Spine Health & Spinal Hygiene

The spinal muscles and ligaments work in conjunction to help support the spine, maintain an upright posture, and control movements during activity and rest. The muscles are named based on shape, location, or a combination. Further categorization factors include muscle functions like flexion, extension, or rotation. Skeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue that is voluntarily controlled by the somatic nervous system. Striated means it is striped in appearance. Most skeletal muscles are attached to bones by collagen fibers known as tendons.

It has the fastest contraction rate of all muscles. Before muscle/s contract, a nerve impulse starts in the brain and runs through the spinal cord to the muscle. For the muscles to contract and work properly they need energy/fuel. Mitochondria produce Adenosine triphosphate chemical cells that are needed for energy. Adenosine triphosphate is made as the mitochondria burn glucose or sugar. The blood vessels deliver the oxygen and nutrients that the mitochondria need to maintain a steady supply of adenosine triphosphate.

The Posterior Cervical and Upper Thoracic Spinal Muscles

1. Semispinalis Capitus - controls the head rotation and backward pulls
2. Iliocostalis Cervicis - extends the cervical vertebrae
3. The Longissimus Cervicus - extends the cervical vertebrae
4. Longissimus Capitus - controls the head's rotation and backward pulls
5. Longissimus Thoracis - controls the extension/lateral flexion of the vertebral column and rib rotation
6. Iliocostalis Thoracis - controls the extension/lateral flexion of the vertebral column and rib rotation
7. Semispinalis Thoracis - extends and rotates the vertebral column

Muscles of the Spinal Column 

Cervical muscles

Thoracic Muscles

Lumbar muscles

Muscle Fascia Fibrous Tissue

• Fascia is the thickened connective tissue that surrounds a muscle or muscle group. Superficial fascia is directly under the skin.
• Epimysium surrounds the skeletal muscle.
• Perimysium is the sheath that groups the muscle fibers into bundles.
• Endomysium is another type of connective tissue that sheaths each muscle fiber.

The cause of back pain and spinal muscle spasm/s can be caused by overuse, automobile accident, personal, work, or sports injury. The root cause of muscle spasm/s is usually a consequence of an injury to a structure within the lumbar spine. If there have been one or more episodes of muscle spasm in the low back, chances are it will re-occur. The muscles in the low back work together with the abdominal muscles. The spinal muscles add stability by maintaining an erect spine and maintain balance.

Back Pain Specialist

Dr. Alex Jimenez’s Blog Post Disclaimer

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, and sensitive health issues and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate and support directly or indirectly our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation as to how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900. The provider(s) Licensed in Texas& New Mexico*

Working in the yard, and wherever else the sun beats down relentlessly will be a test as to the type of shape your body is in. Poor eating habits have increased fat deposits, as well as sitting around. Never fear, it is recommended that you try out these seven exercise tuneup tips to get back in shape as summer begins.

Drink proper amount of water regularly

Water helps immensely in generating fat-loss. 64 ounces a day is the absolute minimum. Twice that amount, or one-gallon, is the way to go, making sure the water is ice cold. Ice water is about 40-degrees Fahrenheit. This means the body's system has to heat the water to a core body temperature of 98.6 degrees.

The process requires about one calorie to warm one ounce of cold water to body temperature. Therefore an 8-ounce bottle of ice water burns seven calories. Try that with 16 glasses, which equals 128 ounces, or one gallon. This generates 123 calories of heat energy. 

Eat small meals more often

Fat-loss study subjects were given six meals to consume a day, with no meal having more than 400 calories. The study emerged successfully. It is important to allow no longer than three hours between eating. This could be snacks, light meals, salads, etc.

Eating with this type of pattern keeps the body on an even keel. And since the individual is never overly-full/stuffed and never over-hungry/famished this seems to be ideal for losing weight and getting rid of fat cells.

When eating takeout Assert Yourself

All the help you can get to avoid gorging on rich, high-caloric, restaurant foods. Here are some tips:

• Don't go through the whole menu
• Choose a simple green salad without the garnish
• Lemon juice, vinegar, or low-calorie dressing is the way to go instead of the creamy and oily dressings.
• Select one or two vegetables with nothing
• A plain baked potato is a great choice
• Other positive choices are broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower
• Find out what kind of fish is available
• Try the fish baked, steamed, or broiled, with nothing on top
• Decaffeinated coffee or tea as a dessert, with some fresh fruit

Get an exercise routine that you will stick to

Be careful if it's swimming or some type of water-based exercise. Swimming does offer benefits, but the thermal effect of being in the water can cause you to eat more from all of the energy loss. Strength training is the way to go, so you can lose weight and then get into the water exercises. More than any other exercise or activity strength training promotes a double-reducing advantage.

Do not Over-Exercise 

Overdoing it with the exercise can tear down body tissue/s, increasing the risk of injuries, which then puts you in downtime and less active.

Too much Television Time

Decrease the exposure to television because of the convenient foods that are offered. This diminishes the temptation to overeat. Get involved in a household project, along with the extended daylight hours, can help this situation.

Take advice

When you are tough on yourself, life can become a beautiful thing, as you witness the benefits from the hard work. We don't pay the price for good health, we just enjoy it along with the benefits. However, we do pay the price for bad/poor health.

Exercise Facts

• More than half of adults do not get the recommended amount of exercise.
• Try for at least 20 minutes of exercise a day.
• Around 25% of adults don't exercise at all
• Keep the exercise routine fresh by mix it up doing different activities like alternate power walking, yoga, bicycling, tennis, band workouts, etc.
• Regular exercise helps maintain healthy bones and helps keep the muscles and joints strong.
• Incorporate fitness into a daily routine to help control weight and boosts mood and sense of well-being.
• Strengthening the abdominal muscles/core can prevent back pain
• Exercise helps ease anxiety and depression symptoms that often accompany various spine conditions, like chronic back pain.
• Individuals will stick with an exercise program so long as they enjoy the activities/exercises
• With a chronic condition like rheumatoid arthritis, most benefit from regular exercise but talk to a doctor before beginning any exercise program.

The Functional Fitness Fellas