Our spine is made up of individual bones called vertebrae. We have 7 in the neck,12 in the middle back, 5 in the lower back, and then the coccyx or tailbone underneath. It is an amazingly robust and strong structure, and every moving part is unique. The spine has 3 key functions:

• Supporting our body weight

• Enabling flexibility for movement

• Providing protection for our spinal cord and the nervous system

The spine contains over 120 muscles, around 220 ligaments and over 100 joints. It carries approximately one million nerve messages to and from the brain in a single day. The vertebra at the top of the neck is called the Atlas, named from Greek mythology. Atlas was the titan who was charged with holding up the sky. In earlier days it was thought that vertebra number one had the task of holding our whole head hence the lofty title. It might surprise you to know, that humans and giraffes have the same number of neck bones.

Just by giving a little thought to our spines, we can move our bodies in a way that provides an excellent environment for this fabulous structure. Lets explore 5 areas to consider:

• Flexibility - the spine is designed to move. Our modern high tech environment has encouraged us to be more sedentary than our ancestors. We spend more time in the mid range of our movements than ever before. If we want to keep our flexibility then it is vital to move into the outer range of movement such as bending fully forward and extending our backs. Adding flexibility and stretching to our exercise routines ensures that we move our spines throughout their available range and helps with combating stiffness.

• Strength or Resistance training - Like any muscles in the body, the more you use your back muscles the stronger they will be . Being strong in your trunk, makes life easier for your arms and legs as it provides a stable support system for movement. Exercises should focus on the muscle groups at the back of your spine but also the muscles that sit in front such as the abdominals and the neck flexors.

• Postural awareness - As strength around the trunk increases, this also benefits our posture and we are able to stand taller and sit straighter. Being aware of how we position ourselves during the day especially when we are sedentary can play a huge role in keeping female back pain at bay. If you sit poorly for 8 hours a day every day, then as time passes this can cause these niggling aches and grumbles that you can do without . Before settling into that good book, or your favourite TV show, take a moment to get into a good sitting position and your back will thank you for it .

• Sleeping positions - are you setting yourself up for success when you retire to your bed at night? Too many pillows or too few can impact the dinosaur hands sleeping the spine and leave you waking up not as refreshed as you would like. Consider your sleeping positions to ensure that you wake with a spring in your step every morning.

• Bone density - as we age, our bones can lose some of their strength which leads to osteopenia and osteoporosis. This weakening of the bones can leave us susceptible to fractures in the event of a fall. Regular weight bearing exercise such as walking and dancing stimulates the bone structure to remain strong so should always be a part of your fitness regime.

Monday's exercises focus on shoulder flexibility and middle back flexibility. Struggling to reach into your top cupboard? - Give these a go.

We all need some inspiration to keep us motivated. Meet Charly Bancarel, the dean of the Paris Marathon whom completed his 11th marathon with a time of 7 hours 22 minutes. At the age of 93 he could have been the father, grandfather and great-grandfather of many of the competitors. He took up jogging at age 55. This retired coach driver demonstrates it is never too late to start.

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