The spine is the most important part of your body. You could not survive without it--it controls all movement. Poor posture and spine alignment can damage your health, but there are exercises that can help improve your spine alignment.
Neck Stretch
The neck stretch helps improve spinal alignment and eliminate neck and shoulder pain.
Stand up straight in front of a mirror--no slouching. Keep your shoulders down and your arms straight. Your legs should be a few inches apart a few inches with your toes pointing forward. Lift your shoulders up, then rotate them back and down, holding them as far down as you can. Let your arms hang freely, and keep your neck straight and long. Hold for 16 counts, then relax. Repeat up to eight times.
Try to keep your posture similar to this during your day to improve your spine alignment.
Stick Exercise
This exercise is often used as a warm-up for other spine exercises but is also useful independently.
Find a long stick, slightly longer than your back. A yardstick would work, but if you can find something firmer, like a walking stick, use that. Place the stick on your back, up against your spine. The top should touch the back of your head, with the bottom against your tailbone area.
Bow at your hips. Your spine will remain straight as you bend. While bowing, squat as if you are going to sit. Hold this pose for up to 10 seconds, then release by standing straight.
Side Stretch
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Stretch your right arm up as far as you comfortably can, then lean to the left as far as you can without falling or hurting yourself. Do not bounce--slowly increase the stretch. Hold for up to 30 seconds. Move back to your original position and let your arm relax. Breathe deeply to allow oxygen-giving blood to flow to your stretched arm and back, then repeat with your left arm. Repeat up to 20 times in each direction. You can also use a medicine ball to make the stretch more difficult.
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