Older adults like my wife and I and most of our friends, should decompress their spine daily, to relieve pressure on nerves, muscles, and discs.
These relaxing moves will counteract age-related wear like degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis if you incorporate them into your day.
Ever heard of “sciatica”? You don’t want to experience that either.
These 9 exercises will do the decompression job but because of my age, most of them are too difficult for my friends and I.
I want to share with you 3 gentle exercises that I do each day to support my spine.
You don’t need any equipment and they can be done anywhere and anytime.
I want to reduce my back pain!
I want better mobility!
I want to manage stress better!
I want the water I drink to actually lubricate my joints!
Let’s gently stretch the spine and take the pressure off the nerves and allow the discs to rehydrate and the muscles to relax.
Overhead Reach #1
Stand or sit tall. Interlace your fingers if you can and stretch arms toward the ceiling.
You could use a wall, door frame, or bar apparatus at your gym.
Take it slowly. Think about your posture. Deep breathe. Engage your core.
Hold for as long as possible.
#2 Forward Fold to Arch Back (Cat Cow)
This dynamic spinal movement should be done super slowly sensing your spine along the way.
Hold in the fold position for as long as possible.
Move back up to the arch position and hold for as long as possible.
Do the exhaling on the movement.
Engage your core and pay attention to your posture.
#3 90/90
I like to lie on my livingroom carpet with a small towel or pillow under my neck and my bent legs resting on the sofa.
Make sure you are 90 degrees at the hips, knees, and ankles.
Practise deep breathing and thinking about happy thoughts for 10 minutes.
No sleeping allowed.
Interesting Spine Facts
- You have 31 pairs of nerves grouped regionally from your cervical, thoracic, lumbar, hips and tailbone carrying important messages to and from your brain.
- You have 33 vertebrae supporting and protecting those nerves also allowing you to stand, rotate, sit, move back and forth, and lie down comfortably.
- As we get older, those 33 vertebrae change to 24, making life for some, more difficult.
- You have 40 muscles also supporting and giving you that mobility you desire.
- Some of those muscles are erectors, stabilizers, and core.
- Your body needs about 8 hours of sleep each day to repair your spine.
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