Top 10 Dumbest Things people do to their spines

People can be really dumb about their health. The way that they do things that they KNOW are harmful out of laziness, convenience, or delusions of grandeur has sent more than a few people to the chiropractor.

Here are a list of the top 10 things people do that inevitably lead to injury of their spine and associated organs:

1. Try to relive the “glory days” like you are 18 years old and starting varsity
2. Deciding to “start working out again” by running 10 miles on day one
3. Deadlifting
4. Shoveling snow without bending one’s knees
5. Kettle Bell swings
6. Sleeping in a La-Z-Boy
7. Sleeping on your stomach
8. Wrapping Christmas presents while sitting on the floor
9. Wearing high heeled shoes on a regular basis for long periods of time
10. Texting, sitting at the computer, and driving ALL with terrible posture

Is there hope? Of course there is. Most of these are activities that you can avoid or modify to meet your needs–what are your needs? Not to get injured…those are your needs.

I will welcome the disagreement from the weightlifters and crossfitters out there who are hurt about the shade I’m throwing at deadlifts and kettlebells. All I’m saying is let’s get a group of people of all ages and sizes and divide them between those who have done deadlifts and/or kettlebell swings for a significant period of time, and those who haven’t and compare the height of their L5/S1 disc on the lateral x-ray. I would foresee a statistically significant difference in disc height, lumbar spine lordosis, and osteoarthritis development–not to mention a higher rate of disc herniation, protrusion and sacroiliac inflammation in those doing these harmful exercises. Let’s do the study–prove me wrong.

The reality of all this is that people aren’t changing–they will forever be doing dumb things. Therefore, the best we can hope for is for people to be in the best possible shape going into these situations. In other words, which vehicle will do better–the one that drives through the potholes of Toledo or Michigan with already poor alignment and shocks, or one that is tuned up, and in the best possible alignment? The answer is obvious for your vehicle and it should also be for your body.

Let your chiropractor keep you tuned up so that you can do all the dumb stuff you want and we can minimize the damage and keep you doing the things you want to do…even if those things you do in the gym rhyme with “schmed-drifting.”