Rehabilitation
Where's your sacrum?
Essential spinal care tips
Did you know that your sacrum is the area at the bottom of your spine?
It is the intersection between your spine and your pelvis and sits between the fifth segment of your lumber spine (L5) and the coccyx, your tailbone.
This area is composed of small bones that fuse into a solid mass, generally by the age of 30.
The sacrum is made up of 5 fused vertebrae (S1-S5) and the coccyx has 3 to 5 small fused bones.
Both of these structures are weight-bearing and are fundamental for everyday activities such as walking, standing and sitting.
Having these joints articulating and functioning well is essential for long term lower back, pelvis, hip and spinal health.
Here’s 5 easy to integrate tips that you can use to relieve pain and care for your lower spine.
Sacral spine
5 care tips to care for your lower spine
1. Careful how you bend and stress the lower spine. Activities that require extreme lumbosacral flexibility like intense sporting activities or professions that require lifting and bending may cause or contribute to lower back and leg pain, numbness and weakness as well as disc herniations and strains.
2. Exercise regularly. Walking, jogging, Pilates, yoga and strength training a minimum of three times a week will all help keep your entire spine strong, flexible and healthy.
3. Strengthen your core abdominal muscles. Having core muscle strength will help stabilise the sacrum and your lumber spine.
4. Maintain good posture. Sitting in a slouched position puts more pressure on your lumbosacral spine and your Sacroiliac joints (SI).
5. Bone density. If you are over 50 you may want to have bone density tests from time to time to ensure you do not have osteoporosis.
Pelvic tilts
The perfect sacral release
Take a few minutes 3 times a week to release your spine, engage your core abdominals and breathe. You'll be surprised how much better your lower back will feel, especially if you've been sitting at the desk all day, have done a hard session of exercise training or if you are stressed. If you have disc herniations or other spinal issues such as spondylolisthesis please contact us before doing this exercise. We are available to care for you online or in person.
