Strength exercise 1:
Lie on your back with your knees bent in a 90-degree angle, place your hands on your stomach below the navel and try to cough. The tension you feel is a contraction of the transverse abdominal muscle, which is a stabilizer of the spine. Now try to create the same tension by contracting the navel inwards and gently move the pelvis up. Hold this position for 5 seconds and slowly move back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 8 times. Take another two sets of 8 repetitions.
Strength exercise 2:
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and hands placed on the floor, then tighten the abdominal muscles and lift the hips up, so the torso, hips and thighs are in line as shown. Hold this position for 5 seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 8 times. Do another two sets of 8 repetitions.
Strength exercise 3:
Kneel with the hands on the floor. Tighten the abdominal muscles and raise the right arm as well as the left leg.
Arm, torso and leg should form a line as demonstrated. Hold this position for 3 seconds, and then do the exercise reversed (left arm and right leg). Repeat the exercise 8times and do two sets of this exercise.
Strength exercise 4:This is an isometric or static exercise for the muscles surrounding the spine in the neck. Place one hand on the head as shown and gently “press” the head from one side, thereby pressurizing the muscles. Afterwards, do the same exercise from the other side. Lastly place both hands on top of the head and press down.The head should not move, only the muscles are subject to tension in each position. Hold 5 seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat each exercise 8times.
