Hesperian Health Guides
Exercise for a Straighter Back
HealthWiki > Disabled Village Children > Chapter 42: Range-of-Motion and Other Exercises > Exercise for a Straighter Back
EXERCISE SHEET 5
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PROBLEM |
| The upper back bends forward (in older persons this is a common cause of high back pain). Often the shoulders and shoulder blades are also stiff. |
| Lie face down and move the arms as shown. This helps keep the shoulder blades and upper back flexible. |
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Put a strap around the upper body and bend backward as far as you can. | |
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Or put pressure against the middle of the upper back and have the child try to straighten against it. |
| Stay in this position while you count to 25. Do the exercise 2 or 3 times a day. | |
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CAUTION! Bending back like this usually bends the lower back too much and does little or nothing to help straighten the upper back. It may make the problem worse. |
 NO!
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Also, for at least half an hour a day, lie with a rolled up towel or cloth under the middle of the curve in your back. Breathe deeply, and every time you breathe out, try to let your body bend backward over the roll. |
| Stay in this position while you count to 25. Do the exercise 2 or 3 times a day. |
Note: Some experts believe that the exercises that bend the back up and back, as shown above, may also help keep a mild sideways curve of the spine (scoliosis) from getting worse. But the exercises will not help much if the curve is severe.
This page was updated:04 Apr 2024