Hamstring Stretch

Lie on your back and grasp one thigh behind the knee. Slowly straighten your knee until a stretch is felt in back of your thigh.

Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Relax. Repeat 2 times on each side.

Note: If this exercise causes back pain or leg pain, attempt while keeping the leg on the ground bent.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Lie on your back near the edge of a bed or bench, holding one bent leg close to your chest. Slowly lower the other leg down, keeping your knee bent, until a stretch is felt across the top of the hip/thigh.

Hold for 30 seconds. Relax. Repeat 2 times on each side.

Piriformis Stretch

Lie on your back with both knees bent. Cross one leg on top of the other. Pull the opposite knee toward your chest until a stretch is felt in the buttock/hip area.

Hold for 20 seconds. Relax. Repeat 2 times each side.

Abdominal Strengthening Exercises

1. Recline on the exercise ball with your lower back resting on the ball.

2. Tighten your abdominal muscles and slowly curl-up your upper body while maintaining a neutral arch in your low back.  Do not curl or crunch your spine. Hold in this contracted position while tightening your abdominal muscles for ten to twenty seconds. Slowly lower yourself to the starting position and repeat five times. You may gradually increase the number of repetitions or the length of contractions.

Gradually increase the number of repetitions or the length of contractions as your fitness increases.

Bridging Exercises on the Ball

1. Lay with your calves on an inflatable exercise ball.

2. Rotate your pelvis and flatten or arch your lower back to the position of maximal comfort by contracting your abdominal muscles.

3. Slowly lift your torso from the ground to form a bridge while maintaining the contraction of your abdominal muscles.

4. As you feel more comfortable, begin to increase the challenge by raising one leg off of the ball and then the other. This progression may take weeks or months. This is an advanced exercise and some will not be able to perform this exercise.

5. Once you master the one-leg bridge you may progress to performing the bridge with your arms in continual motion: alternate raising your arms from your side to an overhead position and back.

Perform this exercise for one minute. As your fitness improves you may extend the duration.

Lumbar Extensor Strengthening

Lie on your stomach over the exercise ball.

1. Slowly raise alternate arms overhead.

2. Slowly raise alternate legs until parallel with the floor.

3. Combine 1 and 2, alternating opposite arms and legs.

This exercise may also be performed with the knees bent. Be careful not to hyperextend your low back during this exercise!

Lumbar Extensions on the Exercise Ball

1. Kneel on the ground with your stomach on the ball.

2. Tighten your abdominal muscles as described in the abdominal contraction section of the initial exercise program.

3. Slowly raise your trunk to being slightly above parallel and hold in the upward position for eight seconds.

4. Lower your shoulders and upper back and repeat.

Corner Stretch

1. Stand facing a corner from about eighteen inches away with your hands, forearms, and elbows in contact with the walls on either side of the corner.

2. Slowly lean into the corner until a stretch is felt in your chest muscles.

3. Hold this stretch for 15 seconds.

4. Perform this stretch three times; once in each of three positions: high, medium, and low.

Note: If you have a history of shoulder instability or dislocations, do not perform this exercise without consulting a doctor.

Rowing on the Exercise Ball

1. Lay facing down on an exercise ball with the ball supporting your chest, abdomen, and pelvis.

2. While maintaining your spine in a neutral or slightly extended posture, grasp some hand weights (dumbbells).

3. Lift the weights by pulling with your arms and especially by retracting (pulling back) your shoulder blades.

4. Pause in the up position and concentrate on contracting your upper back muscles.

5. Slowly lower the weights and repeat this exercise.

Note: For increased stability you may spread your feet into a wide stance.