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Back Muscle Exercise For Seniors And The Elderly

Back muscle exercise for seniors and the elderly like the arm raise below will help strengthen and stabilize your upper and lower back muscles.

These are great to do while you are lying in bed or on the couch. Arm raises on your back with your knees bent are a good way to gently stretch and strengthen a back that is tired or sore due to overuse.

This will also help with shoulder range of motion, scapular mobility and chest expansion if you incorporate breathing exercises along with the movement.

Think about relaxing the chest and neck muscles as you raise your arm up.

Then breathe in and try to bring the air all the way to your abdomen.

If done correctly, your abdomen will rise as the air comes in.

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Arm Raises ( on your back)

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Purpose of this exercise

• This exercise improves the range of motion in your upper back and shoulders.
• When correctly stabilizing the lower back, this exercise will  help strengthen your postural muscles including the abdominals.

How to do it:

Step 1

• Lie on your back with your knees bent.
• Keep your low back in neutral and arms at sides.

Step 2 

• Lift your right arm off the floor to an upright position.
• Return and repeat 10 times with each arm.

Breathing:

• Exhale during the upward movement phase.
• Inhale during the downward movement phase.

Tips:

• Keep your spine in neutral.
• Do not twist or rotate your back.
• Keep the movement smooth and controlled.

Take it up a notch:

• Add a 1 pound weight to your arm.
• Extend your opposite leg out at the same time.

Try these other back exercises

Watch These Exercise Videos

1. Eccentric Straight Leg Raise

• This exercise works your abdominal and hip flexor muscles which will improve your ability to get out of bed, get out of a chair and maintain your posture and help back muscle pain.

2. Bent Knee Raise

• This back pain help exercise works your abdominal and hip flexor muscles which will improve your ability to get out of bed, rise up from a chair and maintain your standing posture.

3. Curl Ups

• Abdomial back pain symptoms exercises help with posture and balance by strengthening your core muscles. Simple things like getting out of bed or up from a chair can become easier when your
•  abdominals are strong. 

4. Cat and Camel

• To stretch and extend the lower back and mid back muscles. Exercises for back pain and losening up the pelvic area and learning the pelvic tilt.

5 Back Extension

• To stretch and extend the lower back and mid back muscles. It can also help with mid back pain associated with postural strain. This will make it  easier to maintain good posture with sitting and
•  standing.

6. Leg Extensions

• To stretch and extend the lower back and hip pain muscles. It can also help with strengthening the pelvis and leg muscles reducing symptoms.

7. Bridging

• These lower back pain exercises help strengthen the hip extensors, buttock muscles and hamstrings. It also helps strengthen the low back and sacroiliac. This can improve your ability to stand and maintain your balance.

8. Pelvic Tilt

• To stretch the lower back and hip muscles. This is a great treatment for back pain exercise for tired or sore backs after a long day of walking!

9. Sit Backs

• This back strengthening exercise will firm your abdominal muscles.
• It will help your ability to get out of bed or up from a chair. 

10. Arm Raises On Back

• This back muscle exercise improves the range of motion in your upper back and shoulders.
• When correctly stabilizing the lower back, this exercise will  help strengthen your postural muscles including the abdominals.

11. Arm Raises On Knees

• This back pain and exercise movement will improve your upper back and shoulder stability.
• It is also  helpful in reaching to a high shelf, opening the refrigerator door or even combing your hair.

12. Hip Flexion

• This lower back exercise will improve your lower back range of motion and flexibility.
• It will help with activities such as doing the laundry, sweeping up with a dust pan or reaching to a low cupboard.

Do you like these exercises? Did you know you can download the exercises along with a 4 week exercise program?.