exercise

why exercise?

Scientific studies show that people who exercise regularly have far fewer problems with their spine. Exercise helps strengthen the muscles in the back that connect to the spine. Exercise can reduce risk of falls and injuries. It can also strengthen the abdomen (your belly), arms and legs, which reduces back strainstrainTo injure by overuse or improper use.. Stretching reduces risk of muscle spasms. In addition, weight bearing exercises help prevent loss of boneboneThe hard tissue that provides structural support to the body. It is primarily composed of hydroxyapatite cryst... mass caused by osteoporosisosteoporosisWhen people age - particularly women -- there often comes a loss of height and weight, and the development of ..., reducing the risk of fractures. Aerobic exercise, the type that gets the heart pumping and pulse rate up, has been shown to be a good painpainAn unpleasant sensation associated with actual or potential tissue damage, and mediated by specific nerve fibe... reliever as well. The natural chemicals of the body that combat pain—called endorphinsendorphinsAny of a group of endogenous peptides that bind chiefly to opiate receptors (in the cell membrane) and produce...—are released during exercise and actually reduce your pain.

Exercises will help maximize a person‘s physical abilities including:

• Flexibility—exercises that increase flexibility help to reduce pain and make it easier to keep the spine in a healthy position. Flexibility exercises are helpful for establishing safe movement. Tight muscles cause imbalance in spinal movements, which can make it easier to injure the spine. Gentle stretching increases flexibility, eases pain and reduces the chance of re-injury.
• Stabilization—"core" muscles are the muscles located closer to the center of your body and act as stabilizers. These key muscles are trained to help position the spine safely and to hold it steady as routine activities are performed. These muscles form a stable platform, which allows the arms and legs to be moved with precision. If the stabilizers are not doing their job, the spine may be overstressed by daily activities.
• Coordination—strong muscles need to be coordinated. As the strength of the spinal muscles increases, it becomes important to train these muscles to work together. Learning any physical activity takes practice. Muscles must be trained so that the physical activity is under control. Spine muscles that are trained to control safe movement help reduce the chance of re-injury.
• Conditioning—improving your overall fitness level helps recovery from spine problems. Fitness conditioning involves safe forms of aerobic exercise. The term aerobic means "with oxygen." When using oxygen as they work, muscles are better able to move continuously, rather than in spurts. Examples of aerobic exercise include:
  • Swimming laps
  • Walking on a treadmill
  • Using a cross country ski machine
  • Using a stair stepper

Patients considering some extra conditioning should always check with their doctor or therapist before beginning a program on their own. It is important that they choose an aerobic activity they enjoy. This will help them stick with it, so they reap the long-term benefits that come with a well-rounded exercise program.