Marjariasana (cat pose)

Marjariasana (cat pose)

To do this pose:

Come onto your hands and knees on your mat with your shoulders directly over your wrists and hips directly over your knees. From this table top position, start by tucking your tailbone under, pulling your shoulder blades apart as you puff out your back, and tuck your chin into your chest. Arching up through the whole back so you resemble a “Halloween Cat!” You can sway forward to back, side to side, tuck or untuck your toes, really whatever feels good on your body. Usually this pose is done on an exhale so you can hug your abs into your spine, but feel free to hold for a few breaths while moving through the pose.

How this pose is especially beneficial for nurses: 

• It stretches the entire spine. Unlike some other poses we have discussed like Halasana that primarily stretches the low back, Cat pose can really stretch all parts of your back especially if you move around a little in the pose. This full stretch can really help when multiple parts of the spine are affected like they are in nursing. 
• It provides a gentle massage to abdominal muscles, which stimulates digestion! While other poses may be intense for some people, this is a very gentle stimulation and even a little massage to all those organs and even to the spinal cord. Stimulating the spine also stimulates the circulation of your spinal fluid through your brain and spinal cord and through the lymphatic system. Both of these help release toxins from your body after a long day. 
• It strengthens your wrists and hands. Not as common of a problem but nurses do spend a lot of time on the computer and charting as well as working with their hands whether it’s changing a dressing, drawing blood, or or changing out IV medications. Strengthening the wrists and hands helps prevent repetitive stress injuries that are becoming more and more common in all types of jobs, not just typing and computers.