Spinal health might not grab headlines but it’s—quite literally—the backbone of your wellbeing.
Your spine is essential for daily tasks like bending, lifting and twisting. It also supports you when sitting, standing or maintaining an upright posture. So caring for your spine isn’t just important, it’s non-negotiable for your overall health.
According to movement expert Becky Thomas, an osteopath and qualified yoga and Pilates instructor, the best route to a healthy spine is to move it through its full range of motion every single day. To help you achieve this, Thomas has shared a seven-minute daily routine she swears by.
Six movements for a healthy spine
Thomas explains that to maintain a healthy, mobile spine, there are six fundamental movement patterns to include in your daily routine:
- Spinal flexion—bending forwards
- Extension—arching backward and upward
- Rotation right—twisting to the right
- Rotation left—twisting to the left
- Side bend right—staying upright while bending to the right
- Side bend left—staying upright while bending to the left
"We want to take our spine through these six movements every day to keep our spine feeling really good and really healthy," Thomas adds.
What is spinal mobility?
Spinal mobility refers to the ability of your spine to move through different directions—whether that’s sideways (lateral) bending, forwards and backward or rotating.
Having the flexibility to move through these movement patterns is important for spinal health but strength training also plays a role. The muscles that support and move your back need to be strong and supple if you want to move well in everyday life.
You can target back-supporting core muscles with moves like plank and dead bug.
