There are a number of health issues associated with the modern lifestyle. Many people overlook the significance of caring for this vital bodily structure in the digital age, where they can obtain even the most basic need with a single click. They consequently suffer greatly when the spine ultimately stiffens and even simple movements cause discomfort.
Dr. Pallavi Singh, the founder of Stride Podiatry and a physiotherapist, and bodybuilder Chitharesh Kongarampilly Natesan, often known as The Indian Monster, demonstrate the greatest workouts that anyone can perform in under a minute.
Dr. Singh suggests performing the following exercises to assist release tight muscles in the body and gradually increase spinal flexibility:
Half neck rotation
Turn your head slowly to the right, looking over your right shoulder and leading with your chin. Maintaining your shoulders relaxed, continue the exercise by bringing your chin down to your chest and then slowly rotating it in the direction of your left shoulder.
Merits: By focusing on the tight muscles in the neck, this exercise helps improve posture and reduce headaches. As you advance, you can go on to strengthening your neck muscles with the Chin Tuck exercise.
Supine twist
With your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, lie on your back. After bringing your knees to your chest, slowly lower them to one side while maintaining a level shoulder. Look away from where your knees are down. After 30 seconds of holding, switch to the other side.
Merits: This exercise, recommended by Dr. Pallavi Singh, activates the muscles in the mid-back, improving flexibility in spinal twists and general suppleness.
Natesan recommends the following spine warm-up stretches to help people prevent serious injuries before working out at the gym:
Cat-cow stretch
Hold the cow pose by arching your back with your hands and knees; when you round your back into the cat pose, release your breath. For 30 seconds, repeat this flowing movement to fully mobilize your spine.
Merits: This calming stretch increases flexion and extension of the spine.
Seated forward bend
With your legs out in front of you, take a seat on the floor. Aim to touch your toes with your extended arms as you progressively bend forward at the hips. To lengthen your hamstrings and lower back, hold for 15 seconds.
Merits: This helps with forward flexion.
Standing side stretch
To gently extend the side of your spine, stand with your feet hip-width apart, raise one arm overhead, then slant to the other side. To improve the lateral muscles’ flexibility, hold each side for 15 seconds.
Merits: This helps with lateral spinal flexion.
