Good morning! ? Dr. Kelly here. A quick guide to the essential Low Back exercises & stretches.
Having low back pain can be debilitating.
Some people can’t walk, can’t sit, can’t sleep. The cause of low back pain can be sciatica, pinched nerve, disc problems, SI joint issues to piriformis spasms, just to name a few. To determine the cause of you or your loved one’s low back pain, an exam needs to be performed. This can include a detailed review of your history, an examination of your back, along with possible x-rays. X-rays give me an in-depth picture of not only the health of your spine, but also biomechanically how well you are functioning.
When I take x-rays, I typically take a motion study. This allows me to access if your spine is moving properly. Once a cause is determined, there are several low back exercises to perform to support the spine.
Let’s start:
WOBBLE DISC:
The wobble motion of a side to side, front to back or a figure 8 all work to hydrate the spine from the low back up. When you are on the disc, you are on an unstable surface, this cues in your brain. It also works the small muscles of your spine.
More hydration works brain and feels good overall to do. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WALL EXERCISE:
Stand with your back up against the wall and your feet about a foot away from the wall. Looking straight ahead press the back of your head into the wall. Push the small of your back into the wall. To step it up a notch, rotate your hands palms up. Hold for 5 secs. Repeat 5 times.
CAT/COW:
Place your hands and knees on the ground. Drop your hips down and arch your back as you rock your hips up. As you do this, look up as you drop your hips and look down as you rock your hips back. Hold each pose for 5 sec. Repeat 5 times. ⌛⏳⏲
PRESS UP:
Laying on your stomach, press up with your arms keeping your hips on the table.
SITTING TRACTION:
While sitting, push your hands next to your buttocks into the chair. With your arms locked, lift your body off the chair. You will feel an unloading of your spine.
PIRIFORMIS STRETCH:
While laying down place your right ankle on your left knee. Hook your left thigh and bring it towards your body. Push on the right knee to get a deeper stretch.
If you are laying on your back, bring one leg up in the air, grasping from behind the thigh, bring the leg closer to your body. If you are standing place your foot, with your toes pointed to the ceiling, on a bench. Slowly hinge forward at your hips to feel the stretch in the hamstring.
PSOAS STRETCH:
Get into a lunge position. Slowly push forward through your hips. If you need to feel more of a stretch, take a broom upside down and place it by the front foot. With the same hand as the front foot, push the broom down into the floor. This helps activate the hip flexors. You can also raise arm which has the foot in the back up in the air.
TRUNK ROTATION:
Laying on the ground with your knees bent, slowly drop your knees to one side. Repeat on the other side.
PELVIC TILT, FOOT GLIDE, BRIDGE, BRIDGE WITH LEG EXTENSION:
This exercise slowly progresses to a more challenging exercise as you add the above steps. Start lying on the ground with your knees bent. Rock your hip back and into the table. You will be pressing the small of your back into the table.
With the pelvic tilt activated, glide one foot out while maintaining the tilt into the table.
With the pelvic tilt activated, squeeze your gluts, and raise your buttocks off of the table.
Once in the bridge position, extend one leg, hold for 3 seconds, place the foot down and lower the bridge. Repeat with the other leg.
DEADBUG:
You are lying flat on your back on the floor. You bring your legs up into shelf position. You bring your arms up to 90 degrees. Using your lower abdominal muscles, you tilt your pelvis and push the small of your back into the floor. As your back is on the ground, you extend one leg and the opposite arm. ALL WHILE KEEPING the small of your back pressed into the floor. As this is happening, the other arm & leg do not move.
Click here to watch the dead bug in action.
Stop & discontinue the exercise or stretch if you have pain, feeling any numbness or tingling until we can discuss at your next visit.
Yours in Healthy Naturally,
Dr. Kelly