Live Whole Health #161: Posture micro-breaks

“You are only as young as you feel in your spine.” This was printed on a poster in a chiropractor’s office I visited many years ago when I was having some neck pain. “Hmmm,” I thought, “if that is true, then today I am pretty old!”

Day to day life can make us feel stiff and inflexible. Whether you are sitting at a desk working on a computer or hunched over gazing at the device in your hand, our neck and back can start to feel a little creaky.

Do you ever give your neck and back a quick break? Even just 30–60 seconds every hour? Allowing yourself to get up, walk around, move your head from side to side and get some movement in your spine can give tremendous relief to increase the mobility of your spine.

In this 5.5-minute video, Dr. Aaron Armetta, chiropractor at the Omaha VA Medical Center, offers several simple movements that can help release the tension and strain on your neck and shoulders caused by day-to-day living.

An active lifestyle decreases the risks of long-term health problems partly because moving regularly decreases inflammation in the body. Moving the body offers so many benefits to our physical and mental health and it can be as easy as taking a short walk with a friend! Learn why moving the body is an important part of your Whole Health by watching the video on this page.

Is it time for you to make a change in your life and get more physical activity in your day? Check out our handout that will guide you in adding some more physical activity to your day: Get Moving: Adding Physical Activity into Your Routine.