Whether you want to feel better, prevent future injuries, or just become more active in daily life there is an extremely wide range of exercises to choose from that can be beneficial to overall function. But with so many options available, how do you know what will be both safe and effective for improving your quality of life?

We live in a world that, for the most part, requires us to sit for many hours throughout the day. Because of this, some muscles are more prone to tightness and restriction than others. For mobility, rolling/massaging and stretching the calf and hip flexor muscles will be extremely beneficial to the lower body. Stretching the calf will allow you to improve walking mechanics and move into a deeper squat or lunge, which are also common movements we perform everyday. Releasing the hip flexor muscles will allow you to extend your leg further back, also assisting with walking and squatting motions. In addition, stretching the pectoral (chest) muscles will open up your upper body to be in a more upright position while sitting and standing, decreasing any tension placed through the back or neck. Spine mobility can be improved by performing cat/cow exercises with slow and controlled motions to get each segment moving on one another which will further promote better posture.

After warming up with a rolling and/or stretching routine you can begin to effectively exercise as the tissues are prepared for the work. Excellent lower body exercises include heel raises, squats (with body weight, resistance bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell are all acceptable depending on your capabilities and goals), lunges, step-ups, crab walks, and monster walks. These exercises target the major muscles of the lower body in a controlled manner. For the upper body, exercises such as push-ups, forward and lateral arm raises, rows, Y’s and T’s, and banded external and internal rotation (for the shoulder rotator cuff) will help develop stability. We can’t forget about training the core as it is the foundation of our bodies during movement. A great place to begin is abdominal bracing and working your way up to single leg lifts, double leg lifts, and finally a dead bug exercise which incorporates arm movements. Planks either from an elevated surface or the ground is another great way to work on the strength and endurance of the core musculature. From the plank position you can transition into downward dog so the shoulders and hips become involved with the abdominal muscles.

As always, be conscious of how you perform each exercise because form will greatly influence how each muscle and joint is utilized. None of these exercises should cause pain outside of the normal muscle soreness from stretching and working out. If there are any questions feel free to reach out to us and chat with one of our licensed physical therapists about your specific program and how we can individually tailor it to your needs and preferences!*

*It is highly recommended that you be evaluated by a physical therapist before beginning any recreational activity or workout program. The benefits include understanding body mechanics, focusing on form, and preventing injuries as you make exercise progressions.

We do our best to make your experience with therapeutic exercises simple and hassle-free to allow you to focus on the healing process. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or call or text us at (949) 502-3388 and we will get back to you in a timely manner.