The Spine Bone is Connected to the Heart Bone: Stretching for Health

Hundreds of years ago, English physician Thomas Sydenham taught that “a man is as old as his arteries.” We usually don’t think about the health of our arteries until a problem arises (like an emergency room admission, a heart attack, erectile dysfunction or sudden death). It not routine to measure the “age” of arteries directly although I do this in my clinic with advanced equipment.

Fascinating data has emerged in the last few years suggesting that the flexibility of the spine and joints predicts the flexibility of arteries. Additional data indicates that yoga may help maintain our arteries in a youthful state. Now there is new data confirming this.

Data on Flexibility and Artery Health

1. Spine flexibility relates to artery flexibility.

Japanese researchers evaluated the ability of 526 adults ranging in age from 20 to 83 years old to sit and reach their toes, a measure of spinal flexibility. Arterial stiffness (or aging) was measured by a technique using ultrasound. In patients over age 40, spinal and arterial flexibility were related. Spinal flexibility predicted arterial youthfulness independent of overall fitness and muscular strength.