DISCLAIMER: Please do not start any of these exercises unless directed by your chiropractor. Do not continue to do any exercises if you feel pain or your condition becomes worse. Please report any issues to your chiropractor on your next visit, or you can contact us via phone or e-mail for faster response.
FOAM ROLLING
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Lay on the foam roller so that it is perpendicular to your spine. Start at the top of the spine. Roll down the spine only where the bones attach to the ribs. Do not roll the lower back.
Then rotate the body at an angle away from the spine to get a different part of the muscle. Start from the top and work your way down the thoracic spine.
Continue to rotate away from the spine to roll the scapula and under the armpit. Pause on sore spots and then move your arm over your head and back down to your side to get the shoulder blade to move the muscles in a different direction.
Lay on the foam roller so that your spine is parallel to the foam roller - lay arms out to the sides or reach over head to open up the chest. 30 sec - 2min
LACROSSE BALL MOBILITY
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Single Lacrosse Ball
Avoid the neck and low back!!! This can be done against a wall or on the floor.
Paraspinals: On the floor- place a lax ball at the top of the upper back. Apply pressure for a few seconds, rock back and forth, up and down and then move a couple inches down. Repeat as low as is comfortable only in the thoracic spine. In the mid back region, find a tight spot and hold, then raise the arm over your head and back down a couple of times. Repeat on the other side.
Subscapula: On the floor, rotate the upper back slightly so that the scapula is angled slightly and put the lower part of the scapula on the ball. Apply pressure for a few seconds, rock back and forth, up and down and then move a couple inches down or out to the side. Follow the muscle to the arm if possible and dig in along the lower muscles of the shoulder. You can use the softball here too.
Supraspinatus. On the floor, lift up the lower part of your body to apply pressure to the upper part of the scapula. Apply pressure for a few seconds, rock back and forth, up and down and then move a couple inches down or out to the side.
Avoid the neck!!
"Peanut"
Paraspinals: On the floor-place the peanut at the top of the upper back. Apply pressure for a few seconds, rock up and down and then move a couple inches down. Repeat as low as is comfortable only in the thoracic spine. In the mid back region, find a tight spot and hold, then raise the arms over your head and back down a couple of times.
Softball
Pectoralis: Lay on the floor facing down. Place the softball or lax ball near the clavicle halfway to the sternum. Apply pressure for a few seconds, rock back and forth, up and down and then move a couple inches toward the shoulder. Repeat by placing the ball a little lower than you started and again go toward the shoulder. Roll your body away from the floor as youtube closer to your shoulder. Find the tight spots and hold for a few seconds and move on.
KNEELING T-SPINE ROTATIONS
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Start in a kneeling position on the floor with your back in a neutral position and your hands right above your shoulders.
Reach through your opposite arm and leg and try to feel a stretch on the back of your shoulder and mid back.
Pull your arm back and open your chest up in to a fly position trying to feel a stretch on the front of your shoulder and lower back. Perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions on each side.
Perform daily.
HALF WALL HANG
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Stand facing a wall and then place your hands on the wall as you walk your feet back and move your hands down the wall until your chest is parallel to the ground.
Walk your feet back and set your hands up on the wall so that you are bending at the hips to about 90 degrees and your legs are straight.
Hang over with your hands on the wall, try to extend your back with your arms straight and your biceps by your ears. Try to extend your spine and create a nice straight line from your hands on the wall to your tailbone.
Press your chest out toward the ground as you extend your spine. Drive your chest through your arms and feel a nice stretch through your lats and triceps.
Hold for 20-30 seconds and breathe and focus on extending your thoracic spine as you keep your abdominal area engaged so you do not hyperextend the lower back.
Repeat 5 times.
***Beginners may need to start with their hands higher up on the wall and their feet closer in so that they are not leaning over too much.
WALL SLIDES
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Lean your back against the wall with your feet a few inches from the wall. Bend your knees slightly and press your back into the wall.
Try to keep the lower back flat against the wall throughout the movement. Do not arch the lower back.
Press your upper back into the wall and relax your head against the wall as you bend your arms and place the back of your hands against the wall right at each side of your head.
Keeping your back firmly against the wall and your abdomen tight, slide the back of your hands up the wall as far as possible. Then slowly slide them back down.
Do not slide them up further if your lower back is coming away from the wall and you are getting the extension from your lower back instead of your upper back.
Repeat 10 times reaching up the wall and each time try to get higher up the wall. For 2 sets
SIDE LYING ROTATIONS
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Lie on your side on the floor with the knees bent to 90 degrees.
Place the arms out in front of you with the palms facing each other. Slowly slide the top hand over the bottom arm toward your chest and across to the shoulder.
Allow the trunk to rotate and slowly extend the arm from the shoulder and then the elbow, reaching out with the fingertips and turning the head to look down the line of the arm.
Make sure the pelvis and hips are still pointing forward.
Reverse this sequence and finish by sliding the palm of the top hand beyond the bottom hand.
Repeat slowly and continuously 5 times then roll over and repeat on the other side.
ELBOW SLIDES ON THE WALL
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Stand facing a wall and then place your elbows on the wall as you walk your feet back. You are in a plank position while up against the wall. Slowly slide your elbows up the wall as you engage your core. Maintain a strong spine and abdominal muscles as you reach your elbows as high up the wall without bending the spine.
The focus of the movement is between the arm and the upper body. Pause. Then lower your elbows to the lower, plank position. Repeat 10 xs for 2 sets.
CHILD'S POSE WITH MOVEMENT
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Start on your hands and knees. Bring your knees and feet together as you sit your butt back on your heels and stretch your arms forward. Allow the upper back to stretch and pull away from your lower back. Walk your hands as far right. Breath deep then relax. Hold for 3-4 breaths and then walk your hands to the left. Hold for 3-4 breaths. Walk your hands back to center and then sit up. Repeat 2 more times.
SCAPULA PUSH-UPS
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Face a wall, standing 2 feet away. Place hands on the wall. Lower your chest toward the wall without bending the elbows. As you approach the wall, your shoulder blades should feel like they are going away from the wall as your ribs are going toward the wall. Aim for a large gap between the ribs and the shoulder blades. Return to the starting position and repeat.
2 sets of 10
TRAP ACTIVATIONS
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Stand with light weight in your hands. Arms to the side with you palms facing away from you. Shrug your shoulders focusing on contracting your trapezius muscles. Hold for 3sec. Relax and lower your shoulders. 2 sets of 10
PULL APARTS
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Standing with feet shoulder width apart, grab the handles of the resistance band with each hand, then loop the band once or twice more around each hand to desired tightness. Hands face each other.
Holding hands straight out in front of you at shoulder height, pull the band open as arms go out to the sides and band comes in towards chest
Keep shoulders back at all times. Hold for 3 sec. Slowly release hands back to start position and repeat. Do 2 sets of 10 repetitions. Perform daily
SUPERMAN
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Lay face down on a mat or flat surface, with arms outstretched. Keep your hands and arms straight throughout the exercise. Raise your hand and legs 4-5 inches off the ground. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times
