• "These videos are for educational purposes to assist you with rehabilitation and injury prevention. You must be properly assessed and advised by a registered healthcare professional before proceeding. " Thank you.

Back Extension

Begin the exercise by resting your rib cage against the exercise ball. Then, separate your feet ensuring a wide base of support. Once in position, begin by flexing the spine, resting your chest against the ball. With your fingertips supporting your head, begin elevating your chest away from the exercise ball. Hold the contraction for 5 seconds, repeat the exercise 10-15 times.

This exercise targets some of the muscles of the lower back and mid back, strengthens the core and ensurs appropriate lumbar and pelvic support.

Cat/Camel

Place hands and knees on the floor, mimicking a table top. This is the starting position. When ready, begin rounding your middle back, bringing your shoulder blades apart while tucking in your pelvis. Hold that position for 5 seconds. Then, begin transitioning to neutral position, taking it further by arching your back and raising your head. Hold this for 5 seconds, returning to neutral afterwards.

These two exercises act to stretch the flexors and extensors attached to the spine. At times, back pain and tension can result from sustaining a single position for a prolonged period of time. This can help alleviate postural back pain, ensuring comfort.

Cobra Stretch​

 Lay on a flat sturdy surface. Ensure that your palms are firmly planted on the surface, resting beside their corresponding shoulder. When ready, begin elevating your torso by slowly straightening your arms. Ensure that the pelvis remains firmly planted against the sturdy surface.

This exercise aims to stretch some of the trunk’s common flexors, often times easing low back pain and ensuring day to day comfort during movement.

Plank

Begin with your elbows, knees, pelvis, lower abdomen and ankles firmly planted on the ground. When ready to initiate the movement, simultaneously elevate the pelvis, knees, and ankles off the ground, supporting yourself on your toes and elbows. Make sure your back is in a neutral position. If tension is felt in the lower back, then elevate it higher slightly. Hold this position for however long is possible, no more than 1 minute.

This exercise acts to strengthen some of the major components of the core, supporting the lower back and decreasing the presence of back pain with time.

Side Plank

Begin by supporting yourself on either your right or left elbow, facing the direction your lower arm points. Once you’re ready to initiate the exercises elevate your pelvis and knee ensuring that your weight is being supported by the elbow and ankle joint. Hold this position for however long is manageable, no more than 1 minute, before attempting the other side.

The nature of this exercise allows it to target core muscles that help with trunk rotation and side-to-side stability. Strengthening these muscles will ensure safety when performing day to day activities, alleviating the risk of injury.

Side Plank + Rotation

Once in the Side Plank position as described above, with the non-bracing arm perpendicular to your body, begin rotating as you bend your elbow touching the non-bracing hand to the bracing elbow. Repeat this movement for the duration of the exercise.

This exercise targets the same core muscles corresponding to the normal side plank but is a more advanced variant of the movement. Progress with caution.