How many times a day do we flex our spine?

We are living in a world where our body is in a constant state of flexion.  We sit at a desk flexing our hips and lumbar spine while at the same time flexing our neck as we work on our computer.  We sit in our car driving to and from work with our hips and low back in a flexed position.  We look down at our phone, tablet or laptop with our neck in a forward flexed position.  

It’s no wonder our normal everyday life is wearing out our spines!  Patients that are “career sitters” have just as much disc and spinal damage as those that have done manual labor their whole life.  

Researchers published a study in the European Spine Journal that looked at 208 non-symptomatic volunteers during their daily living over a 24 hour period. They wore sensor strips on their lumbar spine to measure sagittal (forward and backward) spinal movements. Researchers found that the volunteers reached full spinal flexion on average 50 times per day and reached full spinal extension 0 times per day. 

Prevention of a Bulging Disc is Key!

If it’s impossible for you to avoid some of the flexing movements that can lead to a bulging disc, there are some key ways to prevent the injury even while at your desk job.

• Exercise regularly. Strengthening the trunk muscles helps stabilize and support your spine.
• Keep good posture. Remind yourself to keep your back straight and in a neutral position, especially when sitting at your desk for long periods. Take breaks to avoid sitting for hours on end, and remember the old adage: lift heavy objects with your legs, not with your back!

Read more on our website!

Get Relief from Bulging Disc Pain by Seeing Your Chiropractor in Ann Arbor

If you’re experiencing a bulging disc, you know the pain can disrupt your day and keep you from doing the things you love.

If you’re having arm or leg pain, numbness or tingling, or even noticing weakness in your arms or legs, Pivotal Chiropractic can help. Remember: you could have a herniated or bulging disc without showing symptoms! Regular adjustments at the chiropractor can help avoid these issues before they even begin.
To schedule a complimentary consultation, where a conversation is never a commitment, contact us at 734-221-0362.

What is a Bulging Disc?

When we think of spraining ligaments or joints, we usually think of the ankle or wrist.  In reality, most neck and back pain is actually a sprain injury to the posterior wall of one or more spinal discs. This causes weakness in the disc’s annular fibers, causing it to bulge or herniate.  

Most often, people feel this pain as stiffness or achiness and dismiss it as muscular. However, most of the time the pain you feel in these cases isn’t due to muscle soreness.

Did you know…

• Over 80% of neck and back pain demonstrates characteristics of disc bulges
• 50% of healthy young adults have at least one level of disc degeneration/ bulging.
• 9 out of 10 work related back injuries involve flexion or a combination of flexion and rotation – the most vulnerable positions for a disc.
• In the lumbar spine, the intervertebral disc mechanism is responsible for the production of symptoms in as many at 95% of patients.

The disc is the source of pain in up to 90% of overall neck and back pain conditions.  This can be mild – causing general tightness and achiness – to severe – unrelenting pain that radiates down the arms and legs, numbness and tingling, or even muscle atrophy or weakness. 

Luckily, most disc bulges and herniations can be resolved with the right treatment plan, which includes specific spinal corrections and disc-reducing exercises.  

Read more on our website!

Get Relief from Bulging Disc Pain by Seeing Your Chiropractor in Ann Arbor

If you’re experiencing a bulging disc, you know the pain can disrupt your day and keep you from doing the things you love. 

If you’re having arm or leg pain, numbness or tingling, or even noticing weakness in your arms or legs, Pivotal Chiropractic can help. Remember: you could have a herniated or bulging disc without showing symptoms! Regular adjustments at the chiropractor can help avoid these issues before they even begin.

To schedule a complimentary consultation, where a conversation is never a commitment, contact us at 734-221-0362.