After you take the time and energy to visit the Chattanooga Non-Surgical Orthopedics team and correct your spinal problems and get out of pain, you want to keep it that way. Patients want a way to stay active without continued discomfort. Just like when you go to the dentist and get a cavity filled, they remind you to brush and floss to help prevent future cavities. For your spine it is stretching and exercise.

When patients ask what is the number one thing that they could do to prevent hurting their spine or joints in the future, we say stretching, and we have a Clinical Exercise program that is tailored to our patients and their individual needs.

We need to continually take our joints through their full range of motion. The older that we get the less we typically move. We spend most of our time seated, either in our car, at our desk or on our couch with our neck forward. This leads to joint restrictions and possible adhesions. Instead, be more child-like with your motion and move in different directions than normal. You should do some specific stretching every day. A common neck stretch takes 1 minute to go through all of the different motions, low back stretches take approximately 3 minutes, wrist/forearm stretches for computer users takes about a minute.

You should also do some activity to strengthen your core support muscles. For your back, one of the best exercises is planks. It doesn’t matter what type of plank you do; they all have different areas that they address. If you cannot do a full plank, you can do it on your knees or even leaning on the counter or wall. 

The neck may benefit from any type of isometric exercise. You can either press your head into the palm of your hand in each direction or you can fold up a towel, place it against the wall and lean your head into it. The more active you are, the more that you will use different muscles.

Just remember to stretch and exercise every day in some way. Your spine and joints will appreciate it.

For more about our Clinical Exercise or to become a patient of Chattanooga Non-Surgical Orthopedics, call us for an appointment today – 423-499-0003.