Did you know that as you age you shrink?
Well if you are already shorter than most, then this doesn’t sound too good. But do you know why?
Each of your spinal joints has a disc in between each joint. These discs are actually a jelly-like fluid that actually leak when placed under pressure.
Every day you sit or stand for most of the day and gravity as a result puts pressure on these discs and they shrink in height. You lie down at night time and some fluid returns to the disc. The problem is, you lie down only for 8 hours or so. So you shrink more than you de-shrink (a word I just made up).
Oh yeah, did you also know that when joints don’t move freely they have an increase in pressure around them which actually increases your daily shrinkage. This is why joints that are injured show up as having more degeneration. The bone around the joints gets little spurs as the height decreases. Isn’t age-ing a bummer?
Some good news, you can actually defy the age-ing effects of gravity, with this simple tip today…
“Lie Down”
One of the best preventative exercises you can do is to lie down more often.
The reason is simple enough.
Most adults never rest against gravity. When you sit or stand you are fighting gravity.
Gravity compresses your discs, tires your joints and fatigues your muscles. More than 95% of all back pain issues relate to the day-to-day stresses on your body. Falls and injuries are an infrequent cause.
Lying down more will reduce the stress of gravity on your spine. It helps muscles stay stronger, it releases pressure off the spinal joints and will actually help your discs stay healthy.
So each night, rather than sitting on the couch and watching TV… lie on the couch OR lie on the floor.
Lie down more often in weekends (you don’t need to go to sleep – just rest). The more you lie down, the more anti-gravity effects you will gain.
Try it – you’ll see that your spine isn’t the only thing that benefits.
More tips to end back pain here: www.paulgoughphysio.com/back-pain
You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.
Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.
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