Our spine, as your chiropractor will tell you, is an amazing support structure that’s also one of the most important parts of our body. Yes, it keeps us upright, but it does so much more! It’s an amazingly complex system. Many people don’t know as many spine facts as they should, especially considering how important it is.

For instance, did you know that by taking care of our spines, we’re taking care of our entire nervous system? That’s right, spinal health and attentive spinal care through chiropractic visits means better health overall for our bodies. That’s why you should see a chiropractor for regular wellness care to keep your spine at its best and your body at its healthiest, and don’t forget to ask them about spine facts like these!

Did you know these 15 incredible spine facts?

1. The spinal cord is the messenger system for our entire body. Someone tickling our toes? Our brain recognizes that tickle and sends a signal to giggle because the spinal cord delivered the message.
2. Our spinal cord weighs an average of 35 grams – not even 10% of a pound. It’s a good thing it has the spine to protect it!
3. Our spines allow us to move in 4 different ways: flexing forward, extending backward, bending to the side, and rotating on our axis.
4. The spine is incredibly flexible and can form two-thirds of a circle. Now you know the secret of those Cirque de Soleil contortionists – they take really good care of their spines!
5. It’s a good thing our spine is as strong as it is flexible. Just lying on our back with our knees on a pillow puts up to 25 pounds of pressure on the spine. Fortunately, it can handle hundreds of pounds of that kind of pressure!
6. Did you know that you’re shrinking? We tend to slowly shrink as we age, losing up to 1/3″ every decade after we’re 40. It’s all gravity’s fault!
7. We’re at our tallest first thing in the morning. We shrink a little bit between getting out of bed in the morning and going to bed at night. It’s that darn gravity again!
8. Because there’s negligible gravity in space, astronauts can increase in height by 3% while they’re floating around up there. It’s because their spinal cartilage decompresses and expands. Spinal cartilage is about 25% of overall spine length, so when it relaxes, the astronauts ‘grow’.
9. Cartilage is one component of our spine, but there are many more. The spine is composed of over 450 working parts! See, we told you it was an amazing, complex structure! It’s made up of approximately 100 joints, 220 ligaments, 120 muscles, and 33 vertebrae (although some of those eventually fuse to become the sacrum and coccyx). Oh, and 1 spinal cord, along with 31 pairs of spinal nerves!
10. The spine is divided into 3 major parts: the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions. The sacrum and coccyx form the ‘tail end’ of the spine.
11. We have 7 cervical vertebrae in our necks. Interestingly, giraffes have the same number in their necks! Their cervical vertebrae are just much longer than ours. Each of a giraffe’s cervical vertebrae is 10-11″ long and altogether they’re about the height of an average American man!
12. Remember Atlas, the Greek mythological character who was forced to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders? Well, we have our own atlas. It’s the first cervical vertebrae and it carries the weight of our heads!
13. The lumbar region has its own ‘weighty’ problem. Sitting hunched over a desk puts a lot of pressure on the lumbar vertebrae – about 200 pounds worth! That’s why so many Americans with desk jobs have low back pain and seek spine help from local chiropractors like 100% Chiropractic.
14. That’s not the only pain in our backs, either. Back pain will affect nearly all Americans during their lives. Trauma from car accidents is the most common cause of that back pain. That’s why, if you’ve been in any kind of vehicular accident, you should seek spine support from your chiropractor as soon as possible.
15. In terms of spinal care the first chiropractic adjustment was actually done to help a man hear again. And it worked!

Have you enjoyed these fun spine facts? Learning about your spine will give you a better idea of how to keep it healthy and pain-free. So, when seeking spinal care chiropractic doctors have the training, skills, and knowledge to help keep your spine working at its best. Fortunately, 100% Chiropractic makes it easy to find a spine expert and chiropractor. We have many convenient locations to serve you. Contact us for more information and to begin living your life at 100%!