Stretches (back pain management programme)

Stretching exercises should always be done before and after exercises. It is important to stretch beforehand to warm your muscles up in preparation for exercise and afterwards to help blood that has been pumping around the muscles in your legs and arms to return to your heart. This helps prevent aching in your large muscle groups after exercise.

Each stretch should always be held for a minimum of ten seconds. You should never bounce when you stretch as this is likely to tear muscle tissue. It is also important to stretch when recovering after injury. This is because when tissue heals, it shortens, and if you do not stretch you are likely to re-tear the tissue when you return to sport or exercise.

Personal exercise programme

1. Bend your head forward until you feel a stretch behind your neck.

2. Tilt your head toward one shoulder until you feel the stretch on the opposite side. Repeat on the other side.

3. Turn your head to one side until you feel a stretch. Repeat to other side.

4. Lift your shoulders up – relax.

5. Roll your shoulders in both directions.

6. Push your shoulders forward, stretch your arms out in front of you keeping your chin tucked in.

7. Stretch one arm over the opposite shoulder by pushing it at the elbow with your other arm.

8. Bend sideways at the waist.

9. Stand, holding on to a support if necessary. Pull the ankle towards your bottom, keeping your knees together. Push your hips forwards; feel a stretch in the front of your thigh.

10. Stand leaning with your back against a wall and your feet about 20cm from the wall. Feet shoulder width apart, weight distributed evenly between both legs. Slowly slide down the wall until your hips and knees are at right angles. Return to starting position.

11. Stand with one leg straight in front of you, put the weight through your back leg and gently bend. On your straight leg, pull your toes up towards you and lean forwards. Put your hands on your bent leg for support, you should feel a stretch at the back of your straight leg.

12. Stand with legs astride and straight. Bend one leg and put your hands on the knee. Bend your leg even more and put more weight on the leg. You will feel stretching on the inside of the thigh on the straight leg.
(a) Stand with your feet hip width apart and take a step forward. Take most of your weight onto your front foot and lean forwards. You should feel a stretch in the calf of your back leg.
(b) Deep calf muscles (soleus): Keep the same position as (a) but lower your hips downward and slightly bend your knee. Keep your heel down. Hold for 20 seconds.

13. Reach and shift: Feet shoulder width apart; arms at a 90-degree angle and straight; Reach to right side, allowing trunk to shift. Repeat on the left side.

14. Interlink hands behind you. Keeping arms straight, pull them up behind you, feeling a stretch across your chest. Keep your chin up.

15. Rotation: Arms out at the sides at 70 degrees with elbows bent; feet shoulder width apart; rotate trunk to the right side, keeping your hips facing forwards. Repeat on the left side.