Stretches & Exercises
EXERCISES
Ankle circles – while sitting or lying down, rotate ankles in a circular fashion going both clockwise and counter-clockwise for 15 rotations each way. After that warm up, then begin spelling out the alphabet (your choice of upper or lowercase letters) with both ankles.
Ankle circles with balancing – do all the above the while balancing on one foot. If needed, may use a chair or countertop for stabilization.
Breathing – our breathing occurs in three steps; on your inhale step 1. Fill your lower abdomen and diaphragm, allowing your belly to expand, 2. Fill your entire lungs expanding in a 360 direction, 3. Fill your lungs all the way to the collar bones allowing them to gently raise and have your head follow.
Ideally, you will breathe out twice as long as you breathe in (for example, 4 second inhale, 8 seconds exhale) and hold for one second between inhalation to exhalation/exhalation to inhalation
Breathing in causes our heart rate to increase, encouraging more of a “fight or flight” response in the body. Breathing out causes our heart rate to slow, encouraging more of a “rest and recovery” response. Therefore, breathing out longer than we breathe in puts us in an overall state of parasympathetic dominance, or “rest and recovery”.
Breathe like this for five minutes every night before falling asleep. Lay flat on your back and practice taking deep belly breaths. Remember to breathe OUT longer than you breathe IN to help put body in an overall state of rest and recovery. Try to stay present while breathing, keeping your mind in the moment, either focusing on the breath or being in your body
Brugger’s Posture Breaks – Every hour, sit up and put feet flat on the floor with knees at a 90-degree angle. Raise head up as if pulled toward the ceiling with a string. Put your arms down and out (about 20-30-degree angle) to your side with palms facing forward and elbows slightly bent. Pull your shoulder blades together as though you are trying to hold a pencil in between them. Take three deep belly breaths in this position. This can also be done in a standing position.
Glut strengtheners – Stand holding onto a wall or the door. Tighten your butt cheek and lift the leg backwards. Pulse the leg by flexing the glut 15 times. Do this twice daily on the right and the left gluts.
Neck turns – start looking down to the right and then turn head to look up and to the left over your shoulder. Repeat five times and then do the same thing on the opposite side. Do this multiple times throughout the day.
Push Up PLUS – Assume a quadruped position on the floor with your hands under your shoulders, toes tucked, and knees under hips. Extend one leg at a time and assume a push up position with the legs straight, elbows extended, and head in a neutral position looking at the floor. Slowly descend to the floor by retracting the shoulder blades and unlocking the elbows. Descend until the upper arms are parallel or your chest touches the floor. Push back to the starting point by extending the elbows and driving your palms into the floor. Once you reach the top of the repetition, continue to press into the floor while allowing your shoulder blades to protract around your ribcage. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Shoulder circles – with arms straight out to the side, tuck your shoulder blades “down into your pockets” and make small circles with your arms. Perform 20 circles forward and 20 circles backwards. Do this at least twice daily.
Toe Scrunches – pick up marbles or rocks (or something round) with toes and put them in a different container. Do this for 5-10 mins on each foot.
Toe Towel scrunch – can also place a hand towel spread out flat on the floor and starting at the bottom of the towel, scrunch the towel up as much as you can and then repeat 10 times on each foot.
Towel Wringers- Using a hand towel, hold length wise and grab towel toward the middle (keeping hands about 2-3 inches or so apart from each other). Stand or sit with tall posture and your arm straight out in front out you. Grip the towel firmly with both hands and slowly twist the towel as if you are wringing water out of it. Go in one direction for 30 seconds to 1 minuet. Switch directions of the towel wringing.
STRETCHES
Brugger’s Relief Position – Position your body at the edge of a chair, feet pointed forward, hips and knees at 90 degrees. Tilt your pelvis forward, lift your sternum, arch your back, head held high, arms out to your sides (about 20-30 degrees from your hips). Rotate your palms out, straightening your arms, and pinching your shoulder blades together. Take a few deep belly breaths. Hold this stretch for several seconds, return to the start position, and repeat 5 times. Try to do this multiple times throughout the day. Alternately, this exercise may be performed standing.
Calf stretch – Standing on the edge of a box or step, hang heels off the edge of the box/step and lower until you feel a stretch in calf muscles. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat a few times throughout the day. Can do during workouts.
Cat-Cow – On your hands and knees, put your back in a relaxed neutral position. For cat, tuck the chin and gently arch your back to bring your spine a little beyond neutral (not too much pressure on that baby belly!). For Cow, drop the belly and raise the chest to the ceiling. Repeat 10 times.
Chin Tucks – Sit in a chair, do not cross your legs, and relax your shoulders down. Look straight ahead and gently glide your chin straight back until you feel a stretch in the back of your neck, below your skull. This is a small movement. Do not tilt your head up or down or bend your neck forward. Hold for about 5 seconds and relax. Repeat 5 times. You can do this in a car against the headrest, as well.
Founders – standing with feet hip distance apart, tucking tail bone and pubic symphysis up towards your nose, keeping back in a straight and sustainable form, hinge from the hips with a slight to medium bend in the knees. (As if there is a dowel rod on either side of your hip bones that you will flex around). Once you have hinged ONLY at your hips, hands/arms will then come straight back behind you. Breath 5 deep belly breaths in this position. Then arms will come up above your head to eye height gently touching the finger tips together and do another 5 deep proper belly breaths.
Glut Med Stretches – Standing near wall or something to help stabilize your balance, cross legs. The leg that is behind should be the side you are stretching. Lean over and push your hip out to the side. Then switch sides.
Hamstring stretches – Put one leg up on a chair or bar in front of you. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the hamstrings. Pulse forward for 8-10 reps. Then lean to the middle and pulse 8-10 times. Turn to the middle and pulse 8-10 times. Turn to the outside and pulse 8-10 times. Repeat on other side of body.
Hip flexor stretches – lunge forward on the floor or put foot up on a chair and lean forward. Make sure pelvis is straight forward. Bend front knee forward until you feel a stretch in front of the back hip. Then pulse the movement forward for 8-10 reps. Then hold the position and lean to the side away from the hip being stretches 8-10 pulsed reps. Then return to neutral and rotate the pelvis away from the side being stretched 8-10 pulsed reps. (Always moving toward the knee that is forward and stretching the front of the hip that is behind). Perform at least twice daily on each side of the body.
Neck Stretch – turn head to 45-degree angle, look head downward toward the floor. Using the hand on the side you are looking towards, grab the opposite back of the head and gently traction downward. From here, externally rotate opposite arm, point thumb backwards. Hold for 15-20 seconds repeat on both sides multiple times a day.
Pec stretch – Stand in corner or doorway with spine in neutral. Place arms at or near ear level. Suck shoulder blades down and “squeeze the pencil”; Place hands on either side of the door/corner and lean in until you feel a stretch in pecs, while engaging the back muscles.
Piriformis Stretch Figure 4 (Belly in the basket) – Sit in a chair and take left ankle and place it on the opposite knee with left knee in a butterfly shape. Bend forward and put your “belly in the basket” to help stretch the left piriformis muscle. Repeat on the opposite side.
Star Stretches (Starfish/Meatball) – lying on the floor take in a slow, deep belly breath while raising your arms above your head ad pointing your toes. The goal is to inhale and create as much length and space in your spine and joints as you can. On the exhale relax your body and bring your arms back down. Repeat 7 times
If balance allows, you can also do this standing and use a chair, wall or counter top for stability.
Wrist stretches – with arm extended and hand held up as if saying “stop” use other hand to pull your palm and fingers back towards your nose. Be sure to include the thumb with this stretch. Then flipping your extended arm so you fingers are now pointing to the ground, use your opposite hand to pull your palm and fingers back towards yourself. Now with your arm fully extended with your palm facing up with fingers point to the ceiling, bend your wrist as if you were trying to touch the inside of your elbow. Use your opposite hand to reinforce this stretch. Then flip your arm so the palm is facing down and fingers are pointing toward the ground. Use opposite hand to reinforce. This can be tenderer on this side so be gentle. Do this on each side for 30 secs to 1 min 3 times a day.
You can also do this with your hands on a surface (like a chair, table or even the floor) and lean your body weight over your hands and wrist, making sure to be careful and not overstretch.
Deltoid Stretches:
Crossbody Deltoid Stretch – Stand up straight and bring your arm in front of you at shoulder height. Reach the arm across your body, keeping your shoulder down, away from your chin. Grab the arm with your other hand, just above the elbow and pull toward your chest. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for the opposite shoulder.
Standing Reverse Shoulder Stretch – Stand up tall and bring your arms behind you and hold your hands together. With your shoulder down and chest up bring your arms (straightened) up behind you until you feel a stretch. Hold it for 30 to 60 seconds.
Standing Wring the Towel Stretch – Stand up straight and raise both arms to shoulder height with palms facing down and eyes looking straight ahead. Rotate your head to the right while rotating your right palm to the ceiling. Go back to the start and rotate your head to the left while rotating your left palm up and right palm down. Keep alternating sides for a total of 10 reps per side.
Pendulum Swings:
Stand beside a table, supporting yourself with one hand, and feet slightly wider apart than shoulder-width.
Bend at the hips approximately 75 to 90 degrees and let your other arm hang down toward the floor. You can hold a light weight, no more than 10 pounds, in your hanging hand.
Shift your weight side to side, letting your arm swing freely side to side.
Shift your weight forward and backward, letting your arm swing freely front to back.
Once you feel comfortable with these movements, move your body so that your arm swings in a circle, try not to use your shoulder muscles to create movement. Keep the circle small,
less than 8 inches.Continue for 60 seconds, increasing the time daily by 30 seconds, until you reach 3 minutes. You can repeat this a few times a day, if you choose, but try to do it at least once per day.
NERVE FLOSSING
Median Nerve Floss – Begin with your arm out to your side, at shoulder height, with your elbow bent upward and your hand flexed backward (like you are carrying a tray). Straighten and extend your arm while simultaneously laterally flexing your head to your opposite shoulder. For an additional stretch, you can rotate your head to look at the floor. Slowly return to the starting position and perform 5 repetitions 2-3 times per day.
Ulnar Nerve Floss – Hold your arm in front of you with your elbow, wrist, and fingers straight as though you are getting ready to shake hands. Touch the tips of your thumb and first finger together to make a ring. Slowly flex your elbow until your hand reaches your face. The ring position should be maintained, and your forefinger should be just beneath your eye socket with your pinky pointing toward your ear. Slowly raise your elbow to flip the ring up into a “monocle” around your eye. Lower your arm back to the starting position and perform 5 repetitions 2-3 times per day.
Sciatic Nerve Floss – Begin seated in a firm chair with your hips and knees at 90 degrees and your head looking down at both feet on the floor. Next, fully straighten your affected leg at the knee until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. Do not move into a position that reproduces sharp or radiating pain. While you are moving your leg forward and up, extend your head to look at the ceiling. Perform 5 repetitions 2-3 times per day. For an additional stretch, switch the movements and look up at the ceiling when you lower your leg and look down toward the floor when you extend your leg. Return to the starting position, repeat 5 times.