Manual Therapies Week 12
This session’s question are:
- Based on your own posture, what exercises do you think you might benefit from and why?
I have a hyperkyphotic thoracic spine, and a hypolordotic lumbar spine, which results in a hypolordotic cervical spine. I noticed that I mostly tilt my pelvis forward to support my stomach muscles in standing up straight. My hip flexors, and lower back muscles are most likely too tight, while my stomach muscles and glutes are weaker and not providing optimal support. I rely on Pelvis tilt, and stomach muscles to relieve upper back pain. I recognise that I need to strengthen my core and glute muscles through resistance training because I’m sitting a lot, and often slouching. I don’t do any resistance exercises to build strength. I would benefit from starting with home exercises specific to strengthening, stretching, and posture correction.
I am aware that back pain may be a result of disc placement and also lowered arches in my feet. I have a decreased range of muscle movement through holding tension in my body and not stretching.
Stretching and Strengthening Altered Spinal Curves – Exercise examples
- Spinal stretch into extension with the motion occurring at the thoracic spine
- Extension strengthening exercise for the lumbar spine
- Extension exercise for a hypolordotic lumbar spine (not occurring at thoracic spine).
- EMC Plank
- Standing pelvic tilt
- Lying pelvic tilt
- Hip lifts
- Lunges
(endeavour, 2021)
Resistance and Stretching
- Endeavour, ‘Apply a low-intensity, prolonged stretch force to promote the comfort of the patient and minimise muscle guarding, soft-tissue damage and residual muscle soreness’
- Anterior pelvic tilt influences posture
- Abdominal and glutes weakened and hip flexors and erector spinae overactive
- Stretch hip flexors, strengthen abs, glutes
- Plank
- Back on the floor / cat pose
- Yoga, tai chi
- hip thrusts
- Posterior tilt pelvis throughout whole movement
- Rectus femoris stretch
- Lumbar erector spinae exercise
- Occipitals exercise
- Pectorals exercise
- Middle and lower trapezius exercise
- Deep cervical flexors exercise
- Lumbar core stabilisers exercise
- Glutes and hamstrings exercise
- Other: Walking, assisted weight bearing machines at the gym, qi gong, tai chi etc.
(Endeavour, 2021)
- What is your understanding of the difference between exercise for health and exercise for rehabilitation?
Various aspects apply to exercise therapy including muscle performance, cardiopulmonary endurance, mobility and flexibility, neuromuscular coordination and control, stability, balance and posture equilibrium. The aim of exercise therapy is to improve function, improve range of movement, and to reduce pain (Kisner & Colby, 2011), (Endeavour, 2021).
Athletes and active people exercise to stay fit, receive and integrate therapeutic benefits, such as improved functionality, and reduced injuries and soreness. Exercising for health or recreational exercise has benefits such as improving self awareness, relieving stress, raising productivity, social contact, positive thinking, and maintaining health (Kisner & Colby, 2011), (Endeavour, 2021).