IT’S WORLD SPINE day and people are being asked to take a spine selfie to mark it.

The focus of day is to raise awareness of the burden of spinal disorders and highlight healthy spine habits.

Internationally it’s estimated that 4 out of 5 people will experience back pain at some stage in their life.

Chiropractors are advising that posture and exercise can make a huge difference – a three minute exercise routine for your spine has even been created to keep it in tip top shape.

But the spine selfie is new and we weren’t 100% sure what it even means- however, the World Spine Day twitter account has given these guidelines.

The Advice

The theme of the day “Straighten Up and Move’ – pretty much sums up the advice of the experts.

President of the Chiropractic Association of Ireland, Siobhan Guiry, said, “We can improve our health simply by standing up and moving around more.

Stand up when on the phone, take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator and use your lunch or coffee break to get outside and go for a short walk.

“It is also important to sit correctly at your desk – ensure your back is well supported, hips, elbows and knees are close to 90 degrees, thighs are parallel to the floor and recline slightly to ease lower back pressure, whilst maintaining good ergonomics of your work station to reduce repetitive strain injuries from prolonged hours in front of the computer.”

She also highlighted the importance of maintaining good spinal posture when driving by keeping your arms at shoulder height in a comfortable position from the steering wheel.

Guiry added that it’s also important to stretch before and after exercise.

Three minute exercise 

A series of exercises that take three minutes have been developed as part of ‘Straighten up and move’ to improve posture, stabilise core muscles, enhance health and help prevent spinal disability.

They can be done by anybody of any age – with a special program tailored for children.

You can find out about free spine and posture checks going on this week here.

Read: Stay flexible without leaving your desk by doing these three stretches>