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When we say "let's get physical" we aren't referencing Olivia Newton-John's 1981 hit. We're referencing your commitment to fitness. Not everyone enjoys hitting the gym for an intensive workout or taking a walk around the neighborhood for low-impact exercise. And yet, regular exercise improves not only your overall health and well-being but your spine's health. A Weak Core Can Cause Back Pain Your back and abdominal muscles are both part of your "core" which is essential for stability, mobility, and flexibility. When your core is weak, it can produce pain that extends beyond just your lower back up into your ...
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Fact or Fiction Everyone has a guilty pleasure. For some people, it's chocolate. For others, it's bad rom-coms. And for others, it's cracking. In fact, Time Magazine reported that "from fingers and toes to necks and knees, everyone knows a 'cracker.' Up to 45% of people do it." But wait. Cracking your knuckles can lead to arthritis, right? Actually, no. Studies have been unable to find a direct connection between cracking and arthritis. Don't let that convince you it's okay to crack your back. If you're the type of person who wakes up every morning and cracks their back, neck, ...
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Summer and Back Pain Unlike many health conditions, back pain does not require an underlying disease to produce symptoms. Too much or too little exercise, improper lifting techniques, prolonged sitting, standing, or lying down, uncomfortable sleeping positions, lugging around heavy bags, carrying babies and toddlers...all these things can contribute to pain in your arms, shoulders, upper back, lower back, and legs. And it doesn't matter what your age, race, ethnicity, or level of fitness is. Back pain can occur in anyone at any time of the year. However, those who experience chronic back or joint pain may see an increase ...
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Some of the Best Foods to Aid in Back Pain Inflammation is one of the most prominent issues of back pain, causing joint stiffness, aches, and reduced mobility. So what can we do to help reduce this inflammation and alleviate these symptoms? Believe it or not, your diet can have a major impact on reducing swelling. Foods rich in omega-3 like salmon, cod, and tuna or seeds like chia and flax can act as an anti-inflammatory and do wonders for reducing pain. Here are several foods you should add into your diet, the reasons why, and the benefits behind them: ...
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Stretch To Strengthen Your Spine The spine is the core of your body. It's a complex system of interconnected bones, muscles, joints, and ligaments that work together to keep your spine stable, maintain your flexibility, and allow for a wide range of movement such as standing, sitting, bending, and twisting. Proper nutrition is essential but so is stretching. Stretching strengthens your core muscles to improve your balance and increase flexibility. No-Impact Exercises There is no "one size fits all" solution to back pain but there are little things that anyone can do improve their overall health and strengthen their spine, ...
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Get Outdoors and Soak Up That Sunshine After a long winter of up-and-down temperatures, high winds, and snow, Spring is a welcome relief. Spring is the time to throw open the windows to air out your home, get outdoors, and yes, clean! Spring maintenance generally surrounds yard work: cleaning gutters, clearing and planting your garden, mulching, raking the lawn, setting up patio furniture, and prepping your pool for summer. In fact, most people increase their physical activity once the warm weather strikes because they finally get out and walk or run, ride a bike, roller skate, skateboard, play tennis, you ...
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Water and Wellness One of the most common tips for staying healthy is to drink plenty of water and keep your body hydrated. But why? Why is water so important? It's a fact that: Water is the source of all life. Your body is 45-60% water. Every system in your body requires water to function. If your body doesn't have enough water, it can't perform at its best. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps, headaches, and back pain. Water is the most important thing to drink for a healthy back. It allows nutrients to travel to the major ...
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Love Your Spine As a child, you learn to drink milk because "milk builds strong bones." It's actually the calcium within milk and other dairy products that builds bones and maintains bone structure, even the ones located in your spine. According to American Bone Health, 75% of Americans do not get enough calcium. But why is calcium so significant? Spinal Structure The main part of your spine is made up of 24 bones, called vertebrae, that are held together by muscles, joints, and ligaments to form the spinal column: The Cervical (Neck) Region contains 7 vertebrae. The Thoracic (Chest) Region contains 12 vertebrae. The ...
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The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway Unless you're Elsa, those suffering from back or neck pain may notice that their symptoms worsen in cold weather. While the exact science is uncertain, the reason could be that muscles, joints, and ligaments stiffen in lower temperatures. Your spine is made up of over 120 muscles, 100 joints, and 220 ligaments that work together to keep your spine stable and maintain your flexibility and range of movement. Because of this, it's important to treat your spine right and practice good posture when sitting, exercise and strengthen your core muscles, and eat a balanced diet ...
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Dashing Through The Snow When it comes to Buffalo's weather system, anything is possible. There are times where it feels like we've experienced all four seasons in a handful of days, times when we think the high temperatures will never break, and times when we fear winter is never going to end. But one thing you can always count on is the snow! While we've been fortunate with mild temperatures and minimal snowfall, we are only on the cusp of winter, meaning the snow is coming. So as we sing about how "the weather outside is frightful, but the fire ...
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