Back in 2013, I had a major back injury which left me debilitated for nearly 6 months and another 6 months of intense rehab. I can remember thinking, will this ever get better?
And more importantly, how can I keep this from happening again….
HYDRATION
One simple but easy way to keep your spine and discs in check is to drink lots of water.
In the gym, I hear clients that tell me they drink a ton of water and then when I ask them how many ounces or bottles a day, they tell me 32 oz or 1 or 2 bottles. The human body consists of 55-65% water. So don’t you think you should replenish what you sweat, pee and use up in your body?
Here are a few fun facts!
Those of you with back injuries, especially disc related pain The spinal column has very low blood flow, so how do you think a healthy discs stays nice and plump and spongy?
Hydration causes the disc to be spongy and able to withstand shock to the spine. Dehydration leads to the disc being brittle and dry. This can cause herniation and disc degeneration which we all know is painful.
Cramps while I sleep!!!
Do you wake up in the night with lower leg and foot cramps? Do you give your spouse a samurai kick to the back when you come shooting out of bed with a sharp calf cramp? Lower leg cramps are typically caused from dehydration. In some instances a lack of electrolytes is the problem but in most of the general population, Good ol’ H20 will do the trick!
How to stay better hydrated? “I feel like I have to pee all the time!”
Drink more water, Duh! But really, drink more through out the day so you aren’t feeling like your are floating in the ocean all night long when you should be getting your sleep. Don’t just drink water at night. Try and disperse it throughout the day and try and drink half your weight in ounces. (100 lb person= 50 OZ water)
Diuretics -Things that actually pull water put of your body like alcohol (Hence why you feel so thirsty in the morning after too much fun the night before! ) Soda, Coffee, Caffeine
Your skin will be elastic, not scaly and look amazing if you are well hydrated! Who wants to have dry flakes on your shirt or itch all the time. Lotion will help but why not solve the root problem and drink water.
Water, flavored water. Try and spice up your life by adding fruit or a variety of vegetables to your water. It taste great and is subtle.
This is just one area of spine health. Over the coming weeks and months we will dig much deeper into low back discomfort and easy fixes.
Building from the Ground up
~Luke Sullivan
