Do you feel like you’re constantly slumped over? Do you have pain or difficulty with lifting? Do you have back or shoulder with your daily activities? Then this week’s Exercise of the Week is for you!
This week’s exercise of the week focuses on the upper back muscles. These muscle are important in postural control, core stability, and providing support for the arms for any lifting or use. The upper back muscles tend to be weak in the majority of people and would benefit from more attention. The row is a great exercise to focus work on the upper back musculature, and the bent-over row is a modification which increases the amount of work placed on the core.
Instructions: Begin standing with one knee and the same hand on a bench or chair. Keep the other leg slightly bent and the spine neutral from head to tailbone by engaging the core muscles. Hold a weight in the hanging arm then pull the weight up initiating the movement by squeezing the shoulder blade toward the spine. Make sure the majority of the movement is happening at the shoulder blade not the arm or elbow. Perform 10-20 repetitions then switch sides. Perform 2-3 sets on each side.
Call Life Changes Physical Therapy today if you want to strengthen your upper back and get rid of your pain or difficulty with lifting, prolonged sitting, or arm use! We want to help you!