|
|
 |
Useful
Back Exercises
 |
|
|
BACK STRENGTHENING EXERCISES
|
|
|
BENT KNEE SIT UP - Lying on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and not fixed or held, hold your arms straight out in front of you and sit up to reach towards you knees with your hands, keeping your head in line with your trunk. Slowly lower yourself down, uncurling from the lower back and relax.
Caution - Do not bring your head forward or strain your neck. Do not sit right up or take your head past your knees.
Effect - Strengthens abdominal muscles. Pain could indicate muscle weakness.
Aim - Start with five repetitions and build up to five sets of ten repetitions.
|
|
|
HIP EXTENSION - Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hands resting across your midriff. Lift your hips off the floor with control, then slowly lower and relax completely.
Caution - Do not lift your hips too high or arch your back hard. Stop if you feel pain.
Effect - Strengthens the back extensor, gluteal and hamstring muscles; also the lower part of the shoulder girdle. Discomfort in any of these areas while doing this exercise may indicate a problem.
Aim - Start with ten repetitions, then build up to three sets of fifteen repetitions.
|
|
|
TRUNK EXTENSION (prone lying): Lying flat on your stomach, with your arms relaxed alongside you, palms flat on the ground, lift your head and shoulders just a little way upwards, bring the shoulder blades together; slowly lower and relax.
Caution - be careful not to lift too high or arch your back forcibly. The movement should feel comfortable. Do not work through pain.
Effect - strengthens the back extensor and shoulder girdle muscles. If pain is experienced, you may have a problem with your spinal joints.
Aim - Start with ten repetitions and build up to three sets of twenty.
|
|
|
THE SIT-AND-REACH STRETCH
- Sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, reach forward to slide your hands down your legs, keeping your arms and back straight, your head up. Hold the position for a count of six, then relax completely.
Caution - Do not even attempt the movement if you experience pain simply sitting with your legs straight. Do not force the movement.
Effect - Stretches the hamstring muscles. Pain while doing this exercise may indicate tight hamstrings, which can pull the pelvis into a backward tilt.
Aim - Repeat the stretch five times at first, and build up gradually to three sets of five
repetitions
|
|
|
FRONT SHOULDER STRETCH - Sitting or standing, place your hands behind your back and clasp your hands together; keeping your elbows straight and your head up, lift your hands up behind you, until you feel a gentle stretch on the front of your shoulders. Hold the stretch for a count of six, then relax completely.
Caution - Keep your back straight, head up. Do not force the movement so your upper back bends forward.
Effect - Stretches the front of the shoulders. If you cannot do this exercise easily, you may have tight shoulders which can cause stress on the upper back and neck. It is therefore important to maintain flexibility here.
Aim - Repeat the stretch five times at first, gradually building up to three sets of five repetitions.
|
|
|
STANDING SQUATS - Standing straight, with your feet parallel and slightly apart, go up on your toes, and staying on your toes, bend your knees with control to squat down as fully as you can, then straighten your knees quickly to stand up; finally, let your heels down to the floor and relax.
Caution - Keep your back as straight as you can. If your balance is poor, stand by a support.
Effect - Strengthens the front thigh muscles. If your legs are weak, it is potentially dangerous to lift any load from the floor safely, as you will rely on bending your back.
Aim - Start with five repetitions and build up to three sets of fifteen repetitions |
|
|
|
