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Move Well

Physical activity represents essential ingredients to improved health. Many people believe that because you can survive without physical activity, you can be healthy without it, or survive as long without it. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you're sedentary and don't feed your body, brain and mind with sufficient physical activity everyday, you are deficient, toxic and in a state of adaptive allostasis. To be blunt, you are sick and getting sicker. 

Outside of sleep, the human body and brain need almost constant physical movement. Movement is a necessary ingredient for the health of the neuromusculoskeletal system (nerves, muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones) and movement of this system is required to stimulate the brain to generate the neurological and hormonal nutrients required by the entire body, brain and mind. Movement is life, and ,movement deficiency results in deficient life. 

The most practical way to include sufficient physical activity is to incorporate it into daily activities, family time, work time and leisure time. As your you move towards activity sufficiency you will feel better, look better, have more energy, feel closer to the people you exercise with, begin to crave physical activity, and to the great surprise of many, begin to feel deprived without it! You will be more alive and experience more from life. 

DDPYoga

Dr Abbie offers affordable classes in Bridgetown, Manjimup and Greenbushes.

DDP YOGA is a revolutionary approach to fitness that combines the best of yoga positions, sports rehab therapy, old school calisthenics and dynamic resistance to give you a complete workout that requires NO RUNNING, NO JUMPING, and NO LIFTING.

Classes are designed to be suitable for most abilities, if you are willing to give it a go. The class is led at a medium level with modifications to make the workout easier or more challenging depending on your level of strength and fitness.

Classes are suitable for most people that are able to get up and down from the floor with no assistance. Classes are facilitated in a supportive and encouraging way, no yelling or loud music. You work at your own pace. Own your life. Tracking resources free on app.

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/fetterfitnessandspinalhealth   (Click the Blue Diamond for direct link)

DVDs are available to borrow and trial.

Spinal Hygiene Exercises

These basic exercises are designed to restore and maintain range of motion, muscular strength and stamina, joint lubrication and nutrition, and proper posture. When these variables are restored and maintained healthy spinal neurology can also be restored and maintained. 

These exercises are aimed at countering the toxicity and deficiency created by the postural movement and patterns of domesticated unnatural human lives. They are aimed at providing the sufficiency and purity required to heal and prevent spinal degeneration.

 

YWTL's

These simple and quick exercises will help promote proper posture and can also help with shoulder Range of Motion, function and stability.

AHC - Anterior Head Carriage / Forward head Posture

These simple and quick exercises will help promote proper posture and can also help with shoulder Range of Motion, function and stability.

Full Body -  Range of Motion

A simple gentle series of standing exercises to improve motion and function of the spine .

Spinal Hygiene Exercise Sheet

The McGill "BIG 3"

These are suitable and essential starting point for anyone with lowerback and/or disc instability. They will spare the back while building muscle fitness and maintaining stability, control and endurance.The McGill big three are designed to build a foundation that allows you to be active and do activities that you enjoy.

Dr. Stuart McGill, Professor Emeritus of Spine Biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, Canada has demonstrated in his research that enhancing your ENDURANCE is important in helping you manage your low back pain. You will find lots of great information regarding back pain if you search his name.

1. The McGill Curl Up

  1. Lie down on your back. Extend one leg and bend the knee of the other leg.

  2. Put your hands under the lower back to maintain the natural arch of your spine.

  3. Pull your head, shoulders and chest off the floor, as though they were all locked together. Lift them up as one unit. Keep your back in neutral position. Don’t tuck your chin or let your head tilt back. Hold for 10 seconds.

  4. Slowly lower yourself down. Rest for 20 seconds, Repeat. Experiment with 5 repetitions and modify as required. Progress to 10 when suitable.

  5. Repeat with the opposite leg bent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. The Side Bridge

  1. Lie on your side, with your forearm on the floor and elbow underneath your shoulder. Place your hand on the opposing shoulder to stabilize your torso. Pull your feet back so the knees are at a 90-degree angle.

  2. Lift the hips off of the floor and hold for 10 seconds. Try to maintain a straight line from your head down to your knees. Make sure that your hips are in line with the rest of your body. Rest for 20 seconds, Experiment with 5 repetitions.

  3. When completed turn over to other side.

  4. (Optional: For a greater challenge, straighten the legs instead of bending them).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. The Bird Dog

  1. Assume a hands-and-knees position on the floor.

  2. Raise the left arm forward while simultaneously extending your right leg back until both are parallel to the floor. Ensure that hips are aligned with the torso and not tilted to one side. Hold for 10 seconds. Rest for 20 seconds, Experiment with 5 repetitions.

  3. Repeat on the other side.

 

5 IMPORTANT EXERCISE TIPS

1. YOU MUST PRACTICE EXERCISES DAILY for the best results.

2. Avoid performing exercises immediately from rising from bed. The optimal time is mid-morning to dinner time.

3. Choosing the dose of exercise for a session is important. The most tender backs will only tolerate very short sessions of exercise and thus will benefit most from several , very brief  sessions throughout the day. If the exercises are too much  in one session, split them up into smaller more manageable sessions through the day.

4. Bracing the abdominal muscles, rather than sucking in during exercise invokes all of the advantages of achieving a stable core. To brace, tighten the entire core. Imaging you are zipping up a tight pair of pants, or a tight dress.

5. Try and maintain your spine in a pain free posture. Movement should come from the shoulders and hips , not the spine.

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