4764 Convoy Street, Suite B, San Diego, CA. 92111 858 292 -1555 Dr. Alex Pozhitsky DC
Patient Education
Exercises to Rehabilitate and Strengthen the Lower Back
- 1. Back basic starting position for this exercise is lying
on your back with the knees bent, hands at your side, and feet flat
on the floor.
Tighten the muscles of the abdomen and buttocks, and at the same time, press your back firmly against the floor. Hold for 6 seconds Exhale. Relax for 12 seconds. Repeat as recommended by your doctor of chiropractic.
- 2. Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the
floor and arms at your sides, pelvis tilted. Take a deep breath and
grasp one knee with both hands then bring your knee towards your chest.
Apply a reasonable amount of pressure to exert a pull. Hold, count to five. Breathe out, and return your leg to the starting position. Repeat same procedure using other leg. Following the prescribed individual leg exercises, repeat the procedure grasping both legs at once. Hold, count to five, release slowly. Repeat the series of exercises as recommended by your doctor of chiropractic.
- 3. Lie flat on your back with both arms at your sides, knees
bent and feet flat on the floor, pelvis tilted. This time, draw your
left knee to your chest without using your arms, followed by exhaling
and straightening out leg and pointing it to the ceiling.
- 4. This is a lower abdominal exercise Lie on back with your
hands against your thighs. Raise your legs so that your thighs will
be perpendicular to the floor as illustrated in the drawing. Push against
thighs with hands while at the same time resisting with thighs. Hold
to count of three. Release slowly. Repeat as recommended.
When you have completed the prescribed number of repetitions in exercise #4, raise your left leg as Illustrated and push against your left thigh with your right hand, while at the same time resisting with your thigh. Hold to the count of three, release slowly. Repeat three times. Switch exercise using right leg and left hand; repeat three times.
- 5. Use a medium height chair. Gradually bend to a squatting
position, keeping your head flexed forward. At first, do the exercise
by holding on to the chair.
When you are able to maintain your balance, attempt this exercise without the use of the chair. Do this exercise 10 times in succession, repeat three times. The following are advanced exercises. Do not do these exercises unless recommended by your chiropractor.
- 6. Lie on your back, both legs extended. Bring your left foot
up to your right knee and rest with the sole of your left foot on your
right knee. Then slowly bring the flexed knee toward the right until
you feel the stretch. Repeat the exercise, alternating sides.
This exercise can be made more effective by extending the knee of the exercised leg. Be certain to keep shoulders flat against floor or a table.
- 7. This exercise should not be done until the other exercises
have been done for several weeks, Assume a basic starting position.
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on floor, and hands on your
abdomen, pelvis tilted. Pull up to a one quarter sitting position, being
certain to keep the knees bent. Hold; count to three. Relax as recommended
- 8. Lie flat on your stomach, pillow under hips, with arms crossed
under your chin. Tighten your muscles in your left leg and raise slowly
without bending or moving your hips. Hold for 10 seconds Relax slowly.
Repeat procedure with the right leg. Repeat as recommended.
- 9. Lie on your stomach, pillow under hips. Place your hands
in the small of your back. Slowly raise your head and chest from the
floor while at the same time raising the legs from the floor 2" to 6".
Hold for 10 seconds. Relax slowly. Repeat as recommended.
- 10. Following completion of exercise #9, place your right hand
behind you and attempt to touch the left leg. Hold to count of three;
relax slowly. Repeat three times, and repeat exercise using the left
hand and right leg.
- 11. Assume a kneeling position, resting on your hands and knees.
Arch your back like a cat,drop your head at the same time. Then reverse
the arch by bringing up your head and forming a U with your spine. Do
each set at least five times. Repeat as recommended.
