I worked at a Dairy Queen when I was a teenager, sometimes along with my best friend. The owner would allow us to eat any “mistakes” we made, such as when we put the wrong topping on a sundae. I won’t say I made lots of “mistakes,” but we regularly did have a free goodie at break time.

These days I’m mostly dairy-free, because it creates havoc on my digestive system, but I still have fond memories of those little curly twists we were taught to make at the top of a soft-serve cone.

In our bodies, twists are one of the movements of the spine (2 if you count right and left separately). The movement rotates the spine and stretches our back muscles, along with shoulders and chest if you get the arms involved. We want to maintain our natural range of motion, to stay supple and mobile. Yoga includes many different types of twists, which can be done while reclining, prone, seated, and standing.

Although most people can safely rotate through the spine and neck (which is the cervical spine), it’s important to note that deep twists are not great for everyone.

For example, if you’re pregnant, have a spinal disc injury, chronic digestive issues, or Sacroiliac (SI) joint issues, you will want to consult with your healthcare provider before attempting any spinal movements.

To try a gentle twist, start in a seated position, sit up tall (lengthened spine) and let your body rotate in one direction without holding onto, or pulling on anything. That is an open twist and reflects your natural range of motion.

In Foundation Training I learned that it can be better on our bodies to let the hips follow the torso (unlike the Twist dance, where your hips go the opposite direction), so that we aren’t putting excessive pressure on the vertebrae and discs. Notice that if you stand tall and rotate side to side, your hips will generally follow the same direction naturally.

I hope that you can make some time for movement, including twisting. Your mind and body will thank you!

Be Well,

Eva