Category Archive

The following is a list of all entries from the Exercises category.

Getting up from the sitting position

Filed in Exercises, March 13, 2009, 12:03 pm ,

When getting up from the sitting position, try to maintain the lordosis: move to the front of the seat (or carefully rotate to the exit edge of a seat in a car), stand up by straightening the legs, and avoid bending forward at the waist.
If you have a car, drive it as little as possible. [...]

Immediately begin the self-treatment exercises

Filed in Exercises, March 12, 2009, 10:40 am ,

The simple rule is that if bending forward has been the cause of overstretching, bending backward should rectify this problem and reduce any resultant distortion in the spinal discs. You must restore the lordosis slowly and with caution, never quickly or with jerky movements. You must allow some time for the distorted joint to regain [...]

Back exercise 7

Filed in Exercises, March 8, 2009, 2:22 am , ,

Flexion in Standing
Begin doing Exercise 7 only after you have completed two weeks of Exercise 6, whether or not Exercise 6 has been successful in reducing your pain or stiffness. Stand upright, with your feet well apart. Allow your arms to hang loosely by your side. You are now ready to begin Exercise 7.
Bend forward [...]

Back exercise 6

Filed in Exercises, March 7, 2009, 1:01 am ,

Begin doing Exercise 6 only after you have completed one week of Exercise 5, whether or not Exercise 5 has been successful in reducing your pain or stiffness.
Sit on the edge of a steady chair. Your knees and feet should be well apart. Rest your hands on your legs . Now you are ready to [...]

Back exercise 6

Filed in Exercises, , 1:01 am ,

Begin doing Exercise 6 only after you have completed one week of Exercise 5, whether or not Exercise 5 has been successful in reducing your pain or stiffness.
Sit on the edge of a steady chair. Your knees and feet should be well apart. Rest your hands on your legs . Now you are ready to [...]

Back exercise 5

Filed in Exercises, March 5, 2009, 11:16 pm ,

Although some who have heard of the McKenzie Method believe it involves extension and nothing but extension, this is not the case. I have found that for many patients, certain flexion exercises can also be helpful. But especially with the flexion exercises, timing is the key to success. (See later in this chapter; also see [...]

Back exercise 4

Filed in Exercises, March 4, 2009, 9:27 pm ,

Extension in Standing
Stand upright, with your feet slightly apart. Place your hands in the small of your back with the fingers pointing backward . You are now ready to begin Exercise 4.
Bend your trunk backward at the waist as far as you can, using your hands as a fulcrum . As you do this, it [...]

Back exercise 3

Filed in Exercises, March 3, 2009, 8:56 pm ,

Extension in Lying
Before doing this exercise for the first time, start your exercise session with Exercise 1, followed by Exercise 2.
Remain facedown, but with your head forward rather than to the side (Fig. 5.3a). Place your hands under your shoulders in the position you would use for a push-up (Fig. 5.3b). Now you are ready [...]

Back exercise 2

Filed in Exercises, March 2, 2009, 7:54 pm ,

Lying Facedown in Extension
Exercise 2 must be done only after Exercise 1 has been completed. Remain facedown, in the same position you used in Exercise 1.
Now place your elbows under your shoulders so that you lean on your forearms . During this exercise (as with Exercise 1), begin by taking a few deep breaths and [...]

Back exercise 1

Filed in Exercises, March 1, 2009, 6:41 pm , ,

This is the first McKenzie exercise for the lower back. Again, if you are a neck patient, you will find the McKenzie exercises for the neck.
An exercise session is a series of repetitions of one or more exercises. Until you can do one or more of the other McKenzie exercises without acute pain, each time [...]