job part two

Calf Stretch

Do: Keep heel on ground and foot forward. Avoid: Lifting heel or collapsing arch. Targets: Calf muscles. Helps: This stretches your calf so your ankle can move more comfortably when walking or going up stairs.

Heel Raise

Do: Slowly rise onto toes and lower with control, keeping weight even across foot. Avoid: Bouncing or rolling outward. Targets: Calf muscles. Helps: This strengthens your calf muscles, which help you walk, climb stairs, and maintain your balance when standing on your toes

Single Leg Stance / Balance

Do: Balance on one foot with weight evenly spread. Avoid: Locking knee or excessive swaying. Targets: Foot, hip and trunk muscles. Helps: This practices staying steady on one leg, which you do briefly with every step you take.

Dorsiflexion Stretch at Wall

Do: Keep heel down and move knee over middle of foot. Avoid: Heel lifting or arch collapsing. Targets: Ankle mobility and calf stretch. Helps: This helps your ankle bend forward, which is useful for walking, squatting and going down stairs.

4-Way Ankle

Do: Move ankle inward, outward, up and down slowly with shin still. Avoid: Rotating leg or letting band snap back. Targets: Ankle muscles. Helps: This strengthens the muscles around your ankle so you can control your foot better while moving.

Quad Set

Do: Slowly tighten front thigh muscle with foot resting on table. Avoid: Squeezing glutes instead or lifting foot. Targets: Quadriceps. Helps: This helps activate your thigh muscles, which can become weaker after an injury or surgery and are important for supporting your knee.

Short Arc Quad

Do: Tighten thigh and lift lower leg, then lower slowly. Avoid: Dropping leg. Targets: Quadriceps. Helps: This strengthens the muscle that straightens your knee, helping you build control for everyday leg movements.

Long Arc Quad

Do: While seated, straighten knee slowly and lower with control. Avoid: Kicking or dropping leg. Targets: Quadriceps. Helps: This builds thigh strength that you use when standing up from a chair or going up stairs.

Heel Slide

Do: Lie on back, slide heel toward buttocks and return to straight leg. Avoid: Not returning to start. Targets: Knee and hip mobility. Helps: This helps your knee practice bending and straightening, which matters for walking and getting in and out of a car.

Straight Leg Raise

Do: Tighten thigh, lift leg slowly with knee straight. Avoid: Bending knee or rotating leg. Targets: Quadriceps and hip flexors. Helps: This strengthens the muscles that help lift your leg while keeping your knee controlled.

Glute Sets

Do: Squeeze buttock muscles without moving surrounding areas. Avoid: Arching back or lifting leg. Targets: Gluteus maximus. Helps: This helps activate your buttock muscles, which are important for supporting your hips when you stand and walk.

Clamshell

Do: Lie on side, keep feet together and lift top knee. Avoid: Rolling hips backward. Targets: Gluteus medius. Helps: This strengthens the muscles on the side of your hip that help keep your pelvis steady when you walk or stand on one leg.

Reverse Clamshell

Do: Lie on side, keep knees together and lift top foot. Avoid: Twisting trunk or lifting quickly. Targets: Gluteus minimus, medius and adductors. Helps: This works muscles that help control how your hip rotates, making leg movements more stable.

Side-Lying Hip Abduction

Do: Lift top leg upward and slightly backward. Avoid: Leg drifting forward or trunk tilting. Targets: Gluteus medius and maximus. Helps: This strengthens the side of your hip, which helps keep your pelvis from dropping when you walk.

Prone Hip Extension

Do: Lie on stomach, squeeze glute and slowly lift leg. Avoid: Arching lower back. Targets: Glutes and hamstrings. Helps: This strengthens the muscles that move your leg backward and help you stand, walk and climb stairs.

Bridge

Do: Lie on back with knees bent and lift hips until shoulders, hips and knees align. Avoid: Arching back or twisting pelvis. Targets: Glutes, hamstrings and spinal extensors. Helps: This strengthens your buttock muscles, which support your hips and help with standing up and climbing stairs.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Do: Half-kneel, tuck pelvis and lean slightly forward. Avoid: Arching lower back. Targets: Hip flexors. Helps: This stretches the front of your hip so your leg can move backward more comfortably when walking.

Sit to Stand

Do: Bend hips and knees together to sit, then stand. Avoid: Bending only at hips or knees. Targets: Quadriceps and glutes. Helps: This practices a movement you use every day, like getting up from a chair, couch or toilet.

Lateral Band Walks

Do: Step sideways and slowly bring trailing leg in. Avoid: Snapping leg back or leaning trunk. Targets: Gluteus medius and maximus. Helps: This strengthens the side of your hips, which helps you stay steady while walking or moving sideways.

Reverse Lunge

Do: Step backward and lower rear knee with most weight on front foot. Avoid: Front knee collapsing inward. Targets: Quadriceps and glutes. Helps: This builds leg strength and balance for activities like stairs and stepping backward safely.

Single Leg Deadlift

Do: Hinge at hip with slight knee bend and neutral back. Avoid: Rounding back or squatting. Targets: Glutes, hamstrings and spinal extensors. Helps: This helps your hips and balance work together, which is useful when bending or reaching while standing.

Squat

Do: Bend hips and knees, keep heels down and back neutral. Avoid: Knees collapsing inward or rounding back. Targets: Quadriceps and glutes. Helps: This strengthens the muscles you use to sit down, stand up and pick things up.

Single Leg Step Down

Do: Slowly lower from step with knee over middle of foot and pelvis level. Avoid: Knee collapsing or hip dropping. Targets: Quadriceps and glutes. Helps: This trains the leg to control your weight as you lower yourself, like when going down stairs.

Cat Camel

Do: Smoothly round and arch spine on hands and knees. Avoid: Moving only hips or holding breath. Targets: Spine mobility and spinal extensors. Helps: This gently moves your back in different directions, helping you practice comfortable spinal movement.

Bird Dog

Do: Reach opposite arm and leg outward with neutral back and level hips. Avoid: Arching back or twisting pelvis. Targets: Spinal stabilizers. Helps: This teaches your core and back muscles to work together to keep your spine steady while you move your arms and legs.

Dead Bug

Do: Slowly lower opposite arm and leg while keeping back stable and breathing. Avoid: Arching back or holding breath. Targets: Abdominals and spinal stabilizers. Helps: This strengthens your core's ability to support your back while your arms and legs move.

Side Plank

Do: Press elbow into floor and lift hips in a straight line. Avoid: Sagging hips or holding breath. Targets: Obliques, trunk and hip muscles. Helps: This strengthens the muscles along the side of your body that help keep you upright and steady.

Standard Plank

Do: Hold body straight, lightly tighten abs and press arms into ground. Avoid: Sagging lower back or holding breath. Targets: Core and shoulder stabilizers. Helps: This builds endurance in the muscles that help support your trunk during daily activities.

Prone Press Up

Do: Lie on stomach and use arms to lift chest while hips stay down. Avoid: Forcing movement with lower back or lifting hips. Targets: Lower-back extension mobility. Helps: This helps your lower back practice bending backward; your therapist uses it when that movement fits your treatment plan.

Supine Double Knee to Chest

Do: Lie on back and gently pull both knees toward chest while relaxing. Avoid: Rocking or tensing back. Targets: Lower-back stretch. Helps: This gently stretches the muscles along your lower back and helps you practice bending your spine.

Standing Anti-Rotation Press

Do: Press band straight forward at chest height without twisting. Avoid: Turning toward resistance. Targets: Obliques and core stabilizers. Helps: This teaches your core to keep your body steady when something tries to pull or twist you.

Deadlift

Do: Push hips backward with slightly bent knees and neutral back, then stand. Avoid: Rounding back or squatting instead of hinging. Targets: Glutes, hamstrings and spinal extensors. Helps: This practices using your hips and legs to lift objects, which can make everyday lifting more controlled.

Seated Chin Tuck

Do: Gently tuck chin down and slightly back. Avoid: Pushing entire head backward. Targets: Deep neck flexors. Helps: This strengthens the deeper muscles in your neck that help support your head and improve neck control.

Seated Levator Scap Stretch

Do: Sit tall, tuck chin, turn slightly and look toward pocket. Avoid: Slouching or pulling hard. Targets: Levator scapulae. Helps: This stretches a muscle connecting your neck and shoulder blade, which can help with neck flexibility.

Seated Upper Trapezius Stretch

Do: Sit tall, gently tilt head toward shoulder and look upward opposite way. Avoid: Shrugging or pulling hard. Targets: Upper trapezius. Helps: This stretches the muscles along the side of your neck and top of your shoulder, helping you move your neck more comfortably.

Thoracic Extension on Foam Roll

Do: Extend upper back over foam roller while keeping hips and lower back down. Avoid: Arching lower back. Targets: Upper-back mobility. Helps: This helps your upper back move backward more easily, which is useful for reaching overhead and sitting upright.

Seated Thoracic Extension

Do: Sit tall and arch upper back over chair edge. Avoid: Lifting hips or arching lower back. Targets: Upper-back mobility. Helps: This helps your upper back move more freely, which can make reaching and turning easier.

Side-Lying Open Book

Do: Lie on side with knees bent and rotate upper back open. Avoid: Twisting mainly through lower back. Targets: Upper-back and neck rotation. Helps: This practices upper-back rotation, which you use when turning to look behind you or reaching across your body.

Prone Scapular Retraction

Do: Pull shoulder blades down and back with neck still. Avoid: Rounding shoulders or moving neck. Targets: Rhomboids, trapezius and lats. Helps: This strengthens muscles that control your shoulder blades and support your shoulders when you move your arms.

Prone Y

Do: Lie on stomach, lift arms in Y shape with shoulder blades down and back. Avoid: Shrugging shoulders. Targets: Trapezius, rhomboids and rotator cuff. Helps: This strengthens the muscles that help guide and steady your shoulder blades when you lift your arms.

Prone T

Do: Lie on stomach, lift arms in T shape with shoulder blades down and back. Avoid: Shrugging shoulders. Targets: Middle trapezius, rhomboids and rotator cuff. Helps: This strengthens the upper-back muscles that help pull your shoulder blades back and keep your shoulders controlled.

Wall Walk

Do: Slowly walk fingers up wall while keeping shoulder relaxed. Avoid: Arching back or turning body. Targets: Shoulder flexion mobility. Helps: This helps your shoulder gradually move farther overhead, which can make reaching into a cabinet easier.

Isometric Shoulder Flexion

Do: Push forward into wall without moving arm. Avoid: Standing too far away and moving arm. Targets: Deltoid and rotator cuff. Helps: This lets you activate your shoulder muscles without moving the joint, which can be useful when your therapist wants controlled muscle work.

Isometric Shoulder External Rotation

Do: Push outward into wall without moving shoulder. Avoid: Shrugging or twisting body. Targets: Rotator cuff. Helps: This helps activate the muscles that rotate and stabilize your shoulder without requiring the arm to move.

Supine Shoulder ER AAROM with Dowel

Do: Lie on back with elbow near body and use dowel to rotate shoulder outward. Avoid: Straightening elbow or moving arm away. Targets: Shoulder rotation mobility. Helps: This gently practices turning your arm outward, which you use when reaching to the side or getting dressed.

Supine Shoulder Flexion with Dowel

Do: Lie on back, keep arms straight and raise dowel overhead. Avoid: Bending elbows or lifting back. Targets: Shoulder flexion mobility. Helps: This helps your shoulder practice reaching overhead with assistance, useful for activities like getting dressed or reaching a shelf.

Shoulder External Rotation with Resistance

Do: Keep elbow bent at 90 degrees and shoulder blade stable while rotating hand outward. Avoid: Moving elbow or shoulder blade. Targets: Rotator cuff. Helps: This strengthens the muscles that rotate and steady your shoulder when you reach or lift things.

Shoulder Internal Rotation with Resistance

Do: Keep elbow bent at 90 degrees and shoulder blade stable while rotating hand inward. Avoid: Moving elbow or shoulder blade. Targets: Subscapularis, pectorals and lats. Helps: This strengthens the muscles that turn your arm inward, a movement used in dressing and reaching across your body.

Standing Row

Do: Pull shoulder blades back first, then bend elbows; neck relaxed. Avoid: Jutting neck forward or rounding shoulders. Targets: Rhomboids, lats and trapezius. Helps: This strengthens the muscles around your shoulder blades, which help support your shoulders when you pull or lift things.

Standing External Rotation in 90

Do: Keep upper arm and elbow still while rotating shoulder outward. Avoid: Moving chest or snapping arm back. Targets: Rotator cuff and deltoid. Helps: This strengthens shoulder control while your arm is raised, which matters for reaching and overhead activities.

Scaption

Do: Raise arms slightly forward of sides with thumbs up, usually to shoulder height. Avoid: Shrugging or lifting too quickly. Targets: Deltoid and rotator cuff. Helps: This strengthens the muscles that help lift and steady your arm, which you use when reaching for everyday objects.