look after your spines and stay active through maintaining good posture, physical activity, responsible lifting and loving your spine by incorporating some healthy lifestyle adjustments.
To kick things off, we’ve put together our Top 5 Tips on maintaining a healthy spine:
1. Prioritise Posture Awareness: Maintaining proper posture isn’t just about appearances; it’s crucial for your overall well-being. Slumping, hunching, or assuming uncomfortable positions can exert significant stress on your body, leading to spinal issues, discomfort, reduced flexibility, and impaired mobility over time.
To cultivate good posture, practice mindfulness. Focus on keeping your spine in a neutral position with its natural curves intact. Keep your head held high, chin parallel to the ground, and shoulders relaxed but pulled back. Ensure even weight distribution between both feet, and when sitting, refrain from crossing your legs – keep your feet flat on the floor or use a footrest.
2. Implement Safe Lifting Techniques: Many of us lift objects without considering the potential strain on our backs. It’s essential to adopt proper lifting methods to protect your spine from vulnerability and potential injuries.
When lifting heavy objects, maintain an upright stance and bend at your knees rather than your waist. Engage the muscles in your legs and core to lift while keeping your back straight. Additionally, holding objects close to your body reduces back strain.
Whether you’re handling heavy loads, groceries, or shopping bags, always stay within your lifting capacity.
3. Embrace Regular Physical Activity: Physical movement is like medicine for your spine and overall health. Exercise is a powerful tool for improving your well-being and maintaining spinal flexibility and strength. Whether it’s walking, running, swimming, or dancing, every form of exercise contributes to your overall health.
While you work towards increasing your physical activity and fitness levels, you can also integrate small doses of exercise into your daily routine. If you spend most of your day seated, take periodic breaks to walk around every 20-30 minutes. Look for opportunities to stay active during your daily activities, such as opting for stairs instead of elevators, exiting public transportation a stop earlier and incorporating movement while on phone calls. These small changes can make a big difference in your daily activity levels.
4. Maintain a Healthy Weight: Excess weight stresses your spine, particularly the lower back. Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise can alleviate this pressure.
5. Love Your Spine: Love your spine by incorporating minor lifestyle adjustments, and gradually, these small changes will evolve into habits that fortify your back and enhance your overall well-being. If you currently experience spinal health concerns or want to seek guidance on enhancing your spinal wellbeing, get in touch for a consultation today.
World Spine Day 2023 is a fantastic reminder for us to take control of our spinal health and well-being. Chiropractic care at Chelsea Chiro offers a patient-centred approach that prioritises the individual needs of every client and their well-being. We provide chiropractic care for spinal health for all ages and ensure our adjustments are tailored to every patient’s specific health goals ~ whether relieving pain, or supporting overall spinal health and wellness and enhancing brain function with spinal adjustments.
Whether spinal health issues are impacting your everyday life, or you just want to function at your best, our team at Chelsea Chiropractic & Wellness can help. Our compassionate doctors and masseur have over 60 years of experience and aim to make your visit as comfortable as possible. Click here to make an appointment or call (08) 9389 6060.