Yoga for Your Spine

“You would think it goes without saying, but too many of us simply don’t maintain good posture, which is critical for a healthy spine,” says Dr. Kenneth Hansraj, an orthopedic and spinal surgeon and author of ​Keys to an Amazing Life: Secrets of the Cervical Spine. Your spine has curves to maintain alignment and assist in stability and mobility of your spine. Through structural problems and poor posture, these curves can become excessive. Excessive curvature of the spine can lead to discomfort, like back pain and headaches. Over time, either through bad habits like slumping over a computer all day, staring down at your cell phone, or aging, you lose flexibility in your spine. You can slow down the progress and even reverse the effects of inflexibility by practicing yoga poses that loosen your spine from neck to tailbone.

So how can one achieve this mind/body balance to help maintain a healthy spine? While good posture remains one of the best for good spine health, certain yoga poses not only strengthen the muscles that support the spine, but they also relieve stress which can release some pressure or strain from the spine. In addition, breathing and meditation exercises help release stress and tension that add to spinal problems.

Practicing the above yoga poses can help to strengthen the spine. Remember, your spine has your back 😊.

* Always consult your chiropractor or primary care physician prior to beginning any yoga regimen. Always practice yoga poses at your level of comfort.