Posts Tagged ‘Middle back’

Hot Water Therapy Exercise : Scared Cat to Swaybacked Horse

The Scared cat and Swayhorse hot water therapy exercise is meant to treat middle and lower back. The assumption is that bath or hot tub is available.
- To avoid the hard surface of the tub, place a towel or a soft cushion beneath yourself.
- Get down on hands and legs, with all your weight balanced. The tops of the toes should touch the tub floor.
- Depth of the water does not matter but your face should be above the water surface.
- Arch your back upwards gently. Drop down your head and hold the position for six seconds.
- Do not tighten any muscles other than those directly needed to arch the back.
- If you want to try this exercise in hot shower, bend your legs slightly, resting hands and weight on knees. Arch your back upwards slightly, squeezing your stomach and forming a curve with your head hanging down.

The Swaybacked Horse

- While in scared cat position, slowly and carefully flatten your back and relax your stomach and back muscles so that your back drops down a bit.
- Raise your head.
- Hold it for six seconds and then return to neutral.
- Repeat both position for six times.
- If you want to try this exercise in hot shower, drop the lower back by relaxing the stomach muscles and letting the curves release. With hands still on knees, raise your head to form the horse. Hold for six seconds, directing the spray of water to the middle back.
- Repeat for six times.

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Hot Water Therapy Exercise : Seal to Swan

The seal to swan hot water therapy exercise is meant to treat middle back.
- Stand straight in the usual comfortable erect position.
- Bring your shoulders straight forward without raising your shoulders or turtling your neck as though you were trying trying to touch them in front of you.
- Cross the wrists in front of you with your arms straight down and rotate so you can clap your hands.
- Bend forward slightly to increase the stretch and you will look a bit like a trained seal. This will fan out your shoulder blades and a tension is felt in the middle back. Try to aim the flow of water right where it’s tightest.
- Keep the muscles of legs and buttocks relax.
- Hold the position for approximately six seconds.
- Uncross the wrists, letting the shoulders relax. Without raising hands, bring your shoulders straight back and let your hands move gracefully out to the sides and back. This is posture of the swan.
- Allow arms to hang loosely behind you. Do not raise your shoulders.
- Hold the position for six seconds. Raise your chin slightly if that feels comfortable.
- Repeat for a total of six repetitions.
- It is the movement from seal to swan and back that works both chest and back muscles, but hold each position to feel the stretch.

Hot water therapy Exercise : Elbow Across Chest

Elbow across chest hot water therapy exercise is meant to treat lower back.
- Stand comfortably in the erect position. Shoulders are low and arms comfortably dangling.
- Touch the fingers of your right hand to your right shoulder and lift the arm until your right elbow points straight out from your body.
- Grasp the elbow of right hand with your left hand and pull your right arm straight across your chest until a tension is felt in the right shoulder blade area. There should be no movement in your hips and back. Hold it for about four to six seconds.
- Let go your right elbow straight out in front. Pull across your chest again, hold for four to six seconds, and then return to neutral. Repeat four more times.
- Touch the fingers of your left hand to your left shoulder and lift the arm until your left elbow points straight out from your body.
- Grasp the elbow of left hand with your right hand and pull your left arm straight across your chest until a tension is felt in the left shoulder blade area. There should be no movement in your hips and back. Hold it for about four to six seconds.
- Let go your left elbow straight out in front. Pull across your chest again, hold for four to six seconds, and then return to neutral. Repeat four more times.