Exercises

Sit comfortably in a chair.

Clasp your hands behind your head and slowly pull your head down and your chin towards your chest.

You should feel a stretch in your neck and upper back.

Hold the position.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Lift one arm and bring it up and across your head.

Sit straight and place the palm of your hand on your head.

Use your hand to pull your head gently down towards your shoulder until a stretch is felt on the opposite side of the neck.

Maintain the position.

Do not turn your head or tilt it forward or backward while you perform this stretch.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Sit tall on a straight chair.

Grab the bottom of the seat with your hand on the injured side to lower the shoulder by pulling down.

Tilt and turn your head to the opposite side.

Nod head forward until a stretch is felt alongside and back of the neck.

Apply extra pressure (gently) with your hand to increase the stretch if needed.

Hold the stretch and relax.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Sit tall with a good posture and a neutral spine (shoulders back, chest lifted, no forward head posture).

Tuck your chin and rotate the head and as the pain subsides, apply overpressure with your hand.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Sit with your arms straight forward, forearms crossed, and fingers interlaced.

Drop your head down forward to curl into the upper back, then reach your arms and shoulders forward to curl the mid-back. Focus the motion to the stiffest region.

Return to the starting position, then repeat.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Sit on a chair with your arms relaxed on your sides.

Rotate your arms in order to point your thumbs backward and to open the chest.

Squeeze the shoulder blades together, keep your chin tucked and hold this position for the recommended time.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Stand or sit tall with your chin tucked in.

Place your hand on your forehead.

Without allowing movement, attempt to move your head forward and down, resisting with your hand.

Gently relax and repeat.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 10 sec
Rest: 5 sec
Frequency: 1x/day
Weight: 30% effort

Stand or sit tall with your chin tucked in.

Place one hand behind your head.

Without allowing movement, attempt to move your head backward, resisting with your hand.

Gently relax and repeat.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 10 sec
Rest: 5 sec
Frequency: 1x/day
Weight: 30% effort

Stand or sit with your back straight and your chin tucked in.

Place one hand on your cheekbone to resist the rotation movement of the head (looking over your shoulder).

Slowly release the pressure and repeat.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 10 sec
Rest: 5 sec
Frequency: 1x/day
Weight: 30% effort

Place your palm on the side of your face.

Attempt to bring your ear down to your shoulder but resist any actual movement with your hand.

Repeat on the other side.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 10 sec
Rest: 5 sec
Frequency: 1x/day
Weight: 30% effort

Lie on your back without a pillow under your head.

Tuck your chin in so as to press the back of your head into the bed and pull yourself taller as if there is a rope pulling the back of your head.

Return to the initial position and repeat.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 10 sec
Rest: 5 sec
Frequency: 1x/day
Weight: 30% effort

Lie on your back with a pillow under your head.

Tuck your chin inward and get yourself tall by pretending a rope is pulling you up from the back of your head.

Push your head on the pillow to try to lift your shoulders off the bed, keeping your chin tucked in at all times.

Relax and repeat.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 10 sec
Rest: 5 sec
Frequency: 1x/day
Weight: 30% effort

Lie on your back with your knees bent.

Nod your chin slightly to neutral and maintain this position as you lift your head off the surface about 30 degrees.

Hold that position, being sure not to let the chin poke.

Return the head back to the surface and then relax the nod.

Repeat.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 10 sec
Rest: 5 sec
Frequency: 1x/day
Weight: 30% effort

Lie on your back with your knees bent.

Lift one knee towards your chest and pull it as far as you can with your hands.

Lower your leg and repeat with the other leg.

Now lift both legs (one at a time) and pull them both towards your chest as far as you can to flatten your lower back.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec

Lie on your back and have one leg bent.

Place the ankle of the opposite leg over the knee in a figure 4 position.

Using both hands, grab the ankle and the back of the knee.

Pull the knee towards your chest gently until you feel a gentle stretch at the buttock of the elevated leg.

Maintain the stretch for the recommended time.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.

Place the ankle of the leg to stretch on top of your other knee.

Gently push on the knee until a stretch is felt in the hip or buttocks.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec

Sit with your legs extended in front of you. Bend one leg and place the heel on your lower thigh. Keep the extended foot’s heel flat on the ground with your foot straight. Hold the ankle for support and press down on the inside part of the knee with your palm. Slightly lean forward for maximum stretch. Hold as recommended.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec

Lie on your back on a firm, flat surface with your knees bent, feet flat and head supported on a pillow if necessary.

Place your hands just above your hip bones in front and slightly toward the center of your belly on each side to monitor the contraction of the transversus abdominis muscle.

Find your neutral spine position by slowly rolling your hips backward to press your back toward the surface, then slowly rolling your hips forward, arching your back away from the surface.

Slowly move between these two positions to find the central and comfortable position. This is your neutral spine position.

Keep your neutral spine position and gently pull your belly button toward your spine (abdominal bracing). You should feel a contraction of the muscle under your fingers.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest 5 sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your lower back in a neutral position (slightly arched).

Activate your lower abdominals (transversus abdomini) by bringing your belly button inward and by activating your pelvic floor muscles 20 to 30% of a maximal contraction.

Maintain steady abdominal breathing while you lift one knee up until the thigh is vertical and your hip is at 90 degrees. Then return it to starting position. repeat with other legs.

While the first leg is held still, lift the other leg in the same position without moving your lower back.

Return to the starting position by slowly lowering one leg at a time and repeat starting with the other leg.

Sets: 1
Reps: 5 each side
Hold: 5 sec
Frequency: 1x/day

Lie on your back with your knees bent.

Lift your toes off the floor and squeeze your buttocks together to lift them off the ground until your hips are in line with your thighs and torso with your spine neutral (do not arch your back).

Slowly lower your body and repeat.

Sets: 1
Reps: 10
Hold: 10 sec
Frequency: 1x/day

Begin on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.

Keep your back straight and head in line with the spine.

Extend one arm and hold for 5 seconds, then return to neutral.

Extend the opposite leg and hold for 5 seconds, then return to neutral.

Make sure your arm and leg are leveled with your back when you lift.

Sets: 1
Reps: 5 each side
Hold: 5sec
Frequency: 1x/day

Get on your hands and knees (four-point position) with your knees directly under your hips and your hands directly under your shoulders.

Your back is in a neutral position (slightly arched) and your chin must be tucked in.

Tighten slightly your abdominals, lumbar muscles and pelvic floor muscles then lift one arm and the opposite leg without allowing the trunk or pelvis to move or rotate.

Try to grab something far away in front of you with your hand and touch an imaginary wall far behind you with your foot instead of just lifting them up.

Lower your leg and arm back to the floor and repeat with the other leg and the opposite arm.

Sets: 1
Reps: 10 on each side
Hold: 5sec
Frequency: 1x/day

Stand and raise your arms forward, grasping your hands together.

Spread your shoulder blades apart by pulling your arms forward until you feel a stretch between your shoulder blades.

Maintain the stretch and relax.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Stand straight with your legs comfortably apart and your chin tucked in.

Raise both arms and clasp your hands behind your head.

Push your elbows back as much as you can.

Maintain the position and relax.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Start on all fours and push your hips back so your buttocks rest on your heels. You may want to have your knees apart to be more comfortable.

Reach forward with your hands and hold the stretch.

Next, reach to one side with both hands and hold the stretch.

Then, reach to the other side and hold the stretch.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Start on all fours with your back straight, hands under the shoulders, and knees under the hips.

To do the dog stretch, slowly inhale and let the belly fall toward the floor to arch the back and extend the head at the same time.

To do the cat stretch, slowly exhale, round the back, and tuck the chin to the chest.

Alternate between these two positions slowly.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Lie on your side with the hips and knees bent in front of you.

Both hands are placed together in front of your chest.

Keep the bottom arm on the floor, roll back and have the top arm reach back toward the floor, opening up the chest. Make sure you keep your arm in line with the collar bone to preserve the shoulder’s integrity.

Think about bringing your shoulder blade down to the floor.

Maintain the position and return slowly to the starting position.

Sets: 1
Reps: 3
Hold: 20 sec
Rest: 5 sec

Start on your knees with your butt on your heels and one arm down on the floor between your knees.

Put the other hand behind the head.

Lift your elbow up and rotate the torso as much as possible without moving your hips.

Sets: 1
Reps: 5 each side
Hold: 3 sec

Start on your knees with your buttocks on your heels and one arm down on the floor between your knees.

Put the other hand behind your lower back.

Rotate the torso as much as possible without losing your original position.

Sets: 1
Reps: 5 each side
Hold: 3 sec

Start on all fours and place one hand behind your head.

Lift the elbow up and behind while you rotate at the thoracic region.

Gently come back to the starting position and repeat.

Sets: 1
Reps: 5 each side
Hold: 3 sec

In a quadruped position, knees together and hands under the shoulders, reach under with one hand, come back and rotate the trunk to raise the hand toward the ceiling.

Increase the range of motion progressively.

You can rotate the trunk but do not lift the knees off the floor.

Sets: 1
Reps: 5
Hold: 3 sec top and under