Arm Raises on Hands and Knees
Back pain and exercise for seniors and the elderly, are nearly impossible to separate. Daily stretching and strengthening exercises for seniors and the elderly like the arm raise below will get you on the road to improved lower back stability and pain symptoms.
Find a gardening pad in the garage to kneel on and a chair to hold on to if you are going to do these on the floor. If they are done on the bed it will be a much safer location and likely more comfortable.
But there is nothing like practicing getting up and down off the floor to give you more confidence when faced with situation where you need to pick up something off the floor or, heaven forbid, had to kneel down to pick it up!
Purpose of this exercise
This exercise 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.
Step 1
Position yourself on your hands and knees. Keep your back straight and hips in a neutral position.
Step 2
Lift up your right arm while keeping your elbow straight. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times with each arm.
Breathing
Inhale during the upward movement phase. Exhale during the downward movement phase.
Tips
Your bed is a great place to do this exercise. Make sure your hands and knees are shoulder width apart.Keep your low back in neutral position.
Take it up a notch
Add a 1 pound wrist weight to your arms. Extend your opposite leg at the same time.
How to do Arm Raises on Hands and Knees
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