Good and Bad Habits for the Low Back

• Always sit on a more firm surface vs. a soft surface
• Don't cross your legs
• When lifting anything, face it head on and bend knees, not back
• Sit erect vs. leaning to one side
• Always warm up muscles before doing any strenuous activity
• When sleeping, do not sleep on stomach or with arms over head
• When working at a computer, keep monitor directly in front of you, not to one side If the low back aches, ice is always good and moist heat is sometimes good
• Any treatment, ice or heat, should stay on back for 20-30 minutes at a time
• Never take a pain killer or anti-inflammatory and then work the back, either with work or exercise
• Don't wear worn out shoes If flat footed, get orthotics
• Don't consistently run on uneven shoulder of road
• Don't exercise low back if there is pain
• Don't hold telephone between ear and shoulder

Low Back Exercises

• While laying on back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor, bring one knee to the chest while holding behind the thigh (hamstring area).
• Hold knee to chest for 5 seconds.
• Alternate each knee doing 10 stretches per leg.
• While in the same position, put both hands around both backs of thighs and hold both knees to chest for 5 seconds.
• Perform 10 times.
• While laying on back, knees bent and feet flat on floor, flatten low back against the floor for a period of 5 seconds.
• Relax for 15 seconds, and perform again.
• Do this 10 times.
• Lay on your stomach and either have someone hold your legs or place them under a bed or piece of furniture.
• With arms behind head, raise upper torso off the floor for 3-5 seconds. This puts a lot of stress on the low back and should not be done if there is any discomfort associated with the low back at all.
• This exercise can be performed 10 times.

All spinal exercises should compliment a thorough Stretching Program for maximum benefits.

Neck Exercises

• While in a seated and comfortable position, begin slowly to rotate head in a circular direction.
• The circles can slowly increase in size, but the key is to do them slowly and cautiously.
• There may be grating in the neck and tightness in specific areas.
• Stop immediately if there is any pain associated with this exercise.
• This should be done 10-15 times in each direction.
• While in a seated position, shrug shoulders upward and hold for 5 seconds.
• Do this 10 times with a 5 second period between each exercise.
• While holding the chin with the base of both palms, press chin downward against hands for 5 seconds.
• Do this 10 times.
• It is very important to press chin against hands, not vice versa.
• Again, if there is any pain associated with any of the above exercises, stop immediately and wait for condition to improve.

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