The spinal cord is one of the most important body parts and spinal injuries are on the rise. Many people spend hours out of the day, sitting at a desk or in front of a computer. In a seated position, it is difficult to maintain correct posture, and the act of sitting for a prolonged period could damage your spine.
Over time, without regular activity, your spine can weaken and lose its flexibility. As you age, this can lead to various back pains and other spinal problems. By adding more exercise to your schedule, you may be able to avoid these issues. Take a look at these asana tips and exercises to improve your spine health and prevent injury.
Spinal Cord Study
An intriguing study, conducted in India, helped to show that a spinal cord needs to remain in action to stay healthy. Researchers examined two groups of men and women. The groups were divided into two groups – laborers and executives.
The laborers were more likely to have some type of spinal injury. There was often wear and tear around the bone structure, including the cervical and lumbar bones. Despite the damage, the spinal cord remained flexible and healthy.
The majority of the executives had no spinal cord damage, but they did tend to have a higher occurrence of cervical pain, sciatica, as well as other back and lumbar pain. Comparing the effects of living two separate lifestyles, researchers concluded that the spine requires regular activity.
Perform Asana Yoga to Strengthen Your Spine
The spinal cord is a major part of the central nervous system. It is responsible for sending signals from the brain to various parts of the body. With a major spinal cord injury, a person can become paralyzed or suffer from major back pain. That is why you need to do everything that you can to protect your spinal cord and improve back health.
Strengthening the bone structure around the spinal cord will help improve the health of the spine. This brings more strength, as well as flexibility, to your spine. An effective way of strengthening these muscles and your maintaining flexibility is to perform Yoga. In addition to Yoga, the best methods of protecting your spine include:
- Moderate exercise
- Strength training
- Performing regular stretches
- Using correct posture
- Going for walks
- Eating a healthy diet
Performing a series of asana poses will help stretch and strengthen the spine. By performing a series of upward stretches, side bends, twisting, inversions, back bends, forward bends, and other movements, your spine will receive the exercise it needs to stay healthy. Search for a thirty minute to one hour Yoga routine and perform it each morning or afternoon.
These asana poses can be performed any time of the day. Make a little bit of time in the morning or the afternoon to go through these exercises to improve your spine health. If you suspect that you have a more serious condition, or if your pains do not go away, then seek the help of a medical professional.
Continue performing these exercises each day and consider including other moderate exercises into your routine, to help prevent bone loss and increase your overall health. You should also pay attention to what you eat. Cut down on processed foods and include more fresh produce in your diet, to get more out of your workouts and help prevent injuries.
References:
http://www.curejoy.com/content/spine-health-tips-asanas/
