Trunk control and flexibility exercises

Add these to your routine

Lisa

Exercise physiologist Lisa Meng of Advance Rehab Centre in Sydney contributes again this quarter with two more exercises to add to your routine.

The new exercises are aimed at increasing trunk control and flexibility.

Lisa writes:

Focus of this set of exercises is on control and flexibility of the trunk. This research study shows that people with HSP show increased trunk movements during walking to compensate for lower limb weakness which results in reduced foot clearance, step length and poorer ankle movements for maintaining balance.

Trunk control and trunk flexibility exercises are beneficial for more stability during walking and improving balance.

Here are the exercises:

Trunk rotation in four-point kneeling

Trunk mobility: Improves range of motion in the trunk and reduces stiffness in this region. Improves ability to reach, balance, turn the body.

1. Start by resting on your hands and knees with your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips.
2. Place one hand on the back of your head with your elbow pointing out to the side.
3. Keeping the rest of your body still, lift your elbow up towards the ceiling, rotating your chest as you do so
4. Lower your elbow down to complete the exercise. Keep the rest of your body still throughout the exercise.

Bird dog

Core control: improves sitting/standing balance and tolerance which can reduce the overall energy cost of sitting, standing and walking.

1. Start by resting on your hands and knees with your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips.
2. Maintaining a straight line from your head to your hips, raise your arm up and extend your opposite leg back
3. Lower them to the ground to complete the movement. Maintain a straight line from your head to your hips throughout the exercise.

4. Repeat with the other arm and opposite leg raised and extended.

Do the number of repetitions that you can manage without pain or overexertion. Start with just one set of both exercises. Increase the number of repetitions in a set and the number of sets in a session in line with your capacity.

Exercise images supplied by VALD

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *