7 Ways To Care For Your Neck And Spine In The New Year

The new year is officially here, but that doesn’t mean that it’s too late to make some resolutions that put your spine and your health first this year. We hope all of you have stronger and healthier spines in 2023, and to help with that process, we want to share some ways you can prioritize your spine health in the new year. Below, we share seven tips for caring for your neck and spine in the new year.

Resolve To Care For Your Spine In The New Year

If you want to have a strong spine and reduce your likelihood of needing to visit our office because of a neck issue, consider doing these seven things more regularly in the new year.

1. Exercise More – Exercise and activity will strengthen your spine and the areas of your body that help to support it, like your hips and core. You don’t need to become a workout warrior, but strive to work out more than you did last year or develop a routine where you get 30-45 minutes of moderate intensity activity 2-4 times each week. Your spine and your whole body will feel better because of it.
2. Care For Your Posture – Posture-related spinal issues send tens of thousands of people to the doctor’s office each year, so don’t become another statistic. Really be mindful of your posture when you’re seated, because poor posture can shift excess pressure onto your lumbar spine and lead to degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, sciatica and more. Perform regular posture checks and work on sitting up straight with your head positioned directly over your shoulders.
3. Drink More Water – Water helps to open our blood vessels and improve our circulation, and healthy blood is exactly what your spine needs to function optimally. If your body is dehydrated, you’re more likely to deal with spinal muscle spasms and cramps, which can be very uncomfortable. A good target to aim for is to take your body weight, cut it in half and then drink that many ounces of water throughout the course of the day.
4. Add One Active Hobby – Physical activity is great for your spine, and you don’t always need to achieve this activity through a specific exercise or workout routine. Take up a new hobby this year that helps to keep you active, and your spine will likely become stronger. Start cycling, swimming or training for a half marathon, and you’ll notice that your spine is stronger.
5. Limit Screen Time – This ties in with the point about posture. If you’re like most people, you check your phone pretty frequently throughout the day. All this time looking down and scrolling will put extra strain on your neck and cervical spine. Try to limit your phone screen time in the new year, and when you’re using your phone, have it out in front of you instead of having it positioned in your lap so that you’re not craning your neck forward to see your phone.
6. Strive To Stretch – As we get older, it takes a little more concentrated effort for our bodies to prepare for physical activity, and if we don’t give them that transition window, we can open ourselves up for pain and injury. Before you start your workout routine, go for a run or rake leaves in your yard, take a couple of minutes to stretch your neck, spine and whole body to ensure these muscle groups can transition to an active state. Failing to adequately stretch can leave you susceptible to strains and sprains.
7. Treat Small Issues – Finally, one thing we hope that you’ll do in the new year is to take care of a problem at the first sign of an issue. Oftentimes spinal issues are much easier to successfully treat when the problem is in its infancy. If you keep ignoring an issue and hope that it will go away on its own, odds are it’s only going to get worse, and that can also make it harder to fully treat. If you develop new neck or spine pain, don’t try to push through the pain. Instead, connect with Dr. Jackman or your primary care physician and take care of the issue before it gets worse and harder to treat.

If you can do these seven things, we’re confident that your neck and spine will become stronger in the new year. For more information about any of these tips, or for help with a spinal issue that you’re dealing with, reach out to Dr. Jackman and his team at Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.