6 Tips To Keep Your Spine Healthy During Lockdown

6 Tips To Keep Your Spine Healthy During Lockdown

The lockdown, longer working hours, and increased workloads have contributed to aches and joint pain among employees.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a boon for workers and students alike, who can now live life more comfortably by working and studying remotely. However, studies suggest that the home environment can also have a detrimental effect on your spine health, despite the economic and time-saving advantages of working and studying from home.

Try these simple tips to take care of your spine health at home when you're on lockdown or cannot leave your house

1. Take Breaks From Sitting

Even if you exercise regularly, prolonged sitting without a break is harmful to your postural health. Take a break to rejuvenate your mind and body. About every 30 minutes, get up and stretch a little or do something quick and active, such as 10 squats or jumping jacks. 

2. Plan A 30-Minute Walk Each Day

Brisk walking is a great way to maintain good spine health and overall wellbeing. Walking can improve your heart and lung fitness, muscle strength, endurance, and contributes to a naturally upright posture. 



Try walking for 30 minutes every day. As your walking improves, also try to increase this number.

Using devices for long periods and too often can have a negative impact on neck and spine health. 

The following few tips will help keep your spine healthy and happy while using your device:

• Adjust the lighting: Your lighting, in general, should be adjusted so you can easily see the screen and text without causing a harsh glare or discomfort to your eyes.
• Take a break: It's easy to forget to take break, so set an alarm on your phone as a reminder.
• Elevate your device: It should be at eye level to ensure you don't have to tilt your head forward and strain your neck.
• Work on your posture: It is important to maintain a good posture all the time. Being mindful about this is critical to achieving optimal spine health.
  

4. Set Up Your Workstation

According to studies, not using ergonomic office furniture in your home could prevent you from achieving a healthy posture and lead to the development of musculoskeletal disorders. Instead, a spine-friendly office chair can help to prevent back pain.

Taking this into account, hers’s what you can do to maintain your spine health by improving your workstation's ergonomics:

• Adjust your office chair
• Check the height of your screen
• Bring your mouse and keyboard closer
• Pay attention to how you use your laptop
• Invest in a sit-stand desk

5. Stretch Every Day

Exercising and stretching your spine can help improve spine health and the way your body function. Moreover, exercise can help to improve posture, stabilize the core muscles and boost the body's health.

Here are 5 stretches you can do every day to keep your spine healthy:

• Back flexion exercise
• Chin-to-chest stretch
• Ear to shoulder stretch
• Knee-to-chest stretch
• Hip stretch

6. Sleep Correctly

Sleep is a vital part of healing and resting the body for the day. Have you ever noticed that the position you sleep in at night can do more harm than good? 

Here are some of the most common sleeping positions and how to adjust them for better spinal health:

• Stomach sleeping: This is considered the worst sleeping posture and is not recommended. It strains your lower back and puts unnecessary stress on your neck. Additionally, it can put pressure on your chest.
• Side sleeping: Generally, side sleeping helps maintain a healthy spine. Place a pillow between your knees and bend both your knees and hips slightly to position your pillow by lying with your lower leg fairly straight and your upper leg bent. In turn, this will reduce the pressure on the spine and provide alignment.
• Back sleeping: Sleeping on your back can also help you maintain a healthy spine. Use a pillow under your knees to support your spine's natural curve and reduce lower back strain. To reduce stress on your neck, make sure your head pillow is the right height.

Find a Chiropractor

You can get advice and assistance from chiropractors on how to maintain your spine health while working from home.