When I was a kid, if I ran to my mother to complain about being left out of a game, or about being bullied or pushed around by other kids, she used to tell me to “grow a backbone” and then would send me back out with further instruction to “stick up for” myself. I wondered how I was supposed to grow a spine when I already had one, but I guess I got the gist of her advice as I made it through childhood relatively unscathed. As I studied anatomy and physiology in college and graduate school I began to understand how she was using the metaphor to encourage and support me. The human spine, as I know now, is critically important in supporting us throughout life and when things go wrong with it, we definitely feel it!

So what about the spine? The spine has a total of 33 bones, divided into 5 segments: 7 cervical vertebrae in the neck, 12 thoracic vertebrae in the upper back, 5 lumbar vertebrae in the lower back, 5 sacral vertebra, and 4 in the coccyx (sometimes referred to as the “tailbone’). The 24 vertebrae above the sacrum are moveable, and 9 below are considered relatively fixed. Between the mobile vertebrae are spongy discs which separate and cushion the vertebrae allowing for movement and shock absorption. The spine also has some natural curves. The cervical and lumbar areas have a backward or concave curve called a lordosis while the thoracic and sacral vertebrae each form a convex, forward bend called a kyphosis. The spine is important, not only for mobility and support but it is attached to or part of structures that protect and make space for our internal organs, such as the rib cage and the abdominal cavity. See the illustrations below for visual images of the spine.

Maintaining strength and mobility of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae is important to our comfort and ability to move, and to the health of our organs. “Standing tall” as the saying goes, creates room for your lungs to expand, your blood to flow freely, and for your abdominal organs to do their job of digestion and elimination, yet modern life seems to encourage us to sit excessively and mostly in postures that distort our spine. This has led to an epidemic of back pain and other spinal problems that keep our friendly physical therapists and orthopedic specialists busy, but that keep many people from doing the things they love.

So what to do to counteract the unhealthy postures dictated by our lifestyle? Yoga, while not a substitute for physical therapy and orthopedic care when those are needed, can help can help lengthen the spine, increase flexibility and help you achieve a normal posture. Forward-bending and side-bending postures, along with twists help improve flexibility. Standing postures help with postures and strength of the bones and supporting muscles. Some students tell me they actually feel taller at the end of a class. Stretching the tendons and fascia of the back, sides and belly can help open up the spaces between the spinal bones, therefore contributing to increased spinal length! Maybe it is actually possible to "grow your backbone" through yoga. How cool is that?

There is a caution though: Yoga must be done correctly to provide the maximum benefit to your spine, and doing it incorrectly can cause injury. If you want to try out yoga to help you with your spinal health, do some research to find what is right for you. Keep in mind that not all yoga teachers have equal knowledge and experience. Look for a yoga teacher, with advanced knowledge of how yoga interacts with human anatomy and physiology, and who has a commitment to offering gentle guidance to all students who come into the studio. Look for a studio that has small enough classes that you don’t get “lost in the crowd.” And of course, if you have any health problems, be sure to check with your primary care provider, or other health care professional to see if they agree that yoga is right for you right now!

I hope to see you in the studio! Come on in and “grow a backbone” with me at Valley Soul Yoga!

Namaste!

Claire Lindberg, PhD, RN, RYT 500, RPYT