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January 12, 2011
Stretch Your Spine in Richmond

Richmond's patients say the chiropractic care they receive from Johnson Chiropractic works wonders for their spine pain relief. Using the chiropractic flexion-distraction and decompression adjustment, Johnson Chiropractic stretched their spine in just the right way. Are you recovering from a back injury or just want to maintain a pain-free lifestyle? With all that positive feedback, you are tempted to take one of Johnson Chiropractic's chiropractors home with you! All kidding aside, there are a simple set of back stretches you can do in the privacy of your home. Stretching exercises are a great start. Exercise and stretching go hand-in-hand with any chiropractic care you are receiving. Take charge of your spinal condition and help maintain spinal pain relief through stretching.

Weak, tight muscles are often troublesome for low back pain sufferers. Muscles of the back, belly and buttocks support the spine. They are often referred to as the core muscles. Stretching can help release joint and muscle tension as well as increase your spinal flexibility.

Simple Backstretches and Spinal Stretches for Richmond Patients

Stability Ball: Relax and Stretch

 Low back stability ball exercise
 
Similar to the yoga pose, the "Cat Stretch", where you position yourself on hands and knees and stretch your spine upwards is the stability ball back stretch exercise. Using the stability ball makes it a little easier to support your position of stretch. You can benefit by just lying over the ball stretching the full spine: the lumbar spine, thoracic spine, cervical spine. Even though "just lying over the ball" seems easy, you will find that your sense of balance is challenged making you aware of muscle groups you may not have been noticing before. All this is aids in your recovery, to maintain a pain-free lifestyle. One report states that performing spinal muscle exercises on a stability ball could reduce low back loading and thereby reduce the potential for re-injuring your back (1). As you recover from your spinal pain condition, you will want to build muscles you don't know you have to maintain a pain free lifestyle, but that is for another article. For now, focus on stretching your spine for pain relief with simple back stretches.

Knee Chest Exercise

 Knee-chest exercise
 
Another exercise easy to do anywhere, without equipment of any kind, is the knee-chest exercise. You can do the knee-chest exercise lying in bed, on the floor, or even on the couch. It not only effectively stretches the spine, but also stretches the hamstring and gluteus muscles. As it stretches and relaxes the spine, improves flexibility, and feels well.

Be sure to check with Johnson Chiropractic first before starting any exercises not yet recommended to you. If we have discussed your readiness to exercise, start stretching your spine to relax the back and improve your flexibility today.

Contact Johnson Chiropractic with any questions you might have.

References
  1. Drake J, Fischer SL, Brown S, Callaghan J: Do Exercise Balls Provide a Training Advantage for Trunk Extensor Exercises? A Biomechanical Evaluation. J of Manipul Physiol Therapeutics 2006; 29(5): 354-362