Arm Raises On Your Back
Back muscle exercise for seniors and the elderly like the arm raise below will help strengthen and stabilize your upper and lower back muscles. These are great to do while you are lying in bed or on the couch.
Arm raises on your back with your knees bent are a good way to gently stretch and strengthen a back that is tired or sore due to overuse. This will also help with shoulder range of motion, scapular mobility and chest expansion if you incorporate breathing exercises along with the movement.
Think about relaxing the chest and neck muscles as you raise your arm up. Then breathe in and try to bring the air all the way to your abdomen. If done correctly, your abdomen will rise as the air comes in.
Purpose of this exercise
This exercise improves the range of motion in your upper back and shoulders. When correctly stabilizing the lower back, this exercise will help strengthen your postural muscles including the abdominal muscles.
Step 1
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Keep your low back in neutral and arms at sides.
Step 2
Lift your right arm off the floor to an upright position. Return and repeat 10 times with each arm.
Breathing
Inhale during the upward movement phase. Exhale during the downward movement phase.
Tips
Keep your spine in neutral.Do not twist or rotate your back. Keep the movement smooth and controlled.
Take it up a notch
Add a 1 pound weight to your arm.Extend your opposite leg out at the same time.
How to do Arm Raises On Your Back
More Back and Trunk Exercises
1. Eccentric Straight Leg Raise
- This exercise works your abdominal and hip flexor muscles which will improve your ability to get out of bed, get out of a chair and maintain your posture and help back muscle pain.
- This back pain help exercise works your abdominal and hip flexor muscles which will improve your ability to get out of bed, rise up from a chair and maintain your standing posture.
3. Curl Ups
- Abdominal back pain symptoms exercises help with posture and balance by strengthening your core muscles. Simple things like getting out of bed or up from a chair can become easier when your
- abdominal muscles are strong.
- To stretch and extend the lower back and mid back muscles. Exercises for back pain and loosening up the pelvic area and learning the pelvic tilt.
- To stretch and extend the lower back and mid back muscles. It can also help with mid back pain associated with postural strain. This will make it easier to maintain good posture with sitting and
- standing.
- To stretch and extend the lower back and hip pain muscles. It can also help with strengthening the pelvis and leg muscles reducing symptoms.
7. Bridging
- These lower back pain exercises help strengthen the hip extensors, buttock muscles and hamstrings. It also helps strengthen the low back and sacroiliac. This can improve your ability to stand and maintain your balance.
8. Pelvic Tilt
- To stretch the lower back and hip muscles. This is a great treatment for back pain exercise for tired or sore backs after a long day of walking!
9. Sit Backs
- This back strengthening exercise will firm your abdominal muscles.
- It will help your ability to get out of bed or up from a chair.
- This back muscle exercise improves the range of motion in your upper back and shoulders.
- When correctly stabilizing the lower back, this exercise will help strengthen your postural muscles including the abdominal muscles.
- This back pain and exercise movement will improve your upper back and shoulder stability.
- It is also helpful in reaching to a high shelf, opening the refrigerator door or even combing your hair.
12. Hip Flexion
- This lower back exercise will improve your lower back range of motion and flexibility.
- It will help with activities such as doing the laundry, sweeping up with a dust pan or reaching to a low cupboard.
Resources Stay Independent
https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/pdf/STEADI-Brochure-StayIndependent-508.pdf