Whether you have a genetic spinal condition or have suffered a spinal injury from an accident, maintaining your range of motion without pain is key to preserving your quality of life.
Although movement can feel difficult, becoming sedentary places you at a higher risk for increased spinal issues and pain.
According to Dr. Brandon Claflin of Tulsa, OK Interventional Spine & Pain, it’s important to engage in physical activities that are safe, guided by a healthcare professional, and approved by your care team.
Here, Dr. Claflin shares his five tips for protecting your spine while engaging in an active lifestyle:
Article Contents
1. Start With A Stretch
Professional athletes never take to the field or hit the pool without warming up, and neither should you.
Ask your doctor or physical therapist about the stretches that might be best for warming up your muscle groups, engaging your core, and still maintaining stability throughout the length of your spine.
Some back stretches to try:
- Lying on your back, raise your legs together, bent at a 90-degree angle until your knees meet your chest.
- Lower back rotational stretch. Lying on your back with your legs bent and feet on the floor, gently turn both legs to the left and to the right, back and forth.
- Cat stretch. Kneeling on your knees and hands, gently arch your back up and down.
These stretches can warm up the spine and get us ready for physical activity. It’s also a good idea to warm up the spine before attempting any kind of lifting or maneuvering that could place a load on the spine you are not used to bearing.
2. Get Blood Flowing
If you plan to lift weights, run (if approved), or do any high-impact activity, get your blood flowing first.
Walking briskly is an excellent way to get blood flowing to your muscles to get them warmed up and ready for use.
Warm up for about five minutes before you begin your first exercise to ensure your tendons, ligaments, and muscles are fully engaged.
3. Keep Your Back Safe
While weightlifting, running, walking, or doing any type of physical activity, you can strain your back unintentionally.
Keeping your back safe and healthy involves moving with the specific intention of keeping it safe.
There are several ways to prevent back injury while you move:
- Keep your feet planted firmly on the floor.
- Always bend at your knees. (Bending from the waist places an additional load on your back.)
- Engage your abdominal muscles by tightening them to help support your spine.
- Use both hands when lifting a weight or an object.
- Keep the weighted object close to your body.
- Rely on the larger, stronger leg muscle groups to bear the load.
- Breathe.
If you begin lifting something and it feels too heavy, ask for help or avoid it.
4. Don’t Overdo It
Moving with a spinal condition is possible, and there’s rarely ever an instance when you would want to completely avoid movement.
However, certain spinal conditions and situations mean that you are limited to the types of physical activities in which you can engage.
Some spinal fusion surgeons suggest that their patients avoid running and high-impact exercises for at least six months post-surgery.
If you are beginning to exercise post-surgery, make sure you are staying within your doctor’s guidelines for your rehabilitation.
If you are exercising through a spinal condition, ask your care team how much and which exercises are best for keeping your back safe and your body in motion.
5. If It Hurts, Stop
Many people attempt to “work through the pain” when they exercise, but this is almost always a bad idea, especially when it comes to your back.
If you feel your back tightening in a way that is uncomfortable, or if you feel any pain when you move, scale back your movement or avoid that movement altogether. You could risk further injury to your back or cause a non-back-related injury.
Move Safely
Moving safely is essential to keeping your back safe and your body healthy. Another integral piece of the puzzle is ensuring your back is supported during rest. While seated and while sleeping, proper back alignment helps you avoid back pain.
If you continue to have spinal pain during movement, speaking to a pain management specialist can help. Pain management doctors are skilled in helping you live the highest possible quality of life while keeping your back safely in alignment.
They’re also skilled in offering a more holistic approach to your pain, which may be a better fit for people with chronic back pain.
