Your spine is the backbone of your health, Keep it in shape with these easy exercises

When we say someone has “backbone” we often mean they’re strong and inflexible. Well, we got it half right. The human spine is an amazing structure, and it’s certainly very strong, but it’s also designed to be very flexible. And it’s important to maintain that flexibility. A spine that doesn’t move flexibly, easily and comfortably can be a pain in the neck, or any number of other places. One way to achieve spine health and flexibility is to keep up with your spinal hygiene.

The spine is made up of 25 individual vertebrae with shock absorbers, or discs between them.  These moveable parts are kept together by ligaments that work much like rubber bands. Beyond just keeping you upright, the spine also is designed to protect the spinal cord, the part of your nervous system that connects the brain to the rest of the body.

The spinal ligaments and discs can be damaged or torn during physical stress, and when this happens, scar tissue usually replaces the damaged area. This scar tissue is similar to an old, worn-out rubber band: It is less flexible and more likely to break, which causes pain. If you don’t maintain proper spinal hygiene, you can experience spinal decay – a condition that can be very difficult to fix or reverse.

Luckily, good spinal hygiene is simple. Just follow four easy steps. Move. Practice yoga. Eat properly. Get regular spinal tune-ups.

MOVE

The following spinal mobility routine should be performed every day. As with any other physical activity, make sure to check with a chiropractor or medical doctor first.

Inner winner posture

This will be the starting posture for many of the movements.

1A. Straighten up. Stand tall with a confident “inner winner” posture (ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles in an approximately straight line). Pull your bellybutton in toward your spine.

Tilting Star

2A. In inner winner posture, with your arms out to the sides and feet spread in the star position, pull your bellybutton in toward your spine.

2B. Facing forward, place one hand in the air with the other at your side. Breathe in as you slowly stretch one arm overhead while slowly bending your entire spine to the opposite side and sliding the other hand down your thigh for stability. Relax at the end of the stretch, breathing out and in again, and then switch to the other side. Perform the movement twice to each side. Easy does it. Enjoy the stretch.

Twirling star

3. Begin in the star position with bellybutton drawn inward. Gently turn your head to look at one hand, and slowly twist your entire spine to watch your hand as it goes behind you. Relaxing in this position, breathe out and in. Perform the movement slowly twice to each side. Enjoy the slow gentle stretch.

Twisting star

4A. Begin in the star position with your head held high and your bellybutton drawn in toward your spine. Raise your arms in “hands up” position.

4B. Bring your right elbow across your torso toward your left knee. Repeat the movement using your right elbow and left knee. Remain upright as you continue to alternate sides for 15 seconds. Breathe freely. Enjoy.

Trap openers

5A. Breathe deeply and calmly, relaxing your stomach region. Let your head hang loosely forward, and gently roll it from one side to the other.

5B. Using your fingers, slowly massage the area just below the back of your head. Move down to the base of your neck. Relax your shoulders and slowly roll them backward and forward. Enjoy for 15 seconds.

The butterfly

6. Place your hands behind your head, and gently draw your elbows backward. Slowly and gently press your head backward, and resist with your hands for a count of two, then release. Breathe freely. Perform three times. Gently massage the back of your neck and head as you relax your stomach region with slow, easy breathing.

Balancing the core with the tight rope

7. Stand in the inner winner position with your head held high. Contract your stomach muscles to pull your bellybutton in toward your spine. Maintaining this posture, take a step forward as if on a tightrope. Make sure your knee is over your ankle and not over your toes. Allow the heel of your back foot to lift. Balance in this position for 20 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side. When finished, shake your legs and feet to relax them.

The triangle

8A. Stand in the star position, keeping your stance wide. Gently draw your bellybutton in toward your spine.Turn your right foot outward as you shift your weight to the right leg. Feel the groin area gently stretching. Turn your palms up and bend your elbows.

8B. Place your right knee over your right ankle and right forearm onto your right leg as you extend your arm, torso and ribs. Easy does it.

Shake it loose

9. Shake limbs for 15 seconds. This one is pure fun!

PRACTICE YOGA

Yoga is one of the few physical activities that is both beneficial and does not damage the body over time.

EAT PROPERLY

Poor nutrition leads to poor biochemical structure in the spine. In other words, it becomes easier to damage the ligaments and discs.

GET SPINAL TUNE-UPS

Regular visits to a local licensed chiropractor can dramatically slow the process of spinal decay.

This article is a reprint of an article written for Total Body Magazine.  To see the original article and the supporting pictures for the exercises, click here.  The exercises and names were adapted from the Straighten Up America program.