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THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE
We teach our patients special exercises designed just for them to help strengthen and correct their own unique problem. These exercises can be performed in the comfort of your own home and can improve the effectiveness of your spinal correction by as much as 30-40%. This enhances the treatment process and helps maintain healing benefits, as well as reducing the likelihood of future problems.
PARTIAL SIT UP
We start with what most people said is the best back pain exercise. Because people who have back pain will not be able to do a full sit up, we will do partial sit up. This is what you should do.
Lie on the floor with a pillow supporting your neck and bend both knees (keep your feet on the floor). Now, raise your hands and slowly reach for your knees. You don't have to raise your lower back or mid back, just raise your head, neck and upper back. Hold this position for 5 seconds before going back to the original position.
Because it is very easy to do, we suggest that you do it as many times as possible in a day (50 repetitions take only minutes). Make it your daily routine.
KNEE TO CHEST
You start this exercise the same way like the partial sit up, by lying on the floor with a pillow supporting your neck. Now bend both knees (keep your feet on the floor).
Begin the exercise by drawing one of your knees to the chest, using both hands (only one foot is now on air). Hold to the count of 10, then slowly release it to the position before. Do this 4 5 times before doing the same thing with the other leg. Youll feel that the whole back gets stretched. That is good thing, since we have been making the back shorter all day by sitting incorrectly.
After you have done that, time to get both knees to the chest. Do this 4-5 times as well.
HIP ROLL
What you do is to lie on your back with both hands out at your sides. If we were to look at you from the air, you would now look like a tiny T. Now bend your knees and lift your feet until it almost touches your buttocks. Keep those knees together, and slowly rotate to the right. Hold to the count of 10.
After that, slowly bring back both feet to the middle and repeat the same step, this time going to the left. Repeat the entire thing for 4 10 times.
CAT-CAMEL
Position yourself on all fours with hands directly beneath your shoulders and knees directly beneath your hips. Arch your back like a cat, then transition to camel position.
The Cat-Camel is intended as a motion exercisenot a stretchso the emphasis is on motion rather than "pushing" at the end ranges of flexion and extension. Repeat 12-15 times.
SUPERMAN
Begin in an all-fours position with body over the stability, abdominal muscles engaged to stabilize the pelvis and the neck in alignment with the spine. Lift opposite arm and leg up at the time then return down switch to the other side.
SPINAL ROTATION
Seated in a chair, reach one arm across the belly and grasp the opposite side of the chair. Look over the shoulder while rotating the low- and mid-back. Hold for 15-30 seconds.
LEG REVERSE CURL
Lie on your back with one knee flexed and foot flat on the floor and the other leg straight in the air. Extend arms flat along body and maintain neutral alignment in the cervical spine.
Lift the working knee and leg in an upward diagonal direction over the belly button. Pause, then slowly lower the leg to the starting position. Repeat with other leg.
NECK FLEXION
Stand facing the wall and hold the stability ball at forehead height, push forehead forward into the ball.
NECK EXTENSION
Stand facing away from the wall and hold the stability ball behind your head. Push back of head into the ball.
NECK LATERAL
Stand sideways to the wall. Hold the stability ball above your shoulder at the side of your head. Push side of heads laterally into the ball.
Neck Stretches
1. Bring your ear to your shoulder
2. Let your neck to sit in that position for 5 to 7 secs
3. Force your ear toward your shoulder.
3. Feel the stretch of your neck muscle on the opposite side.
Same principle as the exercise before...
1. Bring head back as if you are looking toward the ceiling.
2. Feel the stretch in the muscles located on the front part of your
neck.
If this exercise causes dizziness,fainting or loss of balance.. STOP
THE EXERCISE AND CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN.
1. Rotate your head toward your (R or L) shoulder and then
2. Nod your head down and you will feel a stretch on the opposite side of which you are looking. Just hold for a few seconds and repeat.
Neck exercises for strength
1. Put your hand on your forehead and force
your forehead against your hand to provide
resistance. You can do this in several sets of
6, 8, or 10 repetitions.
Place your hands on the back of your neck
and force your head back while providing
ressitance with your hands.
Do these exercises in several sets of 6, 8, or 10 several times a day and you will be surprised at the amount of flexibility
that returns in a couple of months.
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