Katja Swift, director of CommonWealth Center for Herbal Medicine, in Brookline, is beginning a new series of movement classes in May. Swift says the low-impact classes, offered at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays, aim to restore postural alignment and strengthen weak areas of the body. “Because most people spend most of the day sitting at desks, in cars and on the couch, many of the muscles that they need for good posture are weak,” Swift says. “These weaknesses build up and one day someone’s carrying a heavy box and their back just ‘goes out.’ But that box was just the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Swift says that posture and alignment are major factors in common chronic injuries, such as pain in the low back, neck, knees and feet, and that working on proper alignment can prevent injuries in the future. The movement classes are presented in a low-key, no-sweat style. “This isn’t power yoga,” says Swift. “It’s movement that’s accessible to anyone.” CommonWealth Center for Herbal Medicine also will resume its popular Charles River Herb Walks in May and host an open house reception. See CommonwealthHerbs.com for details.

CommonWealth Center for Herbal Medicine is located at 25 St. Mary's Ct., Brookline. For more information, call 617-750-5274 or visit CommonWealthHerbs.com.