In addition to chiropractic care, you or your child will be given exercises to do at home. The most common ones are listed here with a photo to demonstrate. You can even try this at home without making an appointment to see how well your muscle endurance and core strength is. Each of these exercises are meant to activate the muscles responsible for the support of your spine. It is important to start at the most basic level first before moving on to where you think you are or where you want to be. Even Dr. Edna had some work to do after she checked herself with these tests. For best results, one from each group needs to be done 3-5 times per day.
Superman: This exercise specifically targets the postural muscles along the back. These are the ones babies are working during tummy time and crawling. They are an important key to better posture. Did you know your back muscles are supposed to be 30-50% stronger than your front muscles and due to inactivity at work and home, this is often reversed! So, here is how you get started.
Level 1: lie flat on stomach with head lifted and arms straight in front of you. Raise one arm and hold for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Now raise one leg and hold for 1 seconds. Repeat with the other leg. Notice if your arm or leg drops, if you roll your body or if you bend your knee. If any of those things happen, even just on one side or with one extremity, you need to stay at this level until you can maintain all limbs strong for the full 15 seconds.
Level 2: Same position on the floor, raise your right arm and left leg and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Again, you are noticing if the arms or legs get shaky, the arm or leg drops, the body rolls or the leg bends. If you can’t make it the full 30 seconds, make note of where you had to stop and only work to that point until it is strong. Then add 5 seconds until you are at 30 seconds.
Level 3: Lying on stomach and head up, raise both arms and legs at the same time and hold for 30 seconds. Again noticing any shaking in the muscles, dropping of the arms or legs and any bending of the knee. If you can’t make it the full 30 seconds, make note of where you had to stop and only work to that point until it is strong. Then add 5 seconds until you are at 30 seconds.
The Bridge:
Level 1: Lying on your back, bend your knees and place feet flat on the floor about hip width apart. Place arms by your side with palms facing the floor. Raise your hips toward the ceiling and hold for 60 seconds. If you find your legs start to shake, your knees drift outward or you get pain, stop. If you can’t make it the full 60 seconds, make note of where you had to stop and only work to that point until it is strong. Then add 5 seconds until you are at 60 seconds.
Level 2: Lying on your back, bend your knees and place feet flat on the floor. This time have your feet touching and arms across chest. Raise your hips toward the ceiling and hold for 60 seconds. If you find your legs start to shake, your knees drift outward or you get pain, stop. If you can’t make it the full 60 seconds, make note of where you had to stop and only work to that point until it is strong. Then add 5 seconds until you are at 60 seconds.
Level 3: Lying on your back, bend your knees and place feet flat on the floor and arms across your chest. Raise one foot off the floor and lift hips to ceiling with foot still on the ground. You are aiming to hold this for 30 seconds each side. If you are unable to lift from the ground with one foot, then raise your hips up with both and remove one foot from the floor at the top of the hold. If your leg gets shaky, your hips dip toward the side of the raised leg or you get pain, stop. If you can’t make it the full 30 seconds, make note of where you had to stop and only work to that point until it is strong. Then add 5 seconds until you are at 30 seconds.
Side Support:
Level 1: Lying on your side with elbow bent and on the ground in line with the shoulder, place the hand of your top arm on the ground in front of you. Place your top foot slightly in front of the bottom foot. Lift your hip off the ground and hold for 30 seconds. If your hip drops, you get shaky or you get pain, stop. If you can’t make it the full 30 seconds, make note of where you had to stop and only work to that point until it is strong. Then add 5 seconds until you are at 30 seconds.
Level 2: Lying on your side with elbow bent and on the ground in line with your shoulder, place your top arm along your waist and your top foot on top of the bottom. Again, lift your hip off the ground and hold for 30 seconds. If your hip drops, you get shaky or you get pain, stop. If you can’t make it the full 30 seconds, make note of where you had to stop and only work to that point until it is strong. Then add 5 seconds until you are at 30 seconds.
Level 3: Lying on your side with elbow bent and on the ground in line with your shoulder, raise your top arm and leg to the ceiling and lift your hip off the ground and hold for 30 seconds. If your hip drops, you get shaky or you get pain, stop. If you can’t make it the full 30 seconds, make note of where you had to stop and only work to that point until it is strong. Then add 5 seconds until you are at 30 seconds.
