You Don't Have to Live with Back Pain by Dr. Rick Swartzburg, D.C.

While lying on your stomach, push up your chest only with both hands simultaneously while keeping your pelvis flat against the floor. Push your back up until you reach a comfortable stretch in the extended position. Do 8-12 repetitions while holding each one for 8-10 seconds at a time. This is the same type of exercise developed by McKenzie to allow the discs of the spine to shift away from the nerve roots. However, this exercise also puts your spine in more extension and can exacerbate conditions like Facet Syndrome and Spondylolisthesis, where the spine is easily compressed in extension. Therefore this

exercise should not be performed unless in these types of conditions unless expressly recommended by

your doctor. You should feel no pain with this exercise, only a pulling up of the spine as the back goes into extension.

Lying down on your back, bend your right leg and pull up your right knee towards your opposite chest with your left hand. You should feel the stretch in the Piriformis portion of the right buttocks. Do the exact opposite to achieve a stretch of the left Piriformis portion of the buttocks. Hold each stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds, any less than 15 seconds and the muscle will not conform to the new increase in length. Do 3 reps, 3-6 times a day. Any pain you feel with this exercise should only be a local stretching sensation to the back of your thigh and buttocks area, without aggravating your condition.

This exercise is very important for keeping your posture correct and thereby helping to prevent spinal degeneration. Cradle the back of your head in both hands. Push the back of your head into both hands, while keeping your eyes straight ahead. Make sure that your hands offer a resistance back against your head. Be very careful to not tilt your head up or down, as this will work the muscles that pull your spine out of proper alignment. Do 8-12 repetitions while holding each one for 8-10 seconds at a time. You should feel no pain with this exercise, only a fatiguing of the muscles as you use the important spinal muscles that keep neck in a proper postural position.

This stretch is very helpful for taking pressure off the tendons off the tightened muscles of the chest, shoulders, and arms. Place your arms behind your body with the hands on a flat surface or holding a stable bar. Step away from your hands by bending one leg at the knee while pressing your hips forward. Keep your elbows as straight as possible during this stretch. Keep pulling until a stretch is felt in the chest, shoulders, and front of your arms shown in blue circles. Hold each stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds, any less than 15 seconds and the muscle will not conform to the new increase in length. Do 3 reps, 3-6 times a day. Any pain you feel with this exercise should only be a local stretching sensation to the chest, and front of the shoulders and arms.