Spinal Alignment
Spinal Alignment
When it comes to our health and fitness routines, finding balance (whether in our workouts or in our diets) is top of mind. But something we pay little attention to: how our bodies can slowly but surely shift out of balance just from reacting to daily events. Whether it's tensing your back when you're stressed, hunching your shoulders at your desk while you work, or even subconsciously adjusting the way you walk because of an injury, these little things can all cause your body to fall out of its natural alignment. Although these dysfunctions may start to feel "normal" to you, they can prevent your muscles from functioning as they're intended to.
It's also a big problem for fitness lovers since working out can make these imbalances even stronger by unintentionally perpetuating bad form or movement patterns. While every part of your body from your head to your feet can be misaligned, your spine can be the most debilitating and can decrease productivity in all aspects of your daily life.
Before trying to correct your spinal alignment on your own, check with your doctor to make sure you don't have a more serious, underlying problem. Some spinal imbalances won't need a chiropractor. If you don't have any serious medical issues, stretching, strengthening and relaxation techniques can help you improve your posture and your spinal alignment. Incorporate exercise into your daily routine in order to increase strength and offset muscle imbalances that could contribute to incorrect spine alignment.
Follow the steps below to properly regain your spinal alignment.
Step 1: Identify things in your daily lifestyle that you may do to hinder proper spinal alignment. For instance, if you spend long hours slouching in an office chair, you regularly wear shoes without support or you sleep on your stomach, you may need to make changes in those areas of your life to improve spine alignment.
Step 2: Rest your back while at work. According to Spine-Health, you place more pressure on your back while sitting than while standing. Make sure you sit up straight, with your legs uncrossed and at a 90-degree angle in order to decrease unnecessary pressure. If you find yourself crossing your legs regularly, this could throw your spine out of alignment.
Step 3: Use a stability ball as an office chair for short periods of time during the day. According to the American Council on Exercise, sitting or performing exercises on a stability ball will help strengthen your core muscles of the abs, hips and back, which contribute to improved posture. You don't have to ditch your comfy office chair, just use a stability ball for 20 minutes at the beginning of the day, then again for 20 minutes after lunch.
Step 4: Walk around and stretch regularly. Movement enhances the blood flow to the spine and encourages mobility and range of motion, making proper spinal alignment easier to maintain.
Step 5: Exercise daily, including both low-impact cardio and weight training to your workout. Improving strength, particularly in your back and abs, can help you improve your posture and align the spine.
Step 6: Add yoga to your exercise routine. Yoga takes you through a series of exercises that stretch and strengthen both the front and back of your body, helping even out muscle imbalances. Spine-Health notes that yoga can improve posture and spine alignment.
Step 7: Sleep in a way that supports your spine. Your spine should have the opportunity to rest, relax and readjust itself as you sleep; if you wake up stiff, you may want to address potential problems. If you sleep on your side, consider placing a thin pillow behind your knees. If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees and a towel beneath your neck. Avoid sleeping on your stomach if you can.
Kim Duke is a certified personal trainer and owner of Core Performance Fitness and Training located at 55 Bristol Lane, Ellicottville, NY. Kim resides in Ellicottville where she raised her two sons, Zach and Nik. For more information about her studio visit her Facebook page or www.coreperformancefitness.com. Kim can be reached at 716-698-1198.
