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Therapeutic Exercise

We teach our patients special exercises designed just for them to help strengthen and correct their own unique problem. These exercises can be performed in the comfort of your own home and can improve the effectiveness of your spinal correction by as much as 30-40%. This enhances the treatment process and helps maintain healing benefits, as well as reducing the likelihood of future problems.

Feeling Discomfort? Select the body part you’d like to focus on, and we’ll guide you through therapeutic exercises!

BACK
HIP
NECK
SHOULDER

LOW BACK EXTENSION

  1. Lie on your stomach with hands by your sides. Lift your head and chest off the floor, hold for 4-5 seconds, then lower. Rest and repeat 7-10 times. Stop if pain worsens.
  2. Lie on your stomach with a pillow under your chest. Relax for 10 minutes.
  3. Push off the floor with your hands to raise your head and upper back. Repeat a few times, stopping if pain increases.

PARTIAL SIT UP

  1. Start with the partial sit-up, a recommended exercise for back pain.
  2. Lie on your back with a pillow under your neck and knees bent (feet on the floor). Slowly raise your head, neck, and upper back toward your knees—without lifting your lower back. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to the starting position.
  3. This exercise is easy and can be done frequently. Aim for 50 repetitions a day as part of your routine.

CAT-CAMEL

  1. Start on all fours, with hands beneath your shoulders and knees beneath your hips.
  2. Arch your back into the “Cat” position, then transition to the “Camel” position.
  3. Focus on smooth motion, not stretching, and repeat 12-15 times.

SUPERMAN

  1. Start in an all-fours position, with your body over the stability ball, abdominal muscles engaged, and neck aligned with your spine.
  2. Lift your opposite arm and leg simultaneously, then lower them back down.
  3. Switch to the other side and repeat.

DOUBLE LEG LIFTS

  1. Rest your stomach on the stability ball, with your hands on the floor in front of you.
  2. Raise both legs off the floor until your body is horizontal.

CRUNCH

  1. Lie on your back on the ball, with your hands behind your head or across your chest.
  2. Maintain a backward pelvic tilt and lift your shoulder blades off the ball.

HIP ROLL

  1. Lie on your back with arms at your sides, forming a “T” shape.
  2. Bend your knees, lift your feet towards your buttocks, and keep them together. Slowly rotate your legs to the right and hold for 10 seconds.
  3. Return to center and repeat to the left. Do 4-10 repetitions.

SINGLE-LEG REVERSE CURL

  1. Lie on your back with one knee bent and foot flat on the floor, and the other leg straight in the air. Extend your arms flat along your body, keeping your cervical spine in neutral alignment.
  2. Lift the working leg diagonally over your belly button, keeping the knee straight. Pause, then slowly lower the leg back to the starting position.
  3. Repeat with the other leg.

NECK LATERAL

  1. Stand sideways to the wall, holding the stability ball above your shoulder, next to the side of your head.
  2. Gently push the side of your head laterally into the ball.

NECK EXTENSION

  1. Stand facing away from the wall, holding the stability ball behind your head.
  2. Gently push the back of your head into the ball.

NECK FLEXION

  1. Stand facing the wall, holding the stability ball at forehead height.
  2. Gently push your forehead forward into the ball.

EXTERNAL SHOULDER ROTATION

  1. Sit with palms facing up at tabletop level, holding the band over both hands with your upper arms next to your torso.
  2. Externally rotate both arms through their full range of motion.
  3. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.

INTERNAL SHOULDER ROTATION

  1. Sit with one leg extended and elastic resistance wrapped around the extended foot. If the right leg is extended, anchor the resistance with your left hand.
  2. Bend the right arm 90 degrees, with the upper arm next to the torso and slightly in front of the body. Rotate the right hand toward the body.
  3. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat with the other arm.

LATERAL DELTOID RAISE

  1. Start with arms slightly to the side, palms facing your thighs, and feet shoulder-width apart. Engage your abdominals and bend your knees slightly.
  2. Keep your elbows slightly bent and raise your arms to shoulder height, abducting at the shoulders.
  3. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.

SIDE LUMBAR BRIDGE

  1. Lie on one side with legs straight, and support your upper body by placing your elbow directly beneath your shoulder.
  2. Engage your abdominals, avoid letting the top hip rotate forward, and lift your hips using your torso.
  3. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds, keeping your neck and spine neutral.

BACK EXTENSION

  1. Lie face down on a stability ball, with your arms behind your head and resting on your neck.
  2. Relax your shoulders, tighten your abdominals, and contract your glutes.
  3. Slowly lift your shoulders and chest off the ball using your lower back muscles.

KNEE TO CHEST

  1. Start by lying on the floor with a pillow under your neck and your knees bent (feet on the floor).
  2. Draw one knee toward your chest with both hands, keeping the other foot on the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 4-5 times, then switch legs. This will stretch your back, which may have tightened from poor posture.
  3. Next, bring both knees to your chest and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 4-5 times.

SPINAL ROTATION

  1. Sit in a chair and reach one arm across your belly to grasp the opposite side of the chair.
  2. Look over your shoulder while rotating your lower and mid-back.
  3. Hold for 15-30 seconds.

HIP ROLL

  1. Lie on your back with arms at your sides, forming a “T” shape.
  2. Bend your knees, lift your feet towards your buttocks, and keep them together. Slowly rotate your legs to the right and hold for 10 seconds.
  3. Return to center and repeat to the left. Do 4-10 repetitions.

SINGLE-ARM LAT PULLDOWN

  1. Start with both hands overhead, holding an elastic resistance band. Engage your abdominals, bend your knees slightly, and position your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Pull one arm downward to the side, adducting at the shoulder until the upper arm is next to the torso.
  3. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position, keeping your arms slightly in front of your face to protect the back and shoulders.

SIDE LUMBAR BRIDGE

  1. Lie on one side with legs straight, and support your upper body by placing your elbow directly beneath your shoulder.
  2. Engage your abdominals, avoid letting the top hip rotate forward, and lift your hips using your torso.
  3. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds, keeping your neck and spine neutral.

NECK STRETCHES

  1. Gently tilt your ear toward your shoulder and hold for 5-7 seconds.
  2. Apply slight pressure, pushing your ear toward your shoulder, and feel the stretch in the muscles on the opposite side of your neck.
  3. Next, tilt your head back as if looking toward the ceiling, stretching the muscles at the front of your neck.
If this causes dizziness, fainting, or loss of balance, stop immediately and contact your physician.
  4. Rotate your head toward your right or left shoulder, then nod your head down, feeling a stretch on the opposite side. Hold for a few seconds and repeat.
Neck Strengthening Exercises
  1. Place your hand on your forehead and gently push your forehead against your hand for resistance. Perform 6-10 repetitions in several sets.
  2. Place your hands on the back of your neck and press your head backward against your hands for resistance.
  3. Repeat these exercises in sets of 6-10 reps, several times a day. With consistent practice, you’ll notice improved flexibility in a couple of months.

FRONT DELTOID RAISE

  1. Start with arms in front of the body, palms facing the thighs. Engage your abdominals, bend your knees slightly, and position your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. With elbows extended, flex at the shoulders to raise your arms to shoulder height.
  3. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.

SINGLE-ARM LAT PULLDOWN

  1. Start with both hands overhead, holding an elastic resistance band. Engage your abdominals, bend your knees slightly, and position your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Pull one arm downward to the side, adducting at the shoulder until the upper arm is next to the torso.
  3. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position, keeping your arms slightly in front of your face to protect the back and shoulders.

STABILITY BALL PUSH-UPS

  1. Start with the stability ball under your stomach and roll forward, placing your body weight on your hands.
  2. Continue until the ball rests under your shins, keeping your body in a straight line from the ball.

Ready to Take Next Steps?

We are here to help you every step of the way, our chiropractor has assisted thousands of individuals in San José and the surrounding areas in finding pain relief and recovering from auto accident injuries.

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