Benefits

Great for helping deal with *back pain (see cautions) and for preventing it

The spinal cord is stimulated when you are mobilizing the spine, which encourages good circulation, improved blood flow and even good posture

Reduces stiffness in the spine - decreases any kind of compression in the spine and reduces pain in the process

Cautions

If there is any pain, please see your doctor and get it checked out. Sometimes disc pain and joint pain can be aggravated with this exercise but if done properly, it should feel good to most people out there. Remember - don't do it if it causes you more pain. Get medical attention about it.

Instructions:

Maintain a regular breathing frequency. Inhale as you draw your shoulders back and your chest forward and exhale as you round your back

First position is of mobilizing the spine - bring your chin in and let your lower back and upper back roll out as you exhale, hollowing in the belly an you want to hold that position for 2-3 seconds

The 2nd position is just the opposite of the 1st. As you begin your inhale, look up, arch your back ever so slightly and slowly bring the shoulder blades in together. Allow the chest to move forward.

Move through first and second position and back again, in a fluid motion for a minute or two.

Repeat as often as needed. Every hour is always great if you have time.

Info to consider

Lower back pain affects millions of individuals and costs governments billions of dollars annually.

Lower back pain can affect your daily activities, your work productivity, and even prevent you from having a good nights rest

Lower back pain is often a very difficult condition to diagnose. Many structures in the lower back such as the discs, nerves, muscles, ligaments and joints can all cause pain in this area

Paying attention to early warning signs can help you prevent this condition from becoming chronic

For example, morning stiffness, dull achy muscle pain or even fatigue can all be considered early warning signs