Spinal Molding in Grapevine
Why Spinal Molding?
We place a lot of stress on our backs throughout the day, and on the muscles surrounding our spine when we work on the computer or tablet, talk on the phone, watch TV, even when we blow dry our hair. We would have to be very mindful of our posture and ergonomics constantly in order to not cause damage from this continued stress.
Correctly performing spinal molding can redistribute the stress of gravity from your muscles back to your spine where it belongs. This will decrease neck pain, low back pain and muscle soreness.
Why Must I Warm Up with the Spinal Twist?
Did you know that the discs of your spine are made of a hydrogel-like material which varies in state based on temperature? When heated up, the discs in your spine can be molded and shaped into a good curve, or a bad curve. And when they cool down, they “set” into the curve they find themselves in at that point.
Spinal molding involves warming up your spinal discs with a specific sequence of exercise, and then positioning your body in a healthy spine position for 20 minutes while the discs cool down into that healthy position – and remain in that position.
Performing the Spinal Twist Warm Up
This exercise is designed to get your spine in motion, to create friction between your discs and vertebrae, and to generate heat in the spine from that friction. Try placing your hand on your back to feel the generated heat just after you’ve finished the twist.
Follow these simple steps to warm up:
- sit up straight
- raise your arms to shoulder level with elbows bent
- keep your chin up to maintain the curve in your neck
- pick a spot behind you and slowly twist your torso and neck to look at it
- now twist back the other direction to look at the same spot
- rotate slowly at first to stretch your muscles
- gradually increase the speed of your side to side turns
- twist back and forth at least 25 times to the right, and 25 times to the left
- if you can’t feel heat with an open hand placed on your spine, do another 25 rotations
Getting Into Position for Spinal Molding
The point of spinal molding is to immediately get into a healthy spine position while your discs are still liquefied and malleable. You want them to re-solidify into their gel state while they are in a healthy spine position.
Lying in the correct healthy spine position for at least 20 minutes is essential because that’s how long the cool down of the spinal discs takes. If you move around before then, be sure to maintain very good posture.
Also be mindful of this same principle when you heat up your spine doing any other type of exercise. Whether it’s sports and fitness that gets your spinal discs heated up and malleable, or whether it vacuuming, gardening, or chasing your grandchildren, be aware that as your spine cools down after activity that you must be mindful to maintain healthy posture. If not, you’ll be training your spine into an unhealthy position.
Follow these simple steps to train a healthy spine:
- grab two spinal support “noodles” (provided by Hands On Health Chiropractic at your second appointment)
- lie down flat on your back – either on the floor or another flat surface, or on the bed without a pillow
- place on noodle under your neck
- place the other noodle under the small of your back
- set a timer for at least 20 minutes
- relax!
Click here to learn more about Spinal Molding.
Get Started
Call (817) 421-4775 with questions about how to properly perform Spinal Molding.
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