Movement
The 5 mobility minutes that change your week
A short, repeatable routine that keeps your spine moving between visits.
Why five minutes beats fifty
Consistency outperforms intensity for joint health. A brief routine you actually do every day keeps segments moving and fluid exchanging through your discs; an ambitious program you do twice a month does very little.
The routine
Move slowly and stop short of pain. Breathe through each one.
- Chin nods (60 sec): gently draw the chin straight back, hold 3 seconds, release
- Thoracic extension over a chair or roller (60 sec): open the mid-back, keep ribs down
- Cat-camel (60 sec): segment-by-segment flexion and extension
- Hip hinge with a dowel (60 sec): teach your low back to stay neutral while you bend
- Wall angels (60 sec): shoulder blades and mid-back working together
When to do it
Morning works well for stiffness; late afternoon works well for desk workers. Pick the slot you'll repeat and anchor it to something you already do — coffee, brushing your teeth, closing the laptop.
One caution
If a movement reproduces numbness, shooting pain, or dizziness, stop and tell us. Those are signals worth examining, not pushing through.
This article is general education, not medical advice for your specific case. If you want an honest answer about your spine, book a new patient exam and we'll measure first.