The Spine is the Key to Health

The spine is the key to health

“The spine is the key to health” - this phrase was said by Paul Bragg quite a long time ago, but to this day it does not lose its relevance. After all, your excellent health and normal functioning of all organs and systems of the body depend, first of all, on the good condition of the spine. The latter is due to the fact that the upper and lower limbs are attached to the spine, and it itself protects the spinal cord from various types of damage that each of us faces during our lives. And if such a fragile structure is deprived of “support” from the muscles, in everyday life we ​​call this a “muscular corset,” then the back can change its shape due to an increase or decrease in the bends or curvature of the spine.

Surely, many people are familiar with the feeling of back fatigue after a long stay in a sitting position, standing, or wearing winter outerwear. Try to analyze how often do you sit bent over? What about the gait? We hope your back is straight, your shoulders are back and your head is raised proudly. Or is there still a tendency to stoop, when the shoulders are drooped, and the thoracic spine resembles more of a “question mark”?

We invite you to evaluate your back using the following test. Stand against the wall (preferably without a baseboard so that your heels touch the wall); with strong back muscles and normal posture, there should be five points of contact with the wall: heels, knees, buttocks, shoulder blades and head. If the back muscles located between the shoulder blades are not strong enough, then it is difficult to straighten your shoulders and touch your head to the wall. And these are the main muscles that are responsible for correct posture and create a muscle corset.

So, today we bring to your attention an exercise that will strengthen the interscapular muscles, arms and also strengthen the lower back muscles. To do this, you will need a rubber shock absorber (another name is an expander), which can be purchased at a sports store or at a regular pharmacy.

Stand on the shock absorber with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and tilt 45 degrees while keeping your back straight (i.e., shoulders back and lower back arched); the gaze is directed forward. Grab the ends of the resistance band in a criss-cross pattern, pulling it slightly tight. This is your starting position (photo 1). Inhale and as you exhale, open your shoulders, squeeze your shoulder blades together and, bending your arms, pull the shock absorber towards your lower abdomen (photo 2). Please pay attention to the fact that the elbows move along the body, and that this itself is carried out due to the interscapular muscles of the back, and not the biceps! As you inhale, lower your arms and return to the starting position. Try to complete 2-3 sets of at least 15 reps. If you can do it easily, then you can take a long expander and fold it in half.

This is not a technically simple exercise, but try to avoid the following mistakes: round back - always keep your back straight, especially in the lumbar region; always pull the shock absorber towards the lower abdomen and never towards the chest; do not straighten your legs completely, so that it is easier to maintain the arch of the lumbar spine (photo 3).

If you practice pulling the shock absorber to your stomach while standing in an inclined position, often, your back muscles will become stronger and will provide the spine with the correct position, and you will have a beautiful posture. And only by creating a strong muscle corset, you can maintain your health and feel great! Train for your health!
Good luck!