- Your spine has a lot of moving parts – The modern human spine is comprised of 220 ligaments, 120 muscles, and 100 joints. This probably adequately explains why back pain is one of the most common reasons for doctor and chiropractor visits.
- Your neck is created just like every other mammal’s neck, including the giraffe’s – All mammal necks are comprised of seven different cervical vertebrae, which provide the awe-inspiring flexibility for giraffes to go both very low and very high and for you to shoot a meaningful look over your shoulder at your children as you leave the room.
- Space travel makes you taller – When outside gravity’s powerful influence, astronauts stand taller than they do back on planet Earth. In space, their cartilage expands, which lengthens their spines. Astronauts often return home an inch or two taller. As you age, on the other hand, the pull of gravity causes your cartilage to shrink and your spine to shorten, which leads to shortened stature.
- You had more vertebrae as a baby than you do now –You were born with 33 vertebrae, and you now have 26. Those vertebrae didn’t do a disappearing act; instead, four of them fused to create your tailbone and the others fused to create the back of your pelvis.
- Though most back pain requires no medical treatment, spinal surgeries are more prevalent than ever –Back pain is the most common musculoskeletal cause for doctor visits, and spinal surgeries are on the rise. The fact is, however, that most back pain will go away on its own over time. The problem with back and spinal pain, however, is that it’s a byproduct of our increasingly sedentary lifestyles and it can creep up on you. Nevertheless, there’s plenty that you can do to keep your spine and back in healthy shape, and chiropractic care is a great place to start.
To Improve Your Spinal Health, Contact a Tampa Bay Chiropractor Today
Chiropractic care can help you improve your spinal health and reduce your back pain – all while guiding you toward a naturally healthier lifestyle. The skilled chiropractic team at Tampa Bay Spine & Injury is here to guide you on the path to spinal health; give us a call at one of our two conveniently located offices in Brandon (813-381-3852) and St. Petersburg (727-898-3852) – or contact us through our online contact form.
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