5 minute read
By Gerardo Zavala II, MD, FAANS
By Gerardo Zavala II, MD, FAANS
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If you've been searching for helpful tips on how to prevent or reduce joint and back pain, you have come to the right place. We will be discussing some of the best tips to maintain health within the joints, neck, back and spine. While this list is a great starting point, always consult your primary care physician for further analysis of your unique condition to establish a good starting point on your journey towards health and wellness.
Starting with the basics
The foundational aspects of health and wellness consist of many factors. Below is a breakdown of some of the first steps you can take to promote a healthier body.
Maintain movement
Maintaining movement is key to ensuring our joints, neck, back and spine remain healthy and mobile. Without consistent, steady movement throughout periods of the day, we will possibly begin to develop muscle atrophy. Through atrophy of the muscles, we will lose out on valuable core strength which helps support our neck, back and spine. Additionally, having leg strength developed through natural movement to support our body weight as we walk, run and exercise is crucial to maintaining safety while participating in various activities.
Build strength and stamina
Building strength and stamina across our entire body is ideal, yet it’s still beneficial to start slowly with your strength and stamina routine, then go from there. Without the proper amount of strength and stamina, one may be prone to injuring themselves while participating in everything from basic activities to intense sporting activities. Having the right amount of strength and stamina may help prevent injuries from occurring through core strength, balanced stability, quicker reaction times and muscle memory.
Address ongoing problem areas through physical therapy
Physical therapy is an amazing tool to help sort out problem areas within the body’s muscles, neck, back, spine and joints. One of the steps to take if you know you are suffering from
tightness, aches, pains or stiffness from a past injury is to enroll the help of a qualified physical therapist. Physical therapy professionals have the ability to work with your body’s conditions in a non-invasive manner to promote blood flow, muscle movement, flexibility and regain strength over time.
Stretching
Stretching is a great activity to do at the beginning of the day. It certainly sets the tone for the rest of your day when you have a nice, relaxing stretching or yoga session. Stretching helps the body prepare for the day’s activities after a restful night of sleep. Stretching is also something your physical therapist will likely guide you on to best assist with the at-home care regimen portion of your physical therapy routine.
Staying hydrated
Staying adequately hydrated is crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Chronic dehydration is one of the leading causes of many conditions of the joints, neck, back and spine developing over time. Water helps our bodies maintain adequate hydration and in turn allows our bodies to have lubricated joints and functional processes throughout our entire bodily system. Below is a quick list of how water helps our bodies: • Aids digestion and rids the body of waste, • Helps lubricate your joints, • Produces saliva which helps you eat, • Balances your entire body’s chemical structure, • Helps your brain create the right hormones and properly send neurotransmitters, • Delivers oxygen throughout your body, • Cushions your bones, • Helps regulate body temperature.
Healthy diet
A healthy diet is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A diet rich in healthy vegetables, fruits, meats, nuts and grains will help you live a healthier, happier life. Eating organic, real foods is the best way to go when it comes to helping your body heal and remain on the right course to wellness once again. Foods rich in vitamins, nutrients and minerals may help your body form the right tools it needs to properly recover and internally resolve problems. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet is the right choice and this can be accomplished with the help of a certified nutritionist who specializes in anti-inflammatory diet regimens. Reduce inflammation through better lifestyle choices
Reducing inflammation is another great way to help with the prevention of neck, back, spine and joint pain. Alcohol and tobacco use contribute to inflammatory responses within our bodies. Eliminating those habits will not only reduce inflammation throughout the body, but it may also help you avoid other diseases later in life such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis.
Reduce stress
Reducing stress is easier said than done, yet it’s still important to recognize what really matters in life, and that is your health. If you’re constantly stressed out about something in your day-to-day life, you’re more than likely going to experience side effects of said stress over time. It is best to seek professional help if the stress becomes too much for you, and this may in turn allow you to relax and recognize the areas of your life that you can manage. Mental health is just as important as physical health. We tend to carry the weight of our stress throughout our back, neck, spine and joints. This can cause everything from poor posture to develop, tension throughout the lower and middle back to develop, or even our back to “give out” when we have high levels of cortisol and adrenaline running through our system. Learning to manage stress can make such a positive difference in all areas of our lives.
Incorporate healthy lifestyle adjustments daily
While this list is just the beginning of managing the prevention of joint and back pain, it’s important to discuss your various treatment options with your doctor. They can determine the next best step to take when it comes to successfully treating your condition(s). Making small steps in the right direction towards health and wellness is much easier than trying to accomplish everything all at once. Start incorporating healthy lifestyle choices day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month and year-by-year. You will most likely notice a compounding effect of the positive results over time. Joint and back pain is common, yet it doesn’t have to be when you start taking the appropriate action to best address your condition. I hope you have enjoyed reading this article and wish you the best in your journey towards healing.
Gerardo Zavala II, MD, FAANS is a board-certified neurosurgeon serving San Antonio and surrounding cities since 2009. Dr. Zavala brings extensive training in minimally invasive spinal surgery, scoliosis correction, degenerative spinal stenosis and herniated disc disease. He is a member of the Bexar County Medical Society.
