It’s difficult to get the body back on track following an injury or surgery. We’ve already talked about how you can aid your body in the healing process through diet and nutrition after a surgery. Now let’s take a look at some exercises that you can do on your own to help your body bounce back after an injury and/or surgery.
Clam Shells
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mWw730payjA]
- Lie on your side with your knees bent and your feet on top of each other
- Roll your top hip forward so the top knee extends out slightly further than the bottom knee
- Keeping your feet in contact with each other, try to lift your top knee up as far as possible
- Do not let your hip roll backwards
- Go back and forth slowly until fatigued
Bridge
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CgjLfYNTUtw]
- Start in a supine position on the ground with both knees bent and feet flat on the ground
- Gently flatten your lower back into the ground/mat by tightening your abdominals
- Engage your gluteus to lift your tailbone off the floor without lifting your lower back
- Your belt buckle should be facing your ribcage
- Raise your hips off the floor while trying to keep the tailbone higher than the lower back
- Hold the raised position for a slow count of five and return to starting position
- Completely relax between each repetition
Hip Hikers
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qKD_TR9oyD0]
- Use a step and a dowel or a golf club for support
- Step up onto the step with your right leg and let the left leg hang down
- Start by trying to drop your left hip towards the ground while keeping your right knee straight
- Next try to lift the left hip using your right gluteus muscle (you should feel it on the outside of your hip)
- Repeat until fatigued