***Note: If you’re
sitting at home reading this, snowed in by Juno and working up the energy to go
shovel, take a minute to read about a few ways to avoid low back injury while you’re out there!
Now, I know you’ve
all been anxiously waiting for Part 2 of last week’s Injury Prevention blog.
Wait no longer! We’re back to finish up with warm-up exercises that prepare
your body for a workout after a long day of sitting. Heck, these exercises can
be used on a daily basis, regardless of your gym regimen, to relieve the
sitting-induced discomfort that makes you want to throw your desk chair out a
window. They are quick, easy, and kill many birds with just three or four
stones. If you missed last week's discussion on just how bad sitting is for you, check
it out. Also, if you haven’t taken a look at Dr. Luke's other tips for staying comfortable at your desk, take a
quick peek at some point. They could change your life.
Since last week,
I’ve had some time to think about how you might’ve reacted to the blog. I’m
guessing that most of you were able to relate to it. You might’ve started out
by thinking I’m some sort of awesome mind reader able to sense your pain, but
you probably quickly realized that simple anatomy and biomechanics of the body
explain it. Plus, I see patients coming into the office so often with the same sitting-induced
complaints, that it’s kind of a no brainer!
A small percentage
of you, however, might’ve read the blog and thought, “I have no idea what this
chiropractor is talking about. I sit from 9-5 everyday and I feel great when I
leave the office.” While I suppose this could be possible, (although I really,
truly doubt it) I have some bad news for you anyway. How you FEEL at the end of
your day doesn’t change what you’ve subjected your body to for the previous 10
hours. You’ve been sitting….at a desk….for 10 hours. The damage has been done. Even if you’ve
maintained what is considered perfect sitting posture the entire time, it
doesn’t change the fact that our bodies just aren’t made to sit for extended
amounts of time. Muscles and soft tissues react in a negative way, and your body
changes whether you feel it or not. Unfortunately, in this case your body isn’t
even giving you discomfort to act as warning sign anymore. Sneaky, sneaky.
Now that we’ve got
that covered, let’s pick up where we left off. Let’s talk about three exercises
that work to reverse the effects of sitting, anytime. All you need is a chair,
a wall, a floor, and people who won’t make fun of you while you do them.
(**NOTE: I have found that most people can tolerate these exercises with
positive results, but make sure you check with your chiropractor to make sure
they’re appropriate for you first. As always, if these exercises increase your
pain, stop and check in with your chiropractor for further instruction.)
1. Cervical
Retractions aka “The Triple Chin Move”
o
Purpose:
Strengthen the weak muscles in the front of the neck, and stretch the tight
ones in the back of the neck. This brings the head back, so that your ears sit
over your shoulders where they belong.
o
Set Up:
Sit up tall in a chair.
o
Technique:
Place your pointer finger on your chin and guide your chin straight back to
your spine. (Your neck should be doing the work, not your finger, and if you
look in the mirror a nice triple chin should be forming.) Remove your finger
and hold your head in place, ears over shoulders for 2s. Relax and let your
chin fall into its normal resting place to complete one rep. Repeat 10-12reps.
o
Notes: You
do not have to use your finger for the rest of the reps as long as you’ve got
the movement down. During the 2s hold, you should feel the muscles in the front
of the neck activating, and the muscles in the back of the neck stretching.
2. Pelvic Tilt
o
Purpose:
Strengthen the weak core and glute muscles, and stretch the tight low back
muscles.
o
Set Up:
Find yourself a floor (please, not a couch or bed) and lay on your back with
your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Take a second to use your hand to
find the natural space between your low back and the floor underneath you. Keep
your hand under your back.
o
Technique:
Draw your belly button into your spine in order to flatten your low back into
the floor. (You should be squishing your hand underneath you.) Hold for 2s, and
relax. Repeat 10-12reps.
o
Note:
Tuck your buns under as you flatten your low back into the ground. Your pelvis
should be close to lifting off the floor, without actually leaving the ground.
This will help you activate the right muscles.
3. Wall Angels
o
Purpose:
Strengthen the weak mid back muscles, and stretch the tight chest muscles.
ADDED BONUS: This exercise incorporates the previous two moves, accomplishing a
ton all at once.
o
Set Up:
IT’S A LONG ONE, so hang in there. Find a clear wall to lean your back against,
feet together and 12in from the wall. Take inventory of what is touching the
wall. The goal is to have everything from your buns to your head flat against
it, but at this point it’s probably just your buns and your mid back. To remedy
that, pull your belly button in to the spine and flatten your low back into the
wall like a Pelvic Tilt. Hold. Bring your shoulders back so they flatten
against the wall. Hold. Bring your chin straight back to your spine like a Chin
Retraction. Hold. Flatten the backs of your hands/arms against the wall down by
your sides. Hold. This is the posture you will maintain throughout the
exercise, so KEEP HOLDING! I know you think I’m crazy by now. Bear with me…
o
Technique:
Start the exercise by slowly moving your hands/arms up the wall like you’re
making a snow angel, or like you’re under arrest! Only go as high as you can until
you feel yourself breaking good form and body parts start lifting off the wall.
When you reach that point, slowly glide your arms back down the wall to your
sides. Reset your posture if necessary, and repeat 10-12reps.
o
Notes:
While you may only get your hands to shoulder level at first, it’s OK! As you
get both stronger, and more flexible, this range of motion will improve. If you
can get your hands up over your head with your entire back side still pressed
against the wall, you’re amazing! Remember, these exercises become worthless
when your form breaks, so if you feel that happening, reset and continue.
4. Treadmill
Walking or Walking Lunges
o
The
tight muscles in the front of the hips haven’t been addressed yet. They need a
little TLC before you start squatting, running, etc. Start with some slow
walking on the treadmill, making sure to take long, easy strides. Over the
course of 5-10min, you can increase the pace to a brisk walk, before you
eventually begin your run. You can also do some walking lunges (on the ground) to
open up the hip muscles. Ease into them, slowly lowering into the lunge and stretching
the hip of the back leg before you push back up. 20-30 lunges should get you
warm.
Phew! You did it!
See what we just did there? We’ve taken all of the muscle tightness and
weakness described in those Upper and Lower Crossed Syndromes caused by
sitting, and addressed it in some way. If you work through this set of
exercises 1-2x before your workout, those muscles will have seen some action
before you torture them with weights or put them through long strides on the
treadmill. You’ll have better flexibility, range of motion, and muscle
activation going into your workout, and any muscle that has the chance to
(literally) warm up to your exercise routine will treat you much better in
return. Not only that, but if you do these exercises each day that you’re at
your desk, you’re actively working to reverse the effects of sitting on a daily
basis! That’s an amazing way to prevent injury, both short and long term. And
remember, if these exercises are very difficult for you, and not getting any
easier with practice, your chiropractor may be able to address any restricted
motion in the spine that is hindering your mobility. Now if you’ll excuse me,
I’ve got some exercises to do!
-Dr. Doscher
-Dr. Doscher
