How To Strengthen Your Spinal Discs

No one wants to deal with back pain, but 80% of the population will experience debilitating back pain in their lifetime. Also, many will experience this more than once! 

I have never heard someone say, “My back has been hurting me for 3 weeks now and I love it!”

If you’re in pain today, or looking for ways to avoid future injury,  you may be looking for ways to strengthen your spine to make it more resilient. Resilience comes from applying necessary stresses to build and adapt the spine to be able to resist outside forces and withstand whatever challenges come its way! 

When it comes to strengthening spinal discs, it's wise to start with the body’s core -- the set of muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support your spinal column and help your spinal discs move. The “core” does not just include the abdominals and the “mirror” muscles we see on the front of all the fitness magazines. The ever so sought after “6-pack” has nothing to do with the quality of the core in that person. It’s one thing to look strong in the core, but it is required to do a lot more than look appealing. It is very important in our spinal health.  

Not only does it need to respond to load, but also respond to changes in posture through movement, control spinal movement in all 3 planes, supply a solid foundation for the limbs to produce movement around, react to sudden changes in outside forces, resist extension of the lumbar spine, and the list goes on and on. ALSO, these core muscles are not only on the anterior (front) side of the body. They wrap around the sides and include the posterior (back) side of our bodies as well. Finding a way to balance, and use the core properly is a tricky task, but certainly one that we focus on at ProMove when dealing with low back complaints. It is vital to have a stable, sturdy “core” to resolve and prevent back pain. 

Why it Matters:

Your core needs to have a balance of strength and flexibility to perform at its best. 

 A strong core allows your body to have the support it needs to move, bend, and twist without causing injuries, and a flexible core is crucial to allowing the body to move well, through a full range of motion. This allows us to walk, pick up our children, walk up stairs, look from side to side in our car, play golf, squat, deadlift, throw a baseball, etc. 

 Together, these physical qualities help you keep your spinal discs healthy, just like our movement-based care comprised of chiropractic adjustments and functional rehab provide.

·       Core exercises can help your back maintain a balance of strength and flexibility. 

·       Movement of the spine promotes the delivery of nutrients to the spinal discs.

·       Spinal adjustments can improve your range of motion and help to decrease pain.

Next Steps: 

It's been said that we don't get old and stiff, we get stiff then old. 

It’s much easier to keep your spine moving than to get your spine moving! Our practice is here to help you stay active, healthy, and happy. 

 WE WANT TO KEEP ACTIVE PEOPLE, ACTIVE!

 Reach out to us today to schedule a visit to assess your movement and create a plan of action to keep you pain-free and at the top of your game. 

Science Source(s): 

Exercise and Physical Therapy for Treatment and Pain Management. Spine-Health. 2006.

Exercise for Sciatica from a Herniated Disc. Spine-Health. 2019.

Dalton Sealey DC, CSCS

ProMove Chiropractic & Performance

(402)915-4901

drsealey@promovechiropractic.com