Tips from a PT: Stretches to Start Your Day

[Mark_ABH]

You might have seen Hidden offer some tips for exercise and physical activity on other threads on this forum. Melissa is a Peer Educator for American Bone Health and a licensed physical therapist with more than 20 years' experience. She has been kind enough to offer some tips for activities that you can try at home. We will also be posting these along with video clips on the American Bone Health website.

Here, Melissa shows us some "Good Morning" stretches to start our day off right. Many of us have been stuck at home for more than a month now, and some of us might be getting bored or even depressed. But we must do what we can to manage our health while we are off our old routines. Think of these unsettled times as an opportunity to begin new healthy habits and to strengthen established habits. Whatever you do, keep moving, everyone!

Deep Breathing from Diaphragm

As abdominal, upper and lower back muscles get weaker, we develop rounded posture. This posture causes the muscles on the front of our neck and chest to shorten and tighten and make it hard to take a deep breath.

1. Start sitting on a sturdy chair with feet firmly planted on the floor.

2. Start inhale from lower ribs (diaphragm), not upper ribs (accessory muscles) Repeat 3-5 times.

3. Next raise arms up and on the inhale like a “T” or “Y”; exhale on the return. Repeat 3-5 times.

If you get short of breath, stop and breath normal. It make take some time to build up to taking full deep breaths.

Front-of-Hip Stretch

If you have balance concerns, stand with you back near the wall or hand on firm surface.

1. Place hands on waist with palms facing down.

2. Movement of the hips forward is caused by contracting buttocks or glut muscles.

3.This is a small movement. Repeat 3-5 times.

If you have pain in low back or neck, you could be arching your back. Breathe normal through movement.

Wall-Facing Angels

1. Stand about a foot away from the wall and arms out to side like a “T.”

2. Contact abdominal muscles as you lift your chest and move arms up toward each other.

Inhale up and exhale down.

If you have pain, decrease how high you lift arms, and/or take a half-step farther away from wall.

Repeat 3-5 times.

[HeronNS]

I guess with covid lockdown, and so many of us not going out as much as before, even as restrictions ease, these indoor exercises are good for us all!

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you for the comment! These are part of my daily routine

[soccersummer]

Mark, are there other abdominal exercises besides situps that are safe if you have osteoporosis? thank you.

[Mark_ABH in reply to soccersummer]

Hi soccersummer, there are a few abdominal exercises on this list of bone-healthy exercises (see 11-13) ... americanbonehealth.org/exer...

Another good one is the "bird dog" ... popsugar.com/fitness/How-Do...

[soccersummer in reply to Mark_ABH]

Thank you very much.

[susie193]

I'll definitely be giving these a try, thanks.