Everyone deserves to relax at the beach, but we can’t let our spinal health go by the wayside! It only takes 10-15 minutes in one position for our ligaments to begin to lose elasticity, which can put stress on your spine and nervous system. These tips can help prevent injuries and encourage spinal health!
- Get up and take a walk – Just like I commonly tell patients to get up from their desks at work for at least 10 minutes every hour, you need to keep that rule in mind at the beach as well! Take advantage of the beautiful weather and break from your office and get your body moving! Barefoot walking (aka "grounding") in the sand has numerous health benefits for the spine and nervous system.
- Don’t look down at your book – We all love catching up on summer reading at the beach, but arching your neck forward while reading your books may cause problems in your cervical spine. You can combat this by holding your book closer to eye level while keeping your head and neck upright.
- Try not to spend too much time laying on the sand face down – this popular sun tanning position can be a potentially harmful position for your spine because it can cause stress on the vertebrae in your lower back and neck. Keeping your head in a neutral position, or lounge chairs with a cutout for your face like this one (http://www.brookstone.com/Ergonomic-Comfort-Lounger) can help prevent stress on your spine!
- Drink plenty of water - Our intervertebral discs are the shock absorbers for our spine. Keeping hydrated helps to nourish your spinal discs since they are primarily made up of water.
- And most importantly, make sure you RELAX - Stress builds up in our body and causes dysfunction in our body and nervous system. Relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing (along with regular chiropractic adjustments) help reduce and manage the stress that builds up in our body and nervous system. When we reduce the stress in our bodies, they can heal and function better!
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