Breathing
Remember to breathe! Here’s how to do it properly.
Balance
Good old Bob and Brad with a selection of balance exercises, some easy, some harder. There’s something here for everyone. If you find these easy, try them on a balance board – and if that’s still too easy, do them with your eyes closed – good luck catching the ball!
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon is often short (high-heels wearers please note!) and/or tight. This video shows some tips for dealing with a troublesome Achilles. If just stretching, you can ignore the massage bit at the start – if you need it your therapist will have done this already (and you’ll know about it!). You may also be asked to do calf stretches as they are often tight as well.
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar (bottom) aspect of the foot. It usually gives pain after getting out of bed or a chair and gradually eases with weight-bearing movement. It’s sometimes likened to having a large stone in your shoe. Here are some exercises to help.
Strengthening the ankle
After an ankle sprain or fracture, it’s important to work on ankle strength and mobility. Here are some good exercises for this. Also, don’t forget balance exercises too – proprioception is affected after injury and ankle stability is a major part of balance.
Stretching the lateral ankle / Peroneals
After an ankle sprain (inversion), the Peroneal (Fibularis) muscles and tendons can become shortened and tight. This is a great exercise for ankle mobility.
Sciatic nerve flossing
Here’s an exercise than can help with sciatic nerve pain. The aim is to try and get the sciatic nerve moving freely to-and-fro like a piece of dental floss.
Quadratus lumborum
This is a really important muscle in the lower back. You have one on each side which connects the pelvic crest to the lower spine and ribs. If it’s over-tight, it can cause lower back pain and restrict movement – particularly forward and side bending. Here’s how to stretch it.
Stretches for Sciatic nerve pain
Here are some helpful stretches if you have sciatic nerve pain caused by Piriformis muscle problems. Your therapist will discuss with you which type of Sciatica you have.
Cat-camel stretch for lower back stiffness
You can do this exercise first thing in the morning to loosen a stiff back.