All of us need to work on our posture, especially these days when we are flexed over our electronic devices. But for people with Parkinson’s disease, it’s even more important.
The neurological progression of Parkinson’s pulls the body forward constantly. Fortunately, we can combat that effect with some great posture-correcting exercises.
In my previous two blogs, I showed you how to do the Modified Superman exercise. Why “Modified”? Because most people with PD are so stiff in their upper back and shoulders that doing the traditional Superman can hurt their lower back, shoulders, or they just can’t do it at all.
Today I am going to show you another way you can do the Modified Superman using a yoga ball.
Watch this video to learn how:
I love this exercise because it strengthens the spinal muscles, opens tight chest muscles, and stretches and strengthens the abdominal and core muscles. The bonus is it also activates the glutes and hips to stabilize the body.
Here are the steps for using a yoga ball to modify the Superman exercise to help treat Parkinson’s stooped posture:
- Lie face down on the ball, with the ball under your hips to avoid stress on your lower back. You should have all four limbs supporting you.
- Keeping your head in a neutral position (avoid looking up), think of lifting your upper hamstring as you lengthen and lift one leg. If your lower back hurts, don’t lift so high.
- Continue by slowly lifting up alternating legs as you exhale. Repeat 10 times.
- To do a more advanced version, you can slowly lift the opposite arm up as you lift each leg.
Repeat this exercise for 2-3 sets of 5 reps. This is also a great balance exercise!
Don’t forget to check out my other Modified Superman exercise videos:
- How to Do the Modified Superman – Part One (Upper Body)
- How to Do the Modified Superman – Part Two (Lower Body)
💜 Coach Kimberly