The spine — like a past that comes back to haunt you — has a sharp memory. It remembers every bend and twist, be it while you are balancing the cell phone between your ear and shoulder, getting out of bed without turning on the side, playing a sport without stretching first or sitting at your workstation for hours without taking a break. “We say smoking is injurious to health, but a sedentary lifestyle is even more harmful,” says Dr Garima Anandani, chief spine specialist, Qi Spine Clinic.

Extension in standing: Support your lower back with both hands, keep your knees straight and bend backwards. Pics/ Nimesh Dave

She adds that simple activities such as keeping your feet straight and slouching on your pillow while watching television, sitting on the settee without a back rest and allowing your feet to dangle cause the back to form a perfect ‘C’, which is the most imperfect posture for the spine. She and other spine specialists share certain tips that serve as a handy guide to get the right posture.

Sit right
The spine, also known as the vertebral column or spinal column, is composed of a series of bones called vertebrae that are stacked one upon another. “If you want to keep your spine healthy, sit as little as possible. To maintain the perfect ‘S’ posture, sit on a chair, which is at an angle of 105 degrees, and slide your hips to the very end of it. If you are short, balance your feet on a stool low enough so that it does not raise the knees above the thighs,” suggests Dr Anandani.