If you require surgery for your back or have recently undergone a procedure, a period of physical therapy is almost assuredly in your near future. Furthermore, in your physical therapy sessions, you will surely encounter a wide variety of exercises, all designed to strengthen your back and help to improve mobility and posture. Below you will find a detailed description of some of the most common types of back exercises that are often recommended as part of physical therapy regimens.

The Back Extension

The back extension is one of the simplest back exercises to perform that is designed to work muscles throughout the back, as well as in the core. This exercise requires a piece of equipment that stabilizes the feet and provides a padded surface on which the pelvic region rests. The feet are secured, the legs situated upward at a 45-degree angle, and the pelvis rests on the pad, allowing the upper body to hang freely over the edge of the padded surface. From this position, the exercise is completed by lifting the back to straighten the body and then lowering the back to return to the start position. One benefit of this exercise is that it requires lifting only your body weight.

The Seated Pullback Cable Row

The seated pullback cable row is a particularly beneficial back exercise because it allows individuals to work and strengthen their backs with different levels of resistance. This exercise does require the use of a specific machine, but the machine in question is one that is found in almost every gym or physical therapy center in America. You begin by sitting in an upright position with your feet against a rest. Your arms will grab onto two handles that are attached to a set of weights via a pulley. You will then pull back on the handles, bringing them in close to your body and then slowly returning them to assume the start position. Weight can be adjusted as needed, and the goal is to increase the weight used throughout your physical therapy sessions.

The Back Arch

Though it is called a back arch, this exercise works muscle groups throughout the body. Furthermore, it may seem simple enough to perform, but it can take some practice to perfect and can also be slightly exhausting when attempted at first. This exercise starts out with you lying flat on your back. From there, bring your feet in toward your buttocks so that your legs are bent at the knee at about a 30-degree angle. Then, place your hands on the ground, palms facing downward. Begin the exercise by lifting your body off the ground, pushing with both your hands and feet. You should push until your body is fully raised and your back is as arched as possible; it may take some time and practice to complete the full arch. Finally, bring your body back to the resting position with your palms facing downward and your legs bent at about a 30-degree angle at the knee. The more you perform this exercise the more repetitions you will be able to do, helping to strengthen your back.

Light Stretching

If you find that you are not in the right shape to perform any of the aforementioned exercises, a good place to start your road to recovery is with light stretching. Start with something simple like raising your arms above your head and rotating your arms in small circles. Or, try bending at the waist, attempting to touch your toes. Both of these will help to get your blood flowing and will prepare you to get into adequate shape to perform some of the other back exercises listed previously in this article.

Peg Smith is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Ms. Smith is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to back exercises.

Peg Smith is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Ms. Smith is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to back exercises. http://www.spine-exercises.com/

Author Bio: Peg Smith is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Ms. Smith is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to back exercises.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: Physical therapy, Back Exercises