Many people these days find themselves spending hours hunched over at a desk, in a car or over their phone. Because of this lifestyle, people are starting to experience back symptoms more and more. This can include back pain, neck pain, headaches, back stiffness and shoulder pain. As a Chiropractor, this is something I see far too often. While the passive treatment that I do in the office is very important and beneficial, it is also important to do exercises and stretches at home to help get rid of symptoms and improve general movement and wellbeing. Today I want to share a great exercise for back stiffness.
This exercise is a great one to do for people who spend a lot of the day hunched at their computer, desk or car. You will notice that your posture during all of these activities, and others, consist of your shouldering being rounded forward, your head jutting forward and your midback being rounded. Being in this posture of lengthy periods of time can eventually lead to stiffness and pain. Hence it is important to do something regularly to help reverse some of the effect of this prolonged posture. This exercise for back stiffness will help you do that. Please note that while this exercise is great and will be beneficial, other things will be needed to completely resolve problems, such as treatment from a health professional, other stretches and strengthening exercises.
All you need for this exercise is a 90cm long foam roller. You can buy this at pretty much any sport equipment store, or large department stores such as Target or Kmart (if you are in Australia). Getting a cheaper one is fine for this exercise, but note that for rolling out your muscles, you will want a higher quality (and usually more expensive) one.
How to perform
To do the exercise, lay back on the roller so that it is along your spine, and your pelvis and head are both on the roller. Bend your knees so that your feet flat on the floor and rotate our arms out so that the back of your hands are on the floor. Relax in this position for 10-15 minutes. When starting this exercise, you may start to get uncomfortable after just a few minutes. In this case, just build up your tolerance slowly and increase each day by 1 minute. This exercise can also be done using a large swiss/gym ball and extending over that. However that requires more caution and you are advised to consult with your health practitioner first before attempting it.
If you experience any discomfort or have any questions, you can contact our Caulfield Chiropractor here. Otherwise if you want to make an appointment, give us a call on 9193 2170 or book online here.
Centre 4 Health – All your health needs in one place
Exercise For Back Stiffness
Centre 4 Health
Chiropractor Caulfield
368B Hawthorn Road
Caulfield South
VIC 3162
