Back Stretches and Exercises for Nurses with Back Issues — Part 2
As we discussed in Part 1 of our series for Nurses with Back Issues, 46% of all nursing-related injuries are due to overexertion and 25% are due to slips and falls. This results all too often in back injuries and cumulative trauma disorders to the musculoskeletal and nervous systems caused by repetitive motions, overuse, and strain.
Whether you already have back issues or you want to prevent having them in the future, NursePower Empowers Nurses! is bringing you a series of back stretches and exercises to help you stand taller and feel stronger.
The secret to a stronger, healthier back is a stronger core — all those muscles from your lower chest to your upper thighs. So throughout this series, we’re going to give you not just exercises and stretches for your back and neck, but also for your abs, hips, hamstrings, shoulders, etc.
Let’s continue where we left off…
Spine-Strengthening Stretch #5: Seated Chair Stretch
You can alleviate lower back pain caused by sciatica or a herniated or slipped disk by stretching your hamstrings. This simple, but effective stretch can be done throughout the day with nothing more than a chair to sit on.
Step 1: Sit on a chair with one leg extended fully, heel to the floor, toes up.
Step 2: Straighten your spine and then lean forward over your extended leg. You can reach for your knee, your calf, or your toes depending on your flexibility. Try to keep your back straight — think of your waist like a hinge, instead of rounding your shoulders to reach.
Step 3: Hold the stretch for a 5 count, release, and straighten
Step 4: Switch legs and repeat stretch.
Step 5: Perform stretch over each leg 5 times.
Spine-Strengthening Stretch #6: Kneeling Deep Lunge
Your hip flexors are critically important to your overall spinal health. Not only do we want to avoid the hip discomfort and pain that comes from standing all day, but we want to avoid that hunched over posture we see in so many of our elderly patients whose hip flexors are too tight and whose muscles are too weak to hold them erect.
For this exercise, you’re going to place a knee on the floor so you may want to use a yoga mat or folded towel beneath your knee if you are on a hard surface.
Step 1: Take a knee — both legs are at 90 degree angles with one knee on the floor and the other knee in front of you.
Step 2: Slowly straighten your back leg, lifting your knee off the floor. If you can’t fully straighten that leg, that’s okay for now but in time you want to be able to straighten that leg fully. Your front leg will probably lift out of a 90 degree angle — that’s okay too, but make sure your knee aligns over your ankle and not over your toes.
Step 3: During this stretch, you want to feel the stretch not only in your hamstring but also in your hip flexors. You can push your hips towards the floor to increase the stretch if you feel comfortable.
Step 4: Hold for a count of five and then switch legs. Repeat on each side 5 times.
Spine-Strengthening Stretch #7: Knee to Chest Stretch
For this stretch, you’ll lay on the floor so you may want to use a yoga mat or towel if you are on a hard surface. It is important during this stretch to keep your feet flexed with your toes pointing upwards; this will increase the stretch you feel in your hamstring and lower back.
Step 1: Lay down on your back with your legs straight on the floor and your toes pointing upwards.
Step 2: Slowly raise one knee towards your chest. You may clasp your leg behind your thigh or behind your knee as you hold it to your chest for a count of 5. If you can’t reach your chest, that’s okay as long as you maintain a stretch for 5 beats.
Step 3: Slowly lower your leg and repeat on the other side. Perform 5 stretches per leg.
Spine-Strengthening Stretch #8: Hip and Butt Stretch
Your gluteus maximus is one of your larger muscles and it can get tight — not in the good way! To stretch it out, you are going to lie on your back on the floor, so you may want to use a yoga mat or towel if you are on a hard surface.
Step 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Step 2: Cross your right ankle over your left knee. You should feel a stretch but you can also pull your right ankle towards you while pushing your right knee away to get more of a stretch.
Step 3: For an advanced move, rest your right ankle on your left knee. Now reach through the hole with your right hand and grasp your left hand behind your left knee. Pull your knee towards your chest slowly. You will really feel this stretch in your right hamstring and gluteus maximus.
Step 4: Straighten your right leg slowly and repeat with your left leg. Perform 3 stretches per leg.
NursePower Empowers Nurses!
Taking care of your spine will reduce your daily aches and pains. Reducing or eliminating those pains will help you enjoy your job more. And when you enjoy your job more, you take care of your patients better. That’s the goal, right? We all became nurses so we could take care of people.
As nurses, we’re pretty darn great at taking care of other people.
But we often stink at taking care of ourselves.
NursePower Empowers Nurses! is all about helping you take better care of yourself. We share the tips and strategies you need because we know you’re too busy to go hunt them down yourself.
We got your back, now and always.
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