Two simple strengthening exercises
A full gym strengthening programme will do a more
thorough job of building up the strength you need
to live your busy life. If you can’t fit that in, here
are the two strengthening exercises which will give
you the maximum benefit for the time and effort
involved.
The common hunched-forward upper back/poked-
chin posture which is the basis of most neck and
upper back problems has two main areas of muscle
weakness. One is around the middle back and
includes the muscles which anchor and stabilise
the shoulder-blades and stop the upper back from
drooping forward. (These include the middle and
lower trapezius fibres and the rhomboid muscles.)
The second group that gets really weak are the
deep muscles around the front of the neck. When
this happens, the chin pokes out and the joints at
the back of the neck bones are compressed, which
can result in joints jamming and trapping of the
nerves which run out between the bony vertebrae.
1 To strengthen between the shoulder-blades,
lie on your front, arms by your sides with palms
upwards, chin tucked in. Squeeze your shoulder-
blades together, lift your chest slightly up off the
ground, and lift your straight arms up so they
are just off the ground. Hold that position for five
seconds and then relax. Do it ten times in a row.
This is called a ‘set’. Rest for a minute, then do
another set. Rest for another minute, then do a
third set.
Do this exercise at home every day or every second
day. When it becomes easy, move your hands
inwards so the knuckles are just above each
buttock. When that becomes easy, do it holding
a half-kilogram (one pound) weight in each hand.
Then when that’s easy, use a 1kg (2lb) weight;
then finally progress to a 2kg (4lb) weight. You
can stop there - you’re strong enough! If you don’t
have hand weights, you can use cans of beans for
half-kilogram weights, and one-litre plastic bottles
filled with water for the 1kg weights, and 2L bottles
for the 2kg weights.
10
Home care programme
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