The New Year is always a great time to make resolutions and promises that may or may not be kept. But how about making some promises to take care of your spine a little better this year. Here are some not so obvious things you can do now to ensure you stay pain free, healthy and happy in 2012…
1. Clean out your purse and wallet. We tend to keep too much junk. We all know that a heavy purse is a heavy burden on your shoulders and neck. So empty out your purse and make a resolution to do a deep cleaning every month to make sure your carrying the lightest load possible. As for men who carry their wallets in the back pocket, please stop now. Try to change that habit and put your wallet in the front pocket. It causes major pelvic/hip shifts when you sit down (think about sitting on a wedge every day).
2. Do some maintenance on your office chair. Office chairs take a lot of abuse throughout the year. They need maintenance too and this is a great time to do it. Make sure all screws and knobs are tightened and adjust it for your particular height and posture. Also, if you think you might need a better chair, talk to your boss now. Annual budgets usually start in January and you’re more likely to get funds for a replacement now then in October.
3. Flip your mattress. Yes, your mattress should be flipped preferably once a month and rotated the next month. If you have a pillow top, check to see if it’s on both sides. If not, then at least rotate your mattress once a month.
4. Check your shoes. Do you know when you should throw away a pair of shoes? Is it only when they’re falling apart? No, check the bottom of your shoe for un-even wear and tear. Normally, your shoe will wear on the back, outside edge of the bottom. Wear is normal but when the wear and tear is not even from left to right shoe, then it might be a time for change.
5. Stretch on days you don’t workout. Dentist have done a great job of promoting “Dental Hygiene” well it’s about time us chiropractors really start stressing “Spinal Hygiene”. But you can’t brush your spine clean like your teeth? No, but you can stretch! Stretching is a great way to make sure muscles are not pulling and putting pressure on your spine. We all know a good stretch feels great. Don’t wait until you’re in pain to stretch. You should stretch in the morning (after a long night of immobility) and at night time (after a long day of daily activities). Morning and night, kind of like brushing your teeth…
There are hundreds more of these little things you can do to prevent problems from arising but let’s try to keep things simple and easy. New Year’s resolutions can be difficult to keep up with but can pay huge dividends if you are able to make these changes permanent…
