3 common PT exercises you may be doing incorrectly

If you have ever gone to physical therapy for back, neck or shoulder issues, odds are you were given at least 1 of these 3 common exercises. Here are the exercises, and how you should/shouldn’t perform them.

1) Standing hamstring stretch:

Incorrect:

Common mistakes include bending from the back and focusing too much on ankle dorsiflexion (dorsiflexion: bring toes and top of foot toward your face).

Correct:

Step 1: Stand tall and place foot on an elevated surface (hold on to something for balance if necessary

Step 2: Keep elevated knee straight and keep supporting knee soft

Step 3: Stand tall and bow forward from the hips (do not bend forward from the lower back)

Step 4: Keep elevated foot relaxed (if you want to feel a gentle sciatic nerve stretch, bring toes towards your face)

Step 5: Hold for 30 seconds and slowly come out of the position

2) Standing scapular retraction

Incorrect:

Common mistakes include shrugging up shoulders, protruding head forward, and extending lower back.

Correct:

Step 1: Squeeze butt muscle (this will prevent lower back extension)

Step 2: Shrug shoulders up

Step 3: Depress shoulders

Step 4: Retract shoulder blades as if you are cracking an egg on your spine

3) Transverse Abdominis Contraction in hook lying

Incorrect:

Common mistakes include holding breath, over-contracting, over-recruiting.

Correct:

Step 1: Lay in hook lying position

Step 2: Bring in through nose

Step 3: As you slowly breath out through your mouth or nose, gently bring your belly button to your spine

*Helpful tip: Think of your belly button as a vacuum, sucking in everything right and left of it.

If you ever have questions with these exercises, don’t hesitate to email us at experiencephysicaltherapy@gmail.com ! And don’t forget to live, laugh and love.

Written by: Kenneth G Kells III, PT

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmVHwxJ1RGk