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Stretch and Strengthen your Spine
Manila, Philippines - People who spend several hours at their desks every day can develop bad sitting habits which in time adversely affects the back and results in bad posture and pain. Because the tendency is to lean back in their chairs, the back muscles lose strength and slouching occurs. This creates the round-shouldered effect which ends up stiffening, tightening and hurting the muscles of the neck.
Some people, even when they don't start out with a structural imbalance or weakness on one side of their body end up acquiring it at their desks because of performing repetitive movements on one side, like leaning over to open and close a heavy drawer, reaching for something across their desk or on the floor, plugging in or unplugging a peripheral, etc, they may even end up with a curvature on one side which can bother the middle and/or lower back.
These imbalances caused by slouching and leaning can hamper your breathing, decrease your circulation and weaken your stomach muscles. Yoga postures or asanas work to lengthen the spine, whereas constant slouching does the exact opposite, reducing the space between the vertebrae, placing pressure on the discs and the nerves, often causing debilitating weakness and pain.
Torso twists or bharadvajasana are very and effectively done on a chair. If possible, use a straight-backed chair without arms but if your desk chair has arms, just adapt the basics of the exercise and it will work. Twists are also extremely useful for people who are scoliotic as long as the form of the spine is kept elongated before and during the twist.
Aside from creating and maintaining the flexibility of the spine, twists also "massage" the organs.
CHAIR TWISTS
1. Sit with your entire body and knees and toes facing the right side of the chair. Your feet should be firmly on the floor, with knees and ankles close together. Place your hands on each side of the back of the chair.
2. Inhale and lengthen the spine, while exhaling, gently and smoothly rotate towards the right, lifting the ribs upwards. Make sure your chin is always held parallel to the floor, while your shoulders are kept relaxed and low, away from your ears and your chest is open and lifted throughout. Use the right hand against the chair's back to help twist further but never force the movement.
Keep breathing comfortably while in the pose and as you become more flexible in the future, you may want to try allowing your twist to deepen with each exhalation. Inhale again and as you exhale, let your torso come slowly back to your starting position. Repeat on the other side.
FITNESS BULLETIN. Yoga Moves classes are now on Tuesdays, and Seniors Yoga on Wednesdays. Sessions are scheduled at 7:15 p.m. at the Dance Studio, Upper Ground Flr., Somerset Olympia Residences on Makati Avenue. For inquiries, send SMS to 09179613765.
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