COVID-19’s Got You Inside?

As we are advised to stay home to avoid the spread of the virus, that doesn’t mean that we should stop exercising! There are many exercises you can do from the comfort of your home to increase your strength and endurance. Here are a few exercises below:

  1. Standing Marches: While standing, lift your knee in the air so that it is even with your hip. Return to the floor. Perform on the other side. Repeat for 2 minutes.

  1. Heel Raises: While standing, push through your toes to lift your heels into the air. Hold for 3 seconds. Slowly return your heels to the floor. Repeat 20 times.

  1. Sit-to-stands: While seated in a stable chair, cross your arms across your body and stand up. Slowly return to a seated position. Repeat 20 times.

  1. Plank: Lay down with your stomach on the floor and place on your body weight on your forearms.  Push up on your forearms and bear weight through your feet, while maintaining a straight line between your shoulders, hips, and feet, hold this position for 1 minute.

As you become more comfortable with each exercise, you can begin challenging yourself to perform each exercise for longer or for more repetitions. If you begin exercising and find that you have pain or feel unsteady, we would love to work with you at Harbor Physical Therapy! Call us at 443-524-0442 to set up an evaluation today.

Written by: Dr. Chloe Smith

Three Exercises to Decrease Back Stiffness

Stiffness and pain in the middle and upper back is a common issue seen by physical therapists. There can be multiple causes of this including postural deficits, decreased strength, increased muscular tightness, and decreased mobility in the thoracic spine. There are many different exercises that can help to directly address these deficits. Here are a few that you can try at home.

1. Side-Lying Book Openers

Lie on your side with your knees bent. Keep your hips still while rotating your upper body. Follow your hand with your head. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times on each side.

2. Cat-Camel

While on your hands and knees, sink your back toward the floor and lift your head up. Next, tuck your head in while arching your back up. Hold for 10 seconds in each direction and repeat 10 times.

3. Child’s Pose Stretch

Sit back on your heels while reaching your hands as far out in front of you as possible. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 5 times.

 

Written by: Dr. David Reymann