Five Spinal Secrets

Unless you spent some time studying anatomy, you probably don't know too much about your spine. The spine runs from the base of the skull to the pelvis. Not only does it support the body's weight, but it also protects the spinal cord. I think the spine is fascinating, which is one of the many reasons I became a chiropractor. Spine nerding-out aside, there are some very interesting and little-known facts about your spine that I think you should know! 

1. A CURVED SPINE IS A STRONG SPINE

Think of "bend not break". The curvature of your spine is what makes it strong enough to support your body. The natural curves of the spine give it an S shape when it is viewed from the side. Those curves allow your spine to withstand extremely high amounts of stress because there is even body weight distribution. 

2. GROWING OLDER? YOUR SPINE IS SHRINKING!

But it's nothing to fear and it's totally normal. It's actually true that people shrink the older they get. That is because the space between the discs of the spine get smaller as we age. 

3. YOU HAD MORE SPINAL BONES AS A BABY THAN YOU DO TODAY

We are born with 33 spinal bones. Guess how many we have as adults? 26! When we are born, the coccyx and sacral bones are separate, but they fuse together as our bodies grow and develop. 

4. THE SPINE: PROTECTOR OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

The spine's most important task is to protect the nervous system. Your nervous system is surrounded by your backbone, which protects it should you get into an accident. .

5. YOUR TAILBONE IS NAMED AFTER A BIRD

The proper name for the tailbone is the coccyx. Coccyx isn't just a funny name...it was named after the cuckoo bird!

Truly, I could spend all day sharing what I find so spectacular about the spine and what it does for your body, but these are my top 5 favorite things I wanted to share with you! If you want to keep your spine healthy, call us for an adjustment.