CEVICAL-DORSAL EXERCISES

Cases studies Aims of the exercises Rules for performance of exercises Abdominal exercises Dorsal-lumbar exercises Cervical-dorsal exercises Angled bending of arms in a tanding and and leaning position Neck extension against resistance Neck bending against resistance Inclination of neck against resistance Shoulder raising Shoulder rolls  Neck flexion with pulley  Neck extension with pulley  Neck bending with pulley Neck flexion-lying down Neck extensions from lying face down Neck bending lying on your side Exercises for glutei and quadriceps Dorsal-lumbar stretches Cervical-dorsal stretches Ischio-tibial stretches

Neck extensions lying face down

This exercise requires a neck harness with a ring.

Start by lying down, face up (in "decubitus prono") with your neck aligned with your spine and look straight up. You should place yourself so that the base of your neck and your chin are off the bench or bed you are lying on, and place the harness so that the ring is in front and is centered (neither to the left or right, but in the exact center). A weight should hang from the ring on the shortest chain possible. Your hands should be by your side or resting on the floor.

You should start this exercise with a weight that allows you to perform 4 series of 12 repetitions. Be careful with the weight you use; while your muscles may be able to do the exercise, you could be stiff afterwards and stiffness in the muscles used in this movement could cause more intense and lasting pain than in other areas. Therefore, and though you may think you can do this exercise with more weight, begin with low weights (for example, 0,5 or 1 kg.) and increase gradually over time as your muscle strength and resistance improve.

From the starting position, slowly extended your neck backward, holding a second at the maximum extension, ant then return slowly to the starting position. During the movement, you should be careful to really stretch your neck backward (and not pull it forward), move only your neck (there is a tendency to arch your spine backward or if you rest your hands on the floor, to strecth your arms to help you). Do not bend your neck forward (in the starting position you should be looking straight down, but do not bend it more).