Spine Wellness

Welcome to the Spine Wellness blog sponsored by Indiana Spine Group.  With this blog we hope to provide information related to spine health and wellness that may be beneficial to you or someone you know. 

You may be predisposed to certain inherited tendencies for spine related conditions, however, your lifestyle choices can greatly influence you health.  Items discussed will include information regarding the effects of smoking and weight, proper lifting techniques, nutrition, as well as common spine conditions such as osteoporosis. 

We encourage you to respond to our blog and offer suggestions for topics concerning spine health that may be of interest to you.

To learn more about Indiana Spine Group, visit our web site or call toll-free (866) 947-7463.

Exercise is not only beneficial for cardiovascular health, or to stay in shape or lose weight, exercise is critical to your spine health. Research has shown that individuals who exercise routinely are less likely to have back pain. Additionally, those that exercise recover more quickly if they do injure their back. When selecting an exercise program it should contain three components: strengthening, stretching and cardiovascular activities. For a spine wellness tip sheet with exercises for your back, click here.

Spine Wellness Tip #3 – Get Moving – Exercise! 

Time and time again, we hear the dangers of smoking - cancer, stroke and  heart disease.  But did you know that smoking also affects the health of your spine?  This spine wellness blog tip will address your spine and smoking. 

To learn the best way to stop smoking, talk to your physician.  Additionally, resources are provided on the American Cancer Society’s web site. 
 

Spine Wellness Tip #2:  Put Out the Cigarettes

The next series of blog entries will focus on a few spine wellness tips.  Simple solutions that provide health benefits to your spine. 

One popular New Year’s resolution is to go on a diet and lose weight.  Losing weight provides many health and wellness benefits, including spine wellness.  Did you know that obesity is one contributing factor to back pain? 

Spine Wellness Tip #1: Drop Some Pounds 

The last few spine wellness blog entries have discussed the effects of smoking and the spine.  For example smoking can increase your risk for lower back pain, increasing healing time following spine surgery and increase your risk for osteoporosis. 

For a spine wellness fact sheet about smoking and your spine's wellness, click here.

This spine wellness blog entry will address more about the effects of smoking and your spine’s health.  In this Spine Universe article, it summarizes the negative effects of smoking and its impact on the spine surgery procedure of spinal fusions. 

A general definition of a spinal fusion is that it is a spine surgical procedure that joins bony segments of the spine (vertebrae) – this spine surgery can be performed at the lumbar, thoracic or cervical areas of the spine.  As a part of the healing / fusion process of this spine ssurgery there needs to be new bone growth.  Many factors can affect the success of a spinal fusion and can include the patient’s overall health, other medical conditions and smoking. Research has shown that habitual cigarette smoking results in less successful spinal fusions when compared to similar spine surgical procedures performed on nonsmokers.  Additionally, another study indicated that individuals that smoked had a higher post-operative infection rate than nonsmokers. 

A prior spine wellness blog entry highlighted the Great American Smokeout, held on November 19.  This spine wellness blog entry will address smoking and your spine.  Usually when you think about the health effects of smoking – you think about cancer and heart disease.  But smoking also affects your spine wellness and as a recent study indicated, can contribute to lower back pain.

Study results published on Spine-Health.com indicated that there is a link between smoking and lower back pain.  The study concluded that the development of lower back pain was linked to smoking history and hypertension.  Additionally, the development of lumbar spondylosis was also associated with smoking history and hypertension.

This spine wellness blog entry highlights, WebMD's tips for avoiding back pain: 

ü      Standing:  Keep your head and stomach pulled in.

ü      Sleeping:  Use a mattress with enough spine support.  If your mattress is too soft or too hard – it may result in back pain.

ü      Lifting:  Use proper lifting techniques.  Do not stoop over; lift with your knees and keep the object close to you. 

Today (November 19) is the 34^th Annual Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society.  Indiana Spine Group joins the American Cancer Society in encouraging smokers to use this date to make a plan to quit smoking, or to start quitting on this day. 

Up to 25% of a person’s day can be spent sleeping – assuming they get eight hours of sleep. So needless to say, the importance of the quality of sleep is important, and your mattress does affect how you sleep. Your mattress is also important to your spine health. This spine wellness blog entry will address a few common questions asked by patients about mattress selection. 

How often should I change my mattress?
It is typically recommended that you change your mattress every ten years. Other signs that it is time to change your mattress are if your bed is uncomfortable, your mattress looks old/worn or your box spring squeaks. Also if you wake up tired and sore – this may be a sign that it is not providing the right amount of support.

What brand of mattress is the best? 
We do not recommend any specific brand. What is more important are the features and qualities of the mattress you are selecting. 

Do firmer mattresses offer more back and body support? 
A mattress that is too firm – may not support the body evenly and may contribute to pain in the pressure points. A mattress that is too soft – will most likely sag and not provide enough back/body support. Generally a medium mattress will provide both comfort and support.

What should I look for in a mattress? 
When selecting a mattress, it is important to choose one that allows your spine to maintain its natural alignment similar to standing. By maintaining your natural spine alignment, it allows your muscles to relax.

Should I “test” the mattress out?  
Yes! When purchasing a mattress, it is important to lie down – and turn over like you normally would during sleeping. Also, different manufactures may not use descriptive terms of the mattress consistently – so a firm mattress with one manufacture may be described as medium firmness with a different brand. So it is always good to try before you buy!

In the movie Princess Dairies there is a scene where Mia, played by Anne Hathaway, is practicing good posture with a book on her head and walking across the room. 
Although books are not required, good posture is important in preventing lower back pain. 

This spine wellness tip will highlight how to evaluate your posture. 

1. Stand with your heels against the wall.
2. Your head, shoulders, calves and buttocks should be touching the wall. (Once you do this, you should be able to place your hand behind the small of your back).
3. Now, take a step forward – this is how your posture should be.

Fall is a time for crisp cool air, football games, and the time to rake leaves. As you begin to get the outside of your house ready for winter, and do your “fall” outside chores, remember a few safety tips to prevent back pain and back injuries. This spine wellness blog entry will provide a few key tips. For a spine wellness fact sheet on preventing back injuries wile working outside click here.
 

Raking

• Stretch before you begin – raking should be viewed as exercise.
• Utilize proper body mechanics.
• Avoid twisting, and keep your back upright.
• To avoid overreaching, step side to side to move your legs instead of just moving your arms. 

 Lifting

When moving your flower pots and patio furniture remember to:

• Use proper body mechanics when lifting – squat down and use your legs to rise instead of bending over.
• Use hooks, straps or pulleys for heavy loads. 
• Do not twist while lifting. 

For parents of school-aged children, school supply shopping is most likely on their “to-do” list. One item, typically purchased annually, is the backpack. Fashion, size and durability are usually key factors in selecting a backpack. But, did you know that backpacks can contribute to back pain in school-aged children?

According to Paul Kraemer, MD, a spine surgeon with Indiana Spine Group – the incidence of children with back pain is rising – and sometimes it can be attributed to back packs. It is recommended that backpacks not exceed 10 to 15% of a child’s body weight.

This spine wellness fact sheet – provides tips for selecting and using backpacks and hopefully avoiding back pain. 

When people think of pool and water safety – they generally think about drowning.  

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second-leading cause of death for children under the age of 15, who die of injury-related accidents. 

But did you know – that there are more than 850 diving accidents annually that result in spinal cord injuries? According to the American Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons, of these 850 accidents more than 300 occur at a home pool, and a majority of these result in paralysis of all limbs. 

This spine wellness blog entry will focus on pool safety! 

According to the medical director for Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation – diving is the most dangerous thing a person can do in the water. 

Paul Kraemer, MD, a spine surgeon with Indiana Spine Group – says, “the simplest rule when swimming to avoid spinal cord injuries in the water is DO NOT DIVE!”   Diving is one of the most common causes of recreation-related quadriplegia, Kraemer adds.  

The following are a few spine wellness, water safety tips:

·     Do not swim alone. Ideally, someone trained in water safety should always be present.

·         Never dive in above-ground pools.

·         Never drink alcoholic beverages while swimming and never dive and drink. 

·         When swimming in lakes or ponds, always enter feet first.

·         When swimming in the ocean, do not dive. Tides continuously cause the ocean sands to shift. Additionally, it is difficult to see what is under the surf; rocks, sand bar etc. 

·         Only dive in areas with a designated diving area.

·         Teach children water safety at a young age. 
 

For more spine wellness water safety tips visit the following: American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.

It has been said – that work can cause headaches – but it can also be said that work can be a pain in the back! Well maybe the work does not create back pain, but how you sit at your desk can result in back pain.

This spine wellness blog entry will provide a few tips for avoiding back pain, while sitting at your desk.

• Have your chair at the proper height; your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees should bend at a 90-degree angle.
• When you are talking on the phone, avoid bending your neck to cradle the phone against your shoulder.
• Avoid leaning over your desk for a long period of time.  If possible, try taking breaks and stretching.
• Sit with your back supported.

It has been said – that work can sometimes cause headaches – but it can also be said that work can be a pain in the back! Well maybe the work does not create back pain, but how you sit at your desk can result in back pain.

This spine wellness blog entry will provide a few tips for avoiding back pain, while sitting at your desk.

• Have your chair at the proper height; your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees should bend at a 90-degree angle.
• When you are talking on the phone, avoid bending your neck to cradle the phone against your shoulder.
• Avoid leaning over your desk for a long period of time.  If possible, try taking breaks and stretching.
• Sit with your back supported.

As summer approaches – and people are planning their road trips.  This blog entry provides a few spine wellness tips for travelers.  Driving can literally be a pain in the back.  Research has shown that driving can result in back pain.  This is caused by the fixed position combined with motion, vibrations and the swaying of your automobile.

As travel costs increase, most people find that if they are flying, they are flying coach. The good news is the savings – the bad news is the space. Sometimes – you may feel like a “sardine” in a can. Depending on the duration of your flight, these close quarters can result in back or neck pain. 

This spine wellness tip provides a few hints to avoid neck and back pain.

·         To help avoid back pain – support your lower back. To do this, roll two airline blankets or take two pillows, and place them on each side of your lower back. This will provide lower back support. 

·         To help avoid neck pain – use an inflatable pillow – place this around your neck if you are sleeping. 

Another spine wellness tip while flying is to try to keep the space under the seat in front of you clear. This will allow you to stretch your legs. If this is not possible, then place your
item(s) in the middle, and place your legs on each side. 

One of the videos on the updated educational resource section of Indiana Spine Group’s web site is about back pain. In this video, minimally interventional spine  specialist John Arbuckle, MD, defines spinal/back pain, and he provides an overview of diagnosing back pain and treatment. To view this spine wellness education video on spinal / back pain, click here. 

This blog entry will highlight Rapp Medical Systems Inc. | Medtronic Spinal & Biologics, a silver sponsor of Back Talk. Back Talk is the continuing medical education program that Indiana Spine Group is sponsoring for primary care physicians and practitioners. 
 

Rapp Medical Systems Inc. is a local medical product distributorship representing Medtronic Spinal and Biologics. Working with physicians, their mission is to provide superior products and service which will enable our physician partners to provide the highest level of patient care possible.

Medtronic Spinal and Biologics, is a division of Medtronic which focuses on spinal and  musculoskeletal therapies. Their key product areas include:

• Minimal Access Spine Technologies (MAST™) for treating painful conditions of the spine, such as degenerative disc disease.
• Fusion systems¹ that correct and stabilize abnormal spine curves.
• Artificial cervical discs² to replace damaged or degenerated discs in the neck. Our latest disc is made of surgical-grade stainless steel and allows motion so patients can go back to doing everyday activities they love.
• Infuse^® Bone Graft,³ a biologic that stimulates the body to regrow bone and is used to treat certain spinal, tibial, and maxillofacial conditions. Infuse Bone Graft eliminates the need to harvest bone from another area of the patient's body, thus eliminating an additional, often painful, surgery.

For more information, visit Medtronic Spinal and Biologics and for consumer education information visit their patient education site.