Tips To Maintain a Healthy Spine

Here are few simple tips on what you can on a daily basis to help you maintain a healthy spine.

- Wear a backpack instead of a shoulder bag to help you maintain your spine's natural 'S'-curve while taking stress off shoulders and back.

- Avoid wearing high heels. While they my look great, they push the pelvis forward and throw the spine out of its natural alignment.

- Sit on a physio-ball at your desk. The process of staying balanced develops core strength and stability, relieves pressure in hips and lower back and encourages proper muscle alignment.

- Strengthen the rotator cuffs that encircle your shoulders and upper arms by slowly sweeping your arms behind you in external rotations ten times in a row. Add 5 more sweeps every time until you can complete 50 at one time. The stronger your rotator cuffs, the stronger your back.

- Stretch your spine every day. Standing with feet together, slowly extend arms and hands in front of you as you rise up on your toes. Bring arms and hands overhead as you continue to stretch. Inhale and exhale as you feel your spine grow long, hold this position, breathing for 30 seconds to a minute, eyes fixed on a point ahead. Slowly lower heals as you release the stretch.