Dr. Arti Gupta

The lower back or the lumbar area is the region that lies right below the rib cage. Pain in the lower back is usually a result of persistent muscle spasms that make it a chronic pain. While many people suffer from this kind of pain at some point at the other, there are few who actually take up exercise as a long-term solution to deal with the pain. A proper exercise schedule and regular yoga can actually strengthen your lower back and help it support the spinal cord in a better manner. Also, most orthopedic specialists recommend constant movement to alleviate the painful symptoms of lower back pain. Do go through this list of exercises to find one that suits you.

• Partial Crunches: This one requires you to lie down, prop your knees up with your feet firmly on the ground and your hands behind your head. Now bring your body partially up and stop shy of doing a full on sit up. This will help in relaxing the muscles in the lower back, to a great extent.
• Hamstring Stretches: Get on your back and prop up one knee. Take a towel and loop it under the ball of your other foot. Now lift and hold as you press your foot into the towel, to gradually relieve some of that stress as it plays on your lower back.
• Ankle and heels: The classic ankle pump involves lying flat on your back and stretching your feet before you begin to move your ankles in an up and down motion. Repeat it ten times for each set. You can combine this exercise with the heel slide where you have bend and straighten your knee ten times each, in the same position as you lie flat on your back.
• Wall Squats: While actual squats can be painful if you are suffering from lower back pain, you can take the support of a nearby wall for squats that will work the muscles in a more soothing manner and give you a good workout at the same time.

Touching your toes, running on the treadmill, sit-ups and other forms of intense exercise that make the back work too hard should be avoided if you are suffering from lower back pain.

Ask for a private consultation today to learn more!

Best Physiotherapy Exercises for In-coordination--Frenkel’s Exercises

Frenkel’s exercises are a very effective means of improving the coordination. In fact it is very beneficial for patient with sensory ataxia.This technique established control of movement by use of alternate sensory mechanism, which is intact, usually visual, sound and touch. 

The main principles of Frenkel’s exercises are as follows:

·        Concentration or attention

·        Precision

·        Repetition

The patient is positioned in such a manner that he can see the movement.The therapist gives a concise explanation and even demonstrates the exercises  so that the patient obtains a good mental picture of what he is expected to do.The patient should concentrate to perform a smooth and accurate movement. The speed of the movement is regulated by the therapist through the use of rhythmic counting, movement of her hand or the use of suitable music. 

The range of the movement is indicated by marking the spot on which the foot or hand is to be placed. The exercises are repeated many times until the patient perfect it and is able to perform it with ease. The exercises are made more difficult by incorporating more movements and more joints into the exercise. 

Slower movements need more control than rapid movements hence alteration in the speed of consecutive movements is very essential to offer challenge to the patient. 

In sitting position one can even use technique of joint approximation or rhythmic stabilization in order to bring about contraction of the neck muscle that in turn can stabilize the neck.

Biofeedback can also be tried out to facilitate contraction of postural muscles of the neck and trunk. Good trunk control can be achieved by giving activities like prone on elbow, prone on hand, on all fours, bridging, trunk rotations etc. putting the patient prone on vestibular ball also helps in developing control of the trunk extensors. side sitting by taking weight already on both the hands also stimulates trunk stabilization.