Various gym exercise for building up your shulders

Physiotherapy: STRETCHING EXERCISES FOR LOWER BODY

Physiotherapy: STRETCHING EXERCISES FOR LOWER BODY:         STRETCHING EXERCISES FOR LOWER BODY. Remember to:  Warm-up your muscles first before stretching (e.g. stretch after walkin...

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STRETCHING EXERCISES FOR UPPER BODY

MUSCLES OF BACK

 Neck
1. Side Bends

Sit or stand with hands loosely at your sides. Tilt your head sideways. Hold for 5seconds.Switch to other side.
Repeat this for 2-3times.
2.Neck Flexion/Extension

Gently tilt your head forward and backward and feel the stretch. Repeat 2-3times.
 Chest
1.  Pectoralis  major stretch

Place both arms directly behind you against a flat surface with arms parallel to floor. Pull against flat surface until stretch is felt in chest. Repeat 2-3 times.
 Abdominals
1.Lying abdominal stretch

Lie on front side and push upper torso upwards with arm until feel stretch. Repeat this for 2-3times.
 Lower back
1.Mid back stretch

With hands on the small of the back, slightly until stretch is felt. Repeat this for 2-3 times.
 Upper back
1.Latissmus dorsi stretch

Begin by kneeling and extending forward until stretch is felt. Slide hands forward and push buttocks backward. Repeat this for 2-3 times.

 Shoulder
1.Cross chest stretch

Pull your left arm across your chest and push on your elbow close to your chest with your right hand. Repeat this for both hands for 2-3times.
 Behind the back stretch

1.Stand up and place your left hand on the small of the back. Grab your left hand and pull towards the right side.Repeat on both sides for 2-3 times.

STRETCHING EXERCISES FOR HIP N GLUTEAL MUSCLES

HIP AND GLUTEAL MUSCLES

There are 4 groups of muscles around the hips: adductors (on the inside),
abductors (on the lateral hip), flexors (on the anterior side) and extensors (on the posterior side). These
muscles and the gluteal muscles control the movements of the hips.

Hip Adductors (Inner Thigh)

Gently push knees to floor until stretch is felt. Keep back straight. Repeat it for 2-3times.

Hip Abductors

Cross your right leg over your left leg. Lookover your right shoulder while turning your trunk and pushing back on knee with left elbow. Repeat with both sides 2-3 times.

Hip Flexors/Extensors

 Slowly lean and push hip to floor until stretch is felt on front side of thigh .Repeat this for both legs for 2-3times

Gluteal Muscles

Place right foot above left knee. Slowly lift left leg toward chest. Keep your arm flat on floor . Repeat this 2-3times for both legs.

STRETCHING EXERCISES FOR LOWER BODY

        STRETCHING EXERCISES FOR LOWER BODY.

Remember to:
 Warm-up your muscles first before
stretching (e.g. stretch after
walking).
 Stretch until you feel mild discomfort,
not pain.
 Never bounce or force a stretch.
 Hold the stretch for 10-30 seconds
and then relax.
 Do not hold your breath when
stretching.
 Do stretching exercises at least
2-3 times a week.

QUADRICEPS
Lying Quadriceps Stretch

Lie on your side. Pull heel toward buttocks Pull heel toward buttocks until a stretch is felt in
until a stretch is felt in front of the thigh. Repeat with both legs 2-3 times.

Standing Quadriceps Stretch

Pull heel toward buttocks until a stretch is felt in front of the thigh. Keep leg close to body with knee pointing to floor. Repeat with both legs 2-3 times.

HAMSTRINGS

Lying Hamstring Stretch

Slowly bring knee towards chest. Gently extend Bend knee of left leg and hold when in a comfortable stretch. Repeat the stretch for 2-3times.

Sitting Hamstring Stretch

Bend knee of left leg and keep right leg extended with knee slightly bent. Bend at the waist towards your left foot. Hold your lower leg for support. Repeat with both legs.
Standing Hamstring Stretch

Left leg in front of you. Bend right knee. Lean forward placing hands on bent leg. Keep back straight and hold. Repeat with both legs 2-3 times.

Don’t

1) excessive strain to lower back, 2) common for people to bounce, which is not advised, 3) no benefit- contracts hamstring rather than lengthens it.


Calf Muscles
Gastrocnemius (Upper calf)

Hands against the wall. Keep back leg straight. Push heels down and slowly lean forward until stretch is felt in the back of the calf. Repeat this for both legs for 2-3times.

Soleus (Lower calf)

Same stretch as gastrocnemius, but bend knees of both legs .repeat this for 2-3times.

Lower back pain treatment and cause

DESCRIPTION: 

Eighty percent of adults will experience significant low back pain sometime during their lifetime.
Low back pain usually involves muscle spasm of the supportive muscles along the spine. Also, pain, numbness and
tingling in the buttocks or lower extremity can be related to the back. There are multiple causes of low back pain (see
below). Prevention of low back pain is extremely important, as symptoms can recur on more than one occasion.

COMMON CAUSES:

1)Muscle strain. The muscles of the low back provide the strength and mobility for all activities of daily living.
Strains occur when a muscle is overworked or weak.
2)Ligament sprain. Ligaments connect the spinal vertebrae and provide stability for the low back. They can be
injured with a sudden, forceful movement or prolonged stress.
Poor posture. Poor postural alignment (such as slouching in
front of the TV or sitting hunched over a desk) creates
muscular fatigue, joint compression, and stresses the
discs that cushion your vertebrae. Years of abuse can cause
muscular imbalances such as tightness and weakness, which
also cause pain.
3)Age “Wear and tear” and inherited factors may cause
degenerative changes in the discs (called degenerative disc
disease), and joint degeneration of the facet joints of the spine
(called degenerative joint disease). Normal aging causes
decreased bone density, strength and elasticity of muscles and
ligaments. These effects can be minimized by regular exercise,
proper lifting and moving techniques, proper nutrition and
body composition, and avoidance of smoking.
Disc bulge. or herniation, can cause pressure on a nerve, which can radiate pain down the leg. This generally
responds well to a strengthening and stretching program and rarely requires surgery.
Other causes of low back pain include bladder/kidney infection, endometriosis, cancer, or ovarian problems.

TREATMENT:
REST: Rest from aggravating activity. Avoid prolonged sitting, driving, bending, heavy lifting and twisting.
ICE: Ice applied to the low back for 15 minutes every 1 – 2 hours is helpful in reducing pain and spasm.
Avoid using heat for the first 48 hours of an acute injury.
NSAIDs: Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medication such as aspirin, advil, aleve, ibuprofen or
naproxen sodium.
EARLY EXERCISE: Gentle exercise for mobility and stretching (especially the muscles of the legs and back)
can help decrease the severity, duration and recurrence of low back pain. Try the suggested exercises on the
back of this sheet. Do not perform exercises that increase your pain.
POSITIONING: Modifying your sleeping position can help ease strain to your low back. Make sure your
bed is firm enough to give you adequate support, and use a small pillow for you head. If you sleep on your
back, try putting a pillow under your knees. Or if you prefer to sleep side lying, put a pillow between your
thighs and if you are side bent, a folded towel under your waistline. 

PREVENTION:
Once the severity of pain has decreased, a rehabilitation program to strengthen your hip, abdominal and back
muscles can help prevent recurrences.
Posture! Posture! Posture! The goal is neutral spine, not slumped or over-arched.
Proper lifting and body mechanics.
See your health care provider if you have the following: significant pain that persists beyond a week, unexplained fever,
unexplained weight loss, redness or swelling on the back or spine, pain /numbness /tingling that travels down the
leg(s) below the knee, leg weakness, bowel or bladder problems, or back pain due to a severe blow or fall.
If your symptoms do not resolve within 2-4 weeks please contact your clinician.

BASIC EXERCISES FOR THE LOW BACK 

Perform these exercises slowly, without forcing movement. Be sure to breathe throughout the exercises. You should
feel a slight stretch, however, do not move into pain. Your symptoms should not intensify as a result of doing your
exercises. Perform the exercises 2-3 times daily. 

Hamstrings (fig.1)

Lying on floor, pull thigh towards your chest to about 90 .
Straighten your knee until a stretch is felt in back of thigh.
Hold 1 minute. Repeat with opposite leg.

Single Knee to Chest (fig.2)

Pull knee in to chest until a comfortable stretch is felt in hip
and lower back. Hold 15 seconds. Repeat with opposite leg.
Repeat 5-10 times each leg. 

Pelvic Tilt (fig.3)

Flatten back by tightening stomach and buttock muscles.
Hold 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times. 

Cat and Camel (fig.4)

On all fours, assume a “hump” back position by arching the
back up. Hold briefly and then slowly lower the back into a
sagging position. Repeat 10-15 times. 

Hip Flexors(fig.5)

Lying on you back, pull one knee to the chest to keep the
back flat. Allow the opposite thigh to drop over the edge of
the bed. Do not allow the thigh to move away from the
midline or rotate. Hold 30 seconds. Repeat 2 times each leg. 

Prop Up on Elbows (fig.6)

On firm surface, lying on your stomach, prop up on your
elbows. Keep pelvis, hips and legs relaxed. If propping on
elbows is painful, try only lying on stomach or with a pillow
under your abdomen. Hold 30 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times. 

Tail Wag (fig.7)

On all fours with back maintained in neutral position, gently
move hips toward rib cage to side bend trunk. Hold briefly,
then alternate and do other side. Repeat 10-15 times. 

Lumbar Rotation (fig.8)

Slowly rock knees from side to side in a pain free range of
motion. Allow back to rotate slightly. Repeat 10-15 times.

The vertebral column

The vertebral column

The spinal, or vertebral, column is made up of thirty-three vertebrae, of
which twenty-four are discrete vertebrae and nine are fused in the sacrum
and coccyx.
In the embryo the spine is curved into a gentle C shape but, with the
extension of the head and lower limbs that occurs when the child first holds
up its head, then sits and then stands, secondary forward curvatures
appear in the cervical and lumbar region, which produce the sinusoidal
curves of the fully developed spinal column.
The basic vertebral pattern is that of a body and of a neural arch
surrounding the vertebral canal.
The neural arch is made up of a pedicle on either side, each supporting a
lamina which meets its opposite posteriorly in the midline. The pedicle
bears a notch above and below which, with its neighbour, forms theintervertebral foramen. The arch bears a posterior spine, lateral transverse
processes and upper and lower articular facets.
The intervertebral foramina transmit the segmental spinal nerves as
follows: C1–7 pass over the superior aspect of their corresponding cervical
vertebrae, C8 passes through the foramen between C7 and T1, and all sub-
sequent nerves pass between the vertebra of their own number and the one
below.
Now to consider the individual vertebrae in turn.

The cervical vertebrae (7)

These are readily identified by the foramen transversarium perforating the
transverse processes. This foramen transmits the vertebral artery, the vein,
and sympathetic nerve fibres. The spines are small and bifid (except C1
and C7 which are single) and the articular facets are relatively horizontal.

The atlas (C1) has no body. Its upper surface bears a superior
articular facet on a thick lateral mass on each side which articulates with the
occipital condyles of the skull.
Just posteriorly to this facet, the upper aspect of the posterior arch of the
atlas is grooved by the vertebral artery as it passes medially and upwards to
enter the foramen magnum.
The axis (C2)  bears the dens (odontoid process) on the superior
aspect of its body, representing the detached centrum of C1.
Nodding and lateral flexion movements occur at the atlanto-occipital
joint, whereas rotation of the skull occurs at the atlanto-axial joint around
the dens, which acts as a pivot.
C7 is the vertebra prominens, so called because of its relatively long and
easily felt non-bifid spine; it is the first clearly palpable spine on running
one’s fingers downwards along the vertebral crests, although the spine of
T1 immediately below it is, in fact, the most prominent one.
The vertebral artery enters its vertebral course nearly always at the
foramen transversarium of C6; it is not surprising, therefore, that the
foramen of C7, which transmits only the vein, is small or even sometimes
absent.
The thoracic vertebrae (12)

These vertebrae are characterized by demifacets on the sides of their bodies
for articulation with the heads of the ribs and by facets on their transverse
processes (apart from those of the lower two or three vertebrae) for the rib
tubercles. The spines are long and downward sloping and the articular
facets are also relatively vertical. The lowest couple are rather ‘lumbar’ in
appearance, have a single facet on the side of the body and no facet on the
transverse process.
The bodies of T5 and T8 are worth noting; they come into relationship
with the descending aorta and are a little flattened by it on their left flank. If
the descending aorta becomes aneurysmally dilated, these four vertebral
bodies become eroded by its pressure, although their avascular interverte-
bral discs remain intact. You can make this diagnosis confidently when
shown a specimen of four partly worn-away vertebrae with normal inter-
vening discs.
The lumbar vertebrae (5)

These are of great size with strong, square, horizontal spines and with
articular facets which lie in the sagittal plane.
L5 is distinguished by its massive transverse process which connects
with the whole lateral aspect of its pedicle and encroaches on its body; the
transverse processes of the other lumbar

vertebrae attach solely to the junc-
tion of pedicle with lamina.
The sacrum (5 fused)
The coccyx (3, 4 or 5 fused)