Home exercises
Gentle, commonly recommended stretches and strengthening exercises to support your care between visits.
Please read before you start
- General education only. These exercises are common, widely recommended options, but they are not a substitute for an evaluation or a program designed for you by your provider or physical therapist.
- Check with your provider first — especially after a procedure, injection, surgery, or a new injury, or if you have osteoporosis, a heart or lung condition, or balance problems.
- Stop if pain becomes sharp or keeps getting worse, or if you notice new numbness, tingling, or weakness, and contact our office.
- Call 911 or go to the emergency room for new loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, rapidly worsening leg weakness, back pain with fever, or pain after a fall or other trauma. Call us at (318) 855-3291 with other concerns.
Choose an area
Low Back (Lumbar) Exercises
Gentle stretches and core strengthening for the low back, with lying, chair, and standing options.
View exercisesNeck (Cervical) Exercises
Chin tucks, gentle range of motion, and posture strengthening for neck and upper back.
View exercisesSI Joint & Hip Exercises
Hip and buttock stretches plus glute strengthening to support the sacroiliac joints.
View exercisesShoulder Exercises
Gentle mobility and rotator cuff strengthening, from pendulums to band external rotation.
View exercisesKnee Exercises
Quad and hip strengthening plus gentle stretches to support painful or arthritic knees.
View exercisesHow to use these exercises
- Go slow and gentle. Move smoothly, breathe normally, and stay within a comfortable range. A mild stretch or muscle effort is expected; sharp pain is not.
- Pick your position. Stretches are grouped by position — lying down, seated in a chair, standing, or against a wall or doorway — so you can choose what works for your mobility and balance.
- Start small. Begin with the low end of the suggested range (for example, 1 set) and build up over one to two weeks. Gentle stretches can be done daily; strengthening is typically done 2–4 days a week.
- Watch the next day. Mild soreness that settles within a day is common. If pain is clearly worse the next day, cut back or stop and check with us.
- Use a sturdy chair without wheels, and stand near a counter for balance.
Options for every mobility level
Each guide includes stretches you can do lying down, seated in a chair, standing with a counter for support, and against a wall or in a doorway. If getting down to the floor is hard, a firm bed works for most lying exercises.
Using resistance bands
Resistance bands are an inexpensive way to add gentle strengthening at home.
- Band colors are not standardized. Each brand uses its own color code, so check the package. In general, lighter colors (such as yellow or tan) offer the least resistance and darker colors (such as blue, black, or gray) offer the most.
- Start light. Choose a band that lets you do 10–15 slow, controlled repetitions with good form, with the last few feeling moderately challenging — not straining.
- Progress gradually. When 15 reps feel easy for two or three sessions in a row, try a slightly heavier band or stand a bit farther from the anchor. Change only one thing at a time.
- Anchor safely. Use a door anchor on the hinge side of a closed door, or loop the band around a heavy, stable object. Never anchor to something that can move.
- Check the band. Look for nicks, tears, or sticky spots before each use, and replace worn bands. Keep the band away from your face, and let it return slowly rather than snapping back.
- If you have a latex allergy, choose latex-free bands.
These guides are general education, not medical advice, and do not replace individualized care from your provider or physical therapist.
Ready to talk about your pain?
New patients are welcome. Call our West Monroe office or send an appointment request.