You might remember her from a previous episode (47). She’s back to chat with us about healthy aging for the spine sharing some research that she’s been diving into, some quick tips, as well as how our spine & pelvic floor connect.
Dr Laura has been a PT for over 10 years specializing in Scoliosis & Spinal fusion. In her years of practice she as well as her patients have found that there is not a lot of resources for people living with spinal conditions. My aim, is to become a resource for people who are dealing with the things I’m dealing with. There are some things that we know generally that have to be taken into account. How can we use healthy living strategies to age as best & well as we can.
There are some differences for people who live with Scoliosis & Spinal fusion tend to have a lower bone density.
SOSORT- association was looking at bone density of kids and adolescence who have Scoliosis. They found that they tend to have a lower bone density to start which can lead to progression of the curve over time.
Another thing we know is that A symmetrical loading is not evenly distributed throughout the spine. Some sections of the spine are more loaded because of our Scoliosis. Because we have a loser bone density, we are at higher risk for compression fractures of the spine.
Men are susceptible to this as well.
Laura dive into healthy aging with the spine & what that means. One of the main issues is being sedentary. As a society a lot of us are not getting enough movement. A lot of medical providers are fear mongering especially If you have bone density issues telling patients they shouldn’t move. In actually movement is what the bones need.
Dr. Laura & I share what we weren’t told post spinal fusion’s.
Having a fusion, we are automatically protective of our spines until we are given the permission to move.
It’s equally important to have an affirmation. One of Dr Laura favorites tweaked one from Kerry Green (ep 59). My body is wise, My body is resilient.
My body is strong & stable. The spine is intricately built to be strong. We can actively improve & increase our bone density.
Dr. Laura shares tips that she recommends regardless of age.
1-Make sure you’re eating enough, good fiber, protein. Pay attention to how much you eat. Make sure you’re eating the rainbow.
Protein powders are great for your morning smoothie. Research is finding that creatine is protective of muscle bone heath as well as cognitive health.
2- Prioritize movement.
3- Strength training. If time is limited, try to get 30 mins doing compound movements.
We need to make sure that we’re not afraid to move. We need to movement that feels good so we can be consistent.
Diving into the pelvic floor, Dr. Laura shares some of the problems that can occur after having children as our bodies relate to movement. While it is common, it’s not normal. There is treatment. You can work with a pelvic health therapist.
Dr. Laura is creating a blog episode, you can hear previous discussions in (ep 47).
There are some simple things that we can do to make sure that we getting our pelvic floor & system to work as well as possible. That is the goal of the blog.
Dr. Laura also shares her knowledge with Dr. Beth (Strength & Spine) on ScoliPod
Dr. Laura likes to end on a positive note. How resilient is my body? Look at all the things my body can do. Find something to be positive about.
Where can you find Dr. Laura?
