Spinal Health
As the days get longer and the warmer weather arrives, many of us naturally become more active. We are starting to spend more time outdoors, gardening, and enjoying movement again after the winter months. This is the perfect time to think about your spinal health.
Spinal health is a key part of overall wellbeing, as the spine not only supports posture and movement but also protects the nervous system, which coordinates every function in the body.
Fundamentals
Your spine is like the foundation of a house, made up of 24 moveable vertebrae, cushioned by discs, supported by muscles, and guided by ligaments to help you move. When the spine isn’t functioning well, it can lead to pain, stiffness, headaches, and reduced energy. Everyday habits like good posture, regular movement, and avoiding excessive strain help keep the spine strong and resilient, providing a foundation for overall wellbeing throughout life.
The spine and nervous system
The spine and nervous system work together like a communication superhighway for the body. Your spine protects the spinal cord, which carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body, controlling movement, sensation and organ function. If the spine isn’t moving or aligned, it can place stress on the nervous system, which may affect how efficiently these signals travel.
Research suggest that when the nervous system becomes more aware of the spine and how it moves, it can better control spinal motion, which may help reduce small stresses and improve overall function.
Overtime, this increases awareness and can also support body perception, emotional balance and overall wellbeing. Studies have shown benefits such as less pain, reduced anxiety and depression, more energy and better sleep.
Small spines matter too.
At birth the spine makes up 40% of a baby’s total body length and around 50% by the end of its first year. As children grow, the vertebrae, disc, muscles and ligaments all develop together to keep the spine strong and flexible. Building resilience to deal with the unique stresses children face from playground tumbles, heavy school bags, and even too much screen time. Keeping the spine healthy from a young age is important for proper growth, energy, emotional regulation and overall wellbeing.
Chiropractic Care and your spine
Chiropractic care focuses on supporting your spinal health by restoring spinal motion and alignment to help optimise nervous system function. This helps to support better coordination, movement and overall body function.
Studies have shown that chiropractic care supports the spine by improving…
Nerve communication - Helping our nerves to send and receive messages in the body to support coordination and movement
Muscle function - Improving muscle strength, joint position sense and force generation
Autonomic nervous system - The system that controls everything that is automatic in the body. Chiropractic care influences functions such as heart rate and blood pressure by reducing stress on nerves.
Chiropractic, not just for when you’re in pain
You don’t have to be in pain for your spine to benefit from chiropractic care. Signs that it may be time to give us a visit at Eastern Bay chiropractic can be… Stiffness, reduced range of motion, frequent tension, fatigue, difficulty moving comfortably during daily activities.
Even subtle changes in how your body feels or moves can indicate your spine and nervous system could use some extra support. Addressing these early can help prevent further problems and improve overall wellbeing.
References
Sampath, K., et al. (2024). Effectiveness of spinal manipulation in influencing the autonomic nervous system - a systematic review and meta analysis. The Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy.
Robinault L., et al. (2021). The Effects of Spinal Manipulations on Motor Unit Behaviour. Brain sciences.
Haavik, H., et al. (2024). Neuroplastic responses to Chiropractic Care: Broad Impacts on Pain, Mood, Sleep and Quality of Life. Brain sciences.