Our Elders Speak Wisdom Council
Lifetime healthy exercises for the Back and Neck

These exercises are to be started very slowly, carefully, and smoothly. When beginning, do these exercises once per day (evening is best).

After two weeks of doing the exercises everyday, you can also do the exercises in the morning after you have been up for a minimum of one hour.

Do not do the exercise if it feels uncomfortable.

Lie flat on the floor in a relaxed position. Bring your right knee towards your chest, clasping your hands around the knee. Pull your right knee toward your chest firmly. Hold for three to five seconds. Relax tension. Do five times. Repeat same procedure with opposite leg. Repeat five times or as recommended.

Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor and arms at your side. Bring both knees to chest, clasping hands around the knees and pulling gently towards your chest. Hold for three to five seconds. Relax tension. Do five times or as recommended.

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hands at your sides, palms down. Tighten the muscles of your abdomen and buttocks so as to push your low back flat against the floor. Hold for three to five seconds, relax. Do five times or as recommended.

Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms at your sides, palms down. Tighten the muscles of your lower abdomen and buttocks so as to flatten your low back. Slowly raise low back and buttocks from the floor and hold for Five seconds. Relax. Do five times or as recommended

Lie on your back, your knees bent with feet flat on the floor, arms at your sides, palms down. Raise your left leg up as far as it is comfortable without over-stretching muscles behind the leg. Return left leg to starting position and repeat five times. Repeat exercise with right leg. Do five times or as recommended

Lie on your back, with both knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Bring one knee to the chest, then straighten it to the vertical position, pointing the toe upward as far as possible Bend knee back to chest and return to original position. Repeat with opposite leg. Do five times or as recommended.

Do 3x and relax, then 3 more times
Do not do this exercise if you have a serious neck problem.

Keep your back flat on the ground as you reach for your knees

As you swing your leg over, also raise your shoulder slightly to avoid torquing and twisting your lower back excessively.

Lie flat on your back, arms at your sides, palms down. Slowly raise one leg, bringing the raised leg toward the opposite side of the body until you feel the stretch. Return to neutral position. Repeat with opposite leg. Do five times or as recommended

When bringing leg over, bring shoulder also over.

Note recommended time before you arch back inwardly

Assume a kneeling position, resting on your hands and knees. Arch your back like a cat, drop your head at the same time. Then reverse the arch by bringing up your head and forming a "IT' with your spine. For the first 3 months of doing this exercise, do not arch your back (NO CONCAVITY). Keep your back flat unless otherwise instructed. Do each set five times or as recommended.

Sit sideways on the bed, stretch out right leg flat and put left foot on floor. Put left hand on left knee and reach forward with your right-hand for the toes of the right foot. Reach as far forward as you can without discomfort. Feel the stretch behind the right leg, hold for three to five seconds and lean back to release the tension. Repeat with same leg five times, then change position and repeat with opposite leg.

Hamstring Stretch

Standing with hands against the wall, left foot approximately eighteen inches behind right foot, keeping heel flat on the floor and left knee straight, slowly bend forward until! you feel the stretch behind the calf. Hold for three to five seconds, release the tension and repeat three to five times. Repeat with the opposite leg. This exercise is designed to release tension behind the calf.

Standing with hands on hips, legs are shoulder width apart, bend slowly to one side - slight bend. Hold for three to five seconds. Return to neutral position and repeat to opposite side. Do five times or as recommended.

Gentle head rock

Slightly bend knees

Caution

No exercise program should be undertaken without the approval, instruction and monitoring of your doctor of chiropractic.

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	Lie flat on the floor in a relaxed position. Bring your right knee towards your chest, clasping your hands around the knee. Pull your right knee toward your chest firmly. Hold for three to five seconds. Relax tension. Do five times. Repeat same procedure with opposite leg. Repeat five times or as recommended.
Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor and arms at your side. Bring both knees to chest, clasping hands around the knees and pulling gently towards your chest. Hold for three to five seconds. Relax tension. Do five times or as recommended.
	Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hands at your sides, palms down. Tighten the muscles of your abdomen and buttocks so as to push your low back flat against the floor. Hold for three to five seconds, relax. Do five times or as recommended.
Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms at your sides, palms down. Tighten the muscles of your lower abdomen and buttocks so as to flatten your low back. Slowly raise low back and buttocks from the floor and hold for Five seconds. Relax. Do five times or as recommended
	Lie on your back, your knees bent with feet flat on the floor, arms at your sides, palms down. Raise your left leg up as far as it is comfortable without over-stretching muscles behind the leg. Return left leg to starting position and repeat five times. Repeat exercise with right leg. Do five times or as recommended
Lie on your back, with both knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Bring one knee to the chest, then straighten it to the vertical position, pointing the toe upward as far as possible Bend knee back to chest and return to original position. Repeat with opposite leg. Do five times or as recommended.
Do 3x and relax, then 3 more times	Do not do this exercise if you have a serious neck problem. Keep your back flat on the ground as you reach for your knees
As you swing your leg over, also raise your shoulder slightly to avoid torquing and twisting your lower back excessively. Lie flat on your back, arms at your sides, palms down. Slowly raise one leg, bringing the raised leg toward the opposite side of the body until you feel the stretch. Return to neutral position. Repeat with opposite leg. Do five times or as recommended	When bringing leg over, bring shoulder also over.
Note recommended time before you arch back inwardly	Assume a kneeling position, resting on your hands and knees. Arch your back like a cat, drop your head at the same time. Then reverse the arch by bringing up your head and forming a "IT' with your spine. For the first 3 months of doing this exercise, do not arch your back (NO CONCAVITY). Keep your back flat unless otherwise instructed. Do each set five times or as recommended.
Sit sideways on the bed, stretch out right leg flat and put left foot on floor. Put left hand on left knee and reach forward with your right-hand for the toes of the right foot. Reach as far forward as you can without discomfort. Feel the stretch behind the right leg, hold for three to five seconds and lean back to release the tension. Repeat with same leg five times, then change position and repeat with opposite leg.
Hamstring Stretch	Standing with hands against the wall, left foot approximately eighteen inches behind right foot, keeping heel flat on the floor and left knee straight, slowly bend forward until! you feel the stretch behind the calf. Hold for three to five seconds, release the tension and repeat three to five times. Repeat with the opposite leg. This exercise is designed to release tension behind the calf.
Standing with hands on hips, legs are shoulder width apart, bend slowly to one side - slight bend. Hold for three to five seconds. Return to neutral position and repeat to opposite side. Do five times or as recommended.	Gentle head rock Slightly bend knees

Our Elders Speak Wisdom Council Lifetime healthy exercises for the Back and Neck

Our Elders Speak Wisdom Council
Lifetime healthy exercises for the Back and Neck