The Best Excercies II
The following are the number one exercises, each for a given area, according to patient surveys:Low Back - Lumbar pain type 1 (Spinal Muscle Spasms) - Knee/Chest Rocking
Lie on your back and slowly bend your knees and pull them to your chest with your hands. Hold and
then pull slightly more. Repeat this action 20 times- now, while holding the knees to your chest push
your chest forward against your knees. Repeat this 20 times. Now, quickly alternate each maneuver
so that you begin rocking. Continue this rocking motion for up to 100 times. If that is too many for
you break it up into 2 sets of 50 or 4 sets of 25, but try to get all 100 rocking movements done. Slowly
return your legs to the floor and get up only after rolling onto your side. With low back spinal spasms
the first few pulls and the first few rocking movements may hurt a bit, but you should notice that as you
continue the rocking the discomfort subsides.
Shoulder - Wall Angels
Stand with your back against a bare wall. It's ok to have your feet away from the wall. The back of your
head, shoulder blades, and buttocks should remain against the wall throughout the exercise. That's
generally no problem. The real challenge is to keep the back of BOTH your right and left forearms,
wrists, and elbows touching the wall as you perform the exercise. With your arms down at your sides
bend your elbows slightly and contact the wall with the backs of your forearms, wrists, and elbows.
Proceed to slowly raise both arms as if you were on your back in the snow making a snow angel.
Take your time and notice any points that may pull away from contacting the wall and try to make a
correction. Bring the arms all the way above your head if you can until your two hands touch each
other. Using the same careful technique, proceed to slowly lower your arms to your sides. Repeat the
exercise four more times.
Sacroiliac (Hip, Buttock) Pain - Figure Four Dips
Stand with your back to a table, counter, or desk and place your palms on the edge. Lift the leg on the
side of your pain and bring it across your supporting leg so that the ankle is resting just above and in
front of the knee of the supporting leg. Keep your pain-side knee as far back as possible so that your
body is in a "figure four" position. It is ok to hold onto your pain-side foot with one of your hands if that
is more comfortable for you. For added stability the exercise can be done with your back against a wall.
Next, slowly bend the supporting leg as in doing a knee bend. Bend one or two inches then return to an
upright figure four position. Repeat this cycle adding one or two more inches each time until you reach
the point at which the depth of the bend produces a stretch discomfort at the site of your pain. Hold
five seconds then return upright. Repeat to that bending depth four more times, holding at the lowest
point for five seconds each time.
The information contained herein is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment in any manner. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition.
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