Many of us take our spine and its ability for granted when it is healthy.
Once we feel pain, however, we begin to understand how our spine affects our lives much more than we initially thought.
Your spine, also referred to as the backbone, is made up of 24 vertebrae that form a column. This column spans your entire torso, from the base of your skull, all the way down to your pelvis as a protective system for harm prevention. It’s very knowledgeable and aware of everything you do.
Discs are made of a gel-like substance contained in fibrous tissue and are found in between each vertebral segment (two spinal bones). These discs absorb shock and allow for motion along the spine with the muscle and nervous systems interaction.
Through the centre of the column is the spinal cord, encased by the vertebrae for support and protection. The spinal cord is connected directly to the brain by way of the brain stem at the base of the skull.
The nerves; the central nervous system of the brain goes down through the boney spinal system, and the peripheral nerves, that branch off from the spinal cord go to connect all areas of the body and then return back to the brain for proper control.
Because the spine plays such a key role in the functions of the body, it is easy to see why proper spinal care is important to your overall health and wellness.
Because the spine is so inter-connected with other body systems,
it is important to consider proper spine care and injury prevention.
The main functions of your spine are:
- To protect your spinal cord and related essential nerves
- To give structure and connection for our hips, legs, shoulders and arms
- To serve as an attachment to muscles that enable movement
- To provide framework and support for skull and ribs
To ensure the health of your spine it is important to:
- Be Active (and smart about your activity)
- Eat Well
- Reduce Stress
Chiropractors can provide additional recommendations and advice specific to your own individual needs and capabilities.