Neck and Back Stretches - Chiropractic Physicians at Biltmore Park

BRUGGER'S POSTURAL RELIEF EXERCISE
Brugger's Postural Relief Exercise strengthens your muscles. lt promotes
stability and relaxes tight muscles that tighten due to postural stress (see
Figure 2). Check the tension in your upper back and shoulders in the
slumped posture and then in the postural relief position. Muscle tension is
dramatically reduced in the postural relief position. Another check is to turn
your head in the slumped and corrected postures. Again, a dramatic
improvement in the postural relief position should be observed.
Figure
1
Figure 2
FOLLOW THESE SIX STEPS:
1. Sit with your buttocks at the edge of a chair.
2. Spread your legs apart slightly.
3. Turn your toes out slightly.
4. Rest your weight on your legslfeet & relax your abdominal muscles.
5. Tilt your pelvis fonryard & Iift your chest up thus increasing the curve
of your lower back to its maximum.
6. Turn your palms up.
This postural exercise should be done for 10 seconds every 20 minutes. lt
can be incorporated into sit to stand, walking, and lifting. Within a few
weeks, you will experience the sensation of sitting and standing straighter
naturally. When this occurs, conscious effort is not as necessary because
you have learned a new skill on an automatic basis. This is ideal as a new
postural habit once learned is unlikely to be broken.
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UPPER BAGK & NECK
Stretch i n g T h e rap e uti c Exercises
GENERAL
INSTRUCTIONS:
Neck Flexion/Extension:
With your chin tucked in and
mouth closed, slowly lower
your head to your
Reiurn
to
starting
chest.
position.
Relax. Bring your head as far
back as possible so you can
Do only those exercises taught to you by your therapist.
Exercise twice daily, 10 of each.
Levator Scapulae: Sit in a
chair. Place your hands behind
you head" Slowly move your
chin to your chest while turning
your head to the right. Repeat
Scalleni: Sit in a chair. Clasp
your hands behind your back.
Lower your left shoulder and
on left side,
tilt your head to the left.
tilt your head to the right.
Lower your right shoulder and
look up at the ceiling.
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ffr ljtt Itt
Upper Trapezius: Sit in a
Clasp your hands
behind your back. Titt and
rotate your head to the left,
chair.
looking toward your underarm.
Repeat on the right.
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Pectoralis: Stand in an open
doorway. Raise you hands out
to your sides to shoulder level.
Bend your elbows and point
your fingers toward the ceiling.
Put your forearms against the
door frame and lean fon*rard
until you feel a stretch across
Suboccipitals: Lie flat on your
back, or stand against a wall.
Place a pillow behind your
head. Tuck in your chin and
push your head and neck into
the pillow.
your chest.
-q
EXERCISE GUIDELINES:
Exhale on exertion. Hold position for 30 seconds and then relax.
Pulling sensations may occur while exercising. Stop exercising if you experience pain, nausea
or dizziness.
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FORM 30sA
UPPER BAGK & NECK
Range of Motion Therapeutic Exercises
Name
Date
Flexion/Extension: Sit in a chair, keeping your neck, shoulders, and trunk straight. Tuck in
your chin and lower your head slowly, keeping your mouth closed. Return to starting position
and relax. Bring your head back as far as possible, looking up at the ceiling. Stop movement
if you feel any pain.
Lateral Flexion: Sit in a chair, keeping your neck, shoulders, and trunk straight. Tilt your
head, slowly lowering your ear to your right shoulder. Return to starting position and relax.
Repeat the movement to your left shoulder. Keep your nose pointing forward and do not
raise your shoulders toward your head. Stop movement if you feel any pain.
Rotation: Sit in a chair, keeping your neck, shoulders, and trunk straight. Turn your head
slowly bringing your chin toward your right shoulder. Return to starting position and relax.
Repeat the movement to your left shoulder. Keep your eyes level with the floor. Stop
movement if you feel any pain.
@1999 Breakthrough Coaching,
LLC
UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION lS
ILLEGAL FORM 3014
UPPER BAGK & IIEGK
I
sametric The ra pe uti c Exercrses
Date
Name
Flexion:
Place your pdm on your forehead.
Press your head into your palm and reist the
movement with your palm. Hold for 5
seconds, then relax. Repeat with the Iefi side,
Stop movement if you feelany pain.
Extension: Place your palm on the back of
your head- Press your head into your palm and
resist the movement with your palm. Hold for 5
seconds, then relax- Repeat with the left side.
Stop movement if you feel any pain.
Flexion: Plae
your right palm on the right
side of your head. Prss
your head into your palm
and resist the movement
with your palm. Hold for 5
then relax.
Repeat with the lefi side.
Stop movemer* if you feel
any pain.
seconds,
61999 Brealdhroughcoacfiing,
LLC
UNAUTTORIZED DUPUCATION IS
ILLEGAL FORM 303A
LOTTER BAGI( & LEGS
Stretch in g Th e ra peutic Exercises
GENERAL
INSTRUCTIOI,IS:
Psoas: Place knee on chair.
Bend the opposite knee so
Do only those exercises taught to you by your therapist.
Exercise twice daily, 10 of each,
Hamstrings: Sit with
feet
that you can feel a sketch- Do
against the wall and hands
behind back. Allow trunk to
Hold 5 seconds. Repeat on the
other side.
poor
posture). Bend nck fonlrard
until you feel a stretch- Hold 5
not allow your back to arch.
slump (slouch with
seconds.
Quadriceps: Stand up
straight, near something you
can use for support. Bend
your left knee to bring your
heel up touard your buttocks.
Reach back and grab your foot
or ankh. Pull your leg behind
you. Repeat on the right side.
1
Soleus: Face a wall, about
two paces away. Place your
hands against the wall. Step
forward wtth your right l€,
keeping both heels flat on the
Lean your hips toward
the wallwhile keeping your lefi
leg straight to stretch your calf.
Repeat on the otherside.
floor.
Erector Spinae: Sit
doram.
Bend fonrard and rmch down
to grasp your calves with both
hands. Pull your My toerard
the
floor. Hold. Relax-
Erector Spine: Cat & Cow
S&ef6t. Get on your hands
and knes. Put your hands
under your shouldes and
knees under your hips. Let
your head hang down. Pull
your stomach in and arch your
back
up.
Hold and release.
Slowly let your back sag down
and raise your head up.
EXERCISE GUIDELINES:
Exhale on exertion. Hold position for 30 seconds and then relax.
Pulling sensations may occur while exercising. Stop exercising ff you experience pain, nausea
or dizziness.
g2m0 BGakthrush C€6irA, I.LC UNAUrHORIZED DUPLICA]]ON tS ILLEGAL FORM 3058
LOWER BAGK & LEGS
I so m et ri c T h e ra p e utic Exercises
GENERAL
INSTRUCTIONS:
Hamstrings: Sit with your
foot in front of the chair.
Place your heel on the floor
and point your toes up. Pull
your heel down to the floor.
Do only those exercises taught to you by your therapist.
Exercise twice daily, 10 of each.
Quadriceps: Sit with your
Hip Flexors: Sit with your
floor. Lift one
feet flat on the floor. Lift one
foot and straighten your knee
feet flat on the
completely. Hold and then
return you foot to the floor.
the
Repeat with the other foot.
Repeat with the other foot.
knee and raise your foot off
floor.
Hold and then
return you foot to the floor.
1
Gluteals: Sit with your knees
apart. Squeeze your
buttocks together as tightly
as possible. Hold. Relax.
a
Hip Abductors: Place a
rolled-up towel between your
knees and thighs. Squeeze
chair against a wall, or use a
chair with arms. Put a rolledup towel between your thigh
Hip Adductors: Sit with
thetowel tightly. Relax.
and the wall (or chair arm).
Press your leg against the
towel. Hold. Relax.
EXERCISE GUIDELINES:
Exhale on exertion. Hold position for 5 seconds and then relax.
Pulling sensations may occur while exercising. Stop exercising if you experience pain, nausea
or dizziness.
@1999 BreaKhrough Coaching,
LLC
UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION lS
ILLEGAL FORM 3038
LOWER BAGK
Range of Motion Therapeutic Exercr'ses
Name
Date
Flexion/Extension: Stand upright with your
arms relaxed at your sides and your feet
slightly apart. Bend forward and reach for
your toes, let gravity pull you towards the
floor. Straighten back up and relax, Place
your hands on the small of your back. Apply
gentle forward pressure. Arch backwards,
keeping your eyes level with the floor. Stop
movement if you feel any pain.
Lateral Flexion: Stand upright with your arms relaxed
at your sides and your feet slightly apart. Bend slowly
to the right, sliding your hand down your leg. Keep
both heels on the floor. Straighten back up and relax.
Repeat to the left side. Stop movement if you feel any
pain.
Rotation: Stand upright with your arms on your
hips and feet slightly apart. Twist at the waist and
look over your right shoulder with your head and
eyes. Keep both feet on the floor. Return to
starting position and relax. Repeat to the left side.
Stop movement if you feel any pain.
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LLC UMUTHORIZED
DUPLICATION lS
ILLEGAL FORM 3018
Stretch Exercises
.'
.
Each exercise should be held for 20 seconds, followed by a 5 second relaxation period.
Each exercise should be done at least 3 times.
Do this routine once a day or as specifled.
Gastrocnemius (calf); Soleus (cal0; Quadriceps (front of thigh)
Gastrocnemius (calf)
Lean against a wall with your back
leg straight and your front leg
slightly bent. Keep your back heel
on the floor and lean progressively
closer to the wall until you can feel
the stretch in your calf. Repeat
with other leg.
Soleus (calf)
Lean against a wallwith both your
back leg and your front leg slightly
bent. Keep your back heel on the
floor and lean progressively closer
to the wall untilyou can feel the
stretch in your calf. Repeat with
other leg.
Quadriceps
(front of
thiqh)
t()
\11 /
-
//'
Lying on your
side, reach
back and grab
your upper
foot and pull it
up toward your
buttocks.
Repeat with
other leg while
on your other
side. Keep
your knees
together.
Hamstrinos (back of
thiqh)
Sitting, bring the sole of
your bent leg to the
inner thigh of your
straight leg. Lean
fonryard and grasp the
ankle of your straight
leg with both hands.
Keeping the leg
straight, pull your upper
body down towards
your feet.
Hip Flexors (front of hip)
Move your hip forward, keeping
the upper body straight up and
the back leg stretched out. Feel
the tightening in the hip and hold
the position. The stretch can be
accentuated by putting the back
knee on the ground. Keep the
front knee directly above the foot.
Don't keep the front knee at such
an angle that it is in front of the
ankle, since this hinders the real
stretch in the hip.
Gluteals and Hip
Sitting, bend one leg and cross it over
the other leg which is either straight or
lying on its side bent at 90 degrees.
Push the opposite elbow against your
bent knee and force buttocks to table.
Gluteus Maximus
(bpttocksl
Lying on your back with both
knees bent, cross the left
leg over the right. Using
both hands pull your right
knee toward your chest.
You should feel a stretch in
the buttocks on your left
side. Repeat on opposite
side.
Hip Adductors (qroin)
Sitting, bend both legs and put
the soles of your feet together.
Grab your feet with both hands.
\Mth your elbows, push out
against the insides of your knees.
Erector Spinae (Iow
back)
Bring both knees to
the chest by first
raising one and then
holding the knee with
both hands. Then
raise the other knee.
Grasping both knees,
pullthem down to the
chest. Relax.
Spinal Extension
(prone press-ups)
Lie on stomach with
palms by shoulders
up while keeping
pelvis on the surface;
back and stomach
sagging. Slowly lower
shoulders. Repeat 10
times, sustaining the
up position for several
seconds during the
last few repetitions.
Supraspinatus (superior
shoulder)
Place involved hand behind your back
and grasp hand with other hand. Pull
diagonally down and across back. Tilt
head toward the uninvolved shoulder.
You should feelthe stretch across the
top and front of your shoulder.
Rotator Cuff (internal rotation)
Place a towel in both hands. Position
your involved arm behind your back at
waist height and your uninvolved arm
up and overhead. Slowly pull the towel
upward. You should feelthe stretch in
the front and back of your shoulder.
Triceps and Teres Major
(shoulder girdle)
ruej
\r
Raise one arm up and behind your
head. With the opposite arm grasp your
elbow and pullthe arm further behind
your head.
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pr
I
lnfraspinatus and Teres Minor
(shoulder rotator cuff)
Lying on your back or sitting, reach arm
across chest toward opposite shoulder
as far as possible. With opposite hand,
grasp the elbow and pullthe arm across
even further. Externally rotating the
arm during this stretch emphasizes the
teres minor.
Pectoralis Major (chest)
Stand with your forearms against
the wall in a corner of the room.
Gently lean forward untilyou feel a
stretch in the front of your shoulder
and chest. This can be done one
arm at a time by placing one
forearm up against a wall and
turning your chest away from the
wall untilyou feela stretch.
Shoulder and Neck
(tension relievers)
Roll shoulders slowly backward.
Do it 4 times.