With an exercise ball and a towel or exercise band, you can do both of the simple mobility exercises shown in this video as a daily wake-up for your spine and shoulders.
When rolling back on the ball to encourage extension of the spine, aim to roll back to a point where your legs are fully straight and extended at the knees with your feet remaining on the ground. Read more
These two movements encourage more blood to flow to the ligaments and muscles that surround the spine, thereby reducing risk of experiencing sprains and strains. Read more
I find that many people are extremely tight through the side of their torso, which limits overall spinal and shoulder mobility and increases risk of experiencing sprains and strains throughout the back.
To stretch the lats and obliques, hang from one arm and place the same side foot to the rear and opposite side of the body. Read more
The definitive cause of frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, is unknown. Some believe it is a self protective mechanism to prevent damaged tendons from becoming further damaged. Others point to an autoimmune mechanism that creates inflammation. Read more
This is another mobility exercise that you can do daily to improve your posture and reverse negative effects of slouching.
Taking your arms through slow half circles along your sides while you are lying back on an exercise ball is helpful for improving extension through your spine and flexion through your shoulders. Read more
For those looking to overcome chronic back pain and stiffness, it's helpful to alternate between core-strengthening and spinal mobility exercises. This video provides examples of how to alternate between variations of these two types of exercises.
For more ideas on core-strengthening exercises, please see:
Please turn your volume up to enable accompanying audio for this video.
A yoga swing is a wonderfully diverse tool for improving mobility. They are readily available at online yoga supply stores, as well as retailers like Amazon. I purchased mine here:
This is a simple spinal mobility routine that is effective for warming up all of the tissues in and around your spine. I would suggest following this or a similar routine before doing any other type of exercise to reduce risk of sprains and strains throughout the back. Read more
After 21 years, we made the difficult decision to bring our catalogue to a close. To stay connected with Dr. Kim's writings, please feel free to subscribe for free here: Dr. Ben Kim on Substack. Sending best wishes and thanks to all.