Strengthen the Strengthen the Hamstrings to Reduce Hamstrings to Reduce

Pain From a Back Injury Pain From a Back Injury (Slipped Disk)(Slipped Disk)

Single-Leg Romanian Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts DescribedDeadlifts Described

To Start the Slide Show To Start the Slide Show Press F5Press F5

Pre-Lesson SlidePre-Lesson Slide

This presentation is intended for This presentation is intended for those who have or are experiencing those who have or are experiencing pain in the legs from a low back pain in the legs from a low back injury.injury.

The lesson includes a demonstration The lesson includes a demonstration of single leg Romanian deadliftsof single leg Romanian deadlifts

These exercises are a common These exercises are a common physical therapy tool.physical therapy tool.

InstructionsInstructions

To use this courseware, simply sit To use this courseware, simply sit back and enjoy the informative back and enjoy the informative presentation.presentation.

To advance to the next slide, use the To advance to the next slide, use the arrow keys.arrow keys.

To stop the presentation at any To stop the presentation at any point, use the Esc key.point, use the Esc key.

ObjectivesObjectives

After this instruction the viewer After this instruction the viewer should be able to perform the should be able to perform the movement without difficulty.movement without difficulty.

This instruction also provides a set of This instruction also provides a set of pointers for the exercisepointers for the exercise

At the end of the instruction the At the end of the instruction the viewer should be able to answer some viewer should be able to answer some very simple questions about the very simple questions about the movement.movement.

What is a Herniated Disk What is a Herniated Disk Anyway?Anyway?

Herniated discHerniated disc

The spine is formed by 33 The spine is formed by 33 interlocking bones called interlocking bones called vertebrae. vertebrae.

Breakdown from age.Breakdown from age. Tears on the disk’s outer capsule.Tears on the disk’s outer capsule. Smoking causes disks to Smoking causes disks to

breakdown.breakdown.

What is a Herniated Disk What is a Herniated Disk Anyway?Anyway?

Excessive pressure.Excessive pressure. Weak discs.Weak discs. Pinched nerves.Pinched nerves. Weakness or numbness in an Weakness or numbness in an

appendage is the result.appendage is the result. Conservative treatment is the first Conservative treatment is the first

response.response. Surgery can alleviate a pinched Surgery can alleviate a pinched

nerve, but there are no guarantees. nerve, but there are no guarantees.

More Explanation of Herniated More Explanation of Herniated DisksDisks

For a demonstration of a disk For a demonstration of a disk you can go to spinesearch.com you can go to spinesearch.com and search for a sample video. and search for a sample video. As of this publication, the links As of this publication, the links did not work.did not work.

TreatmentsTreatments

From the previous two slides we From the previous two slides we can see that our spines will break can see that our spines will break down with age.down with age.

Unfortunately, this is an evitable Unfortunately, this is an evitable process of aging.process of aging.

Cartilage breakdown will occur in Cartilage breakdown will occur in most people after age 30.most people after age 30.

Conservative treatments involve Conservative treatments involve pain killers and physical therapy.pain killers and physical therapy.

Therapy for a Spine InjuryTherapy for a Spine Injury

Low spine Low spine injuries cause injuries cause many people many people undue pain and undue pain and lost time from lost time from work.work.

Hamstrings or the Hamstrings or the muscles on the muscles on the back of the upper back of the upper leg are leg are instrumental in instrumental in reducing pain from reducing pain from compressed disks in compressed disks in the spine.the spine.

These muscles These muscles become tightened become tightened as a result of a as a result of a slipped disk.slipped disk.

Strong Muscles Play a Large Strong Muscles Play a Large PartPart

Any physical therapist will tell Any physical therapist will tell you that to reduce pain from an you that to reduce pain from an injury in the lower spine, the injury in the lower spine, the patient will need to strengthen patient will need to strengthen muscles surrounding the injury.muscles surrounding the injury.

Stronger muscles will tend to Stronger muscles will tend to pull on the bones they are pull on the bones they are attached to. They are also more attached to. They are also more limber and flexible.limber and flexible.

What are the Hamstrings What are the Hamstrings Anyway?Anyway?

We have all heard We have all heard of athletes who of athletes who become injured become injured with a pulled with a pulled Hamstring. They Hamstring. They are usually done for are usually done for the season.the season.

These are very long These are very long muscles, and are muscles, and are tied to the pelvis tied to the pelvis and knee like a and knee like a tight stringtight string..

Why???Why??? First of all these are First of all these are

very powerful muscles very powerful muscles in the back of the upper in the back of the upper leg that tie the leg that tie the pelvis/sacrum to the pelvis/sacrum to the knee.knee.

As you can imagine As you can imagine these are the very these are the very muscles that enable us muscles that enable us to stand and walk to stand and walk upright.upright.

We use them for We use them for walking without even walking without even knowing itknowing it..

The Following Exercise The Following Exercise Program Will Strengthen the Program Will Strengthen the

HamstringsHamstrings To start the exercise: Stand with a To start the exercise: Stand with a

dumbbell of equal weight in each hand: dumbbell of equal weight in each hand: 10,15 or 20 lbs each10,15 or 20 lbs each

If you are just beginning the exercise, you If you are just beginning the exercise, you may just want to use your bodyweight.may just want to use your bodyweight.

Make sure your posture is perfect, chest Make sure your posture is perfect, chest up and out, with the back slightly arched.up and out, with the back slightly arched.

Put one foot slightly in front of the other, Put one foot slightly in front of the other, like a half steplike a half step

Exercise ContinuedExercise Continued

Keep feet slightly narrower than Keep feet slightly narrower than shoulder width apartshoulder width apart

Hold the dumbbells in the hammer Hold the dumbbells in the hammer position: palms facing the bodyposition: palms facing the body

Contract your abs, with the back Contract your abs, with the back flat and chest lifted, lower the flat and chest lifted, lower the dumbbells to the front foot as you dumbbells to the front foot as you bend forwardbend forward

Push your glutes backPush your glutes back

Exercise ContinuedExercise Continued

Bend your front leg slightly Bend your front leg slightly throughout the movement.throughout the movement.

Keep the arms straight and Keep the arms straight and shoulder width apart as the shoulder width apart as the dumbbells make their way to the dumbbells make their way to the floor.floor.

The weights should be on the side The weights should be on the side of the leading knee.of the leading knee.

Put emphasis on the hamstring only Put emphasis on the hamstring only and use the back leg for balance.and use the back leg for balance.

Exercise ContinuedExercise Continued When the weights have reached the shin, When the weights have reached the shin,

flex the hamstring of the front leg and flex the hamstring of the front leg and push the hips forward to bring your body push the hips forward to bring your body back to the upright position.back to the upright position.

Do not round the back at any point Do not round the back at any point during the exercise as you will risk during the exercise as you will risk further injury.further injury.

Remember, take it slow if you are just Remember, take it slow if you are just beginning a course of exercise for a back beginning a course of exercise for a back injury.injury.

Adequate stretching is necessary before Adequate stretching is necessary before beginning the programbeginning the program

DemonstrationDemonstrationSingle Leg Variation of the Single Leg Variation of the

Romanian DeadliftRomanian DeadliftPoints to Remember:Points to Remember: Stand with your feet Stand with your feet

approximately shoulder-width approximately shoulder-width apart. apart.

Initiate the motion with the Initiate the motion with the drawing-in maneuver and drawing-in maneuver and maintain it throughout the maintain it throughout the duration of the exercise. duration of the exercise.

The main goal of this The main goal of this movement is to keep the movement is to keep the dumbbell close to the body dumbbell close to the body while moving the hips while moving the hips posterior to the body. posterior to the body.

Progression can be Progression can be accomplished by performing accomplished by performing this movement on one leg. this movement on one leg. (Romanian Style Deadlift) (Romanian Style Deadlift)

Video Demonstration of the Video Demonstration of the Dumbbell LungeDumbbell Lunge

Click the icon to play, if it Click the icon to play, if it doesn’t automatically start. doesn’t automatically start. (Dumbbell Lunge)(Dumbbell Lunge)

Key Points of the ExerciseKey Points of the Exercise

This exercise is meant to This exercise is meant to strengthen the hamstringsstrengthen the hamstrings

The hamstrings are red fiber The hamstrings are red fiber muscles.muscles.

The goal is to loosen up these The goal is to loosen up these muscles as with a back injury, they muscles as with a back injury, they tend to become very inflexible. tend to become very inflexible. This will reduce the pain associated This will reduce the pain associated with a back injury in the legs.with a back injury in the legs.

PointersPointers

Do not stand on a platform to raise Do not stand on a platform to raise the level of motion, doing so will the level of motion, doing so will compromise your form and could compromise your form and could cause injury.cause injury.

Keep the back flat, chest up and leg Keep the back flat, chest up and leg slightly bentslightly bent

Stop the motion about mid shin levelStop the motion about mid shin level This exercise is kind of awkward at This exercise is kind of awkward at

first, but most back exercises are this first, but most back exercises are this way.way.

More PointersMore Pointers

Do not use heavy weights at first, Do not use heavy weights at first, until your body adjusts to the until your body adjusts to the movement.movement.

You may want to vary the bend in the You may want to vary the bend in the front leg as this will stress different front leg as this will stress different parts of the hams and glutes.parts of the hams and glutes.

The weights should be about an inch The weights should be about an inch away from the sides of the front leg.away from the sides of the front leg.

The upper body will slightly turn The upper body will slightly turn toward this leg.toward this leg.

More Key PointsMore Key Points

This exercise targets the hamstrings and This exercise targets the hamstrings and glutes.glutes.

It is very easy to injure this part of the It is very easy to injure this part of the body especially if you are already body especially if you are already compromised with a back injury.compromised with a back injury.

Take this exercise slow, it demands very Take this exercise slow, it demands very precise form to be completed correctly.precise form to be completed correctly.

Although this exercise seems simple with Although this exercise seems simple with relatively small amounts of weight, the relatively small amounts of weight, the hamstrings will respond almost hamstrings will respond almost immediately.immediately.

AssessmentAssessment

Should one use heavy weight for this Should one use heavy weight for this exercise?exercise?

Answer on the next slide.Answer on the next slide.

AssessmentAssessment

Should one use heavy weight for this Should one use heavy weight for this exercise?exercise?

Absolutely not!Absolutely not!

AssessmentAssessment

Is it very easy to injure the back Is it very easy to injure the back when completing this exercise?when completing this exercise?

AssessmentAssessment

Is it very easy to injure the back Is it very easy to injure the back when completing this exercise?when completing this exercise?

YES!!!!YES!!!!

AssessmentAssessment

Should you keep the dumbbell close Should you keep the dumbbell close to the body when doing this to the body when doing this exercise?exercise?

AssessmentAssessment

Should you keep the dumbbell close Should you keep the dumbbell close to the body when doing this to the body when doing this exercise?exercise?

YES!YES!

AssessmentAssessment

Should a platform be used to Should a platform be used to increase the movement?increase the movement?

AssessmentAssessment

Should a platform be used to Should a platform be used to increase the movement?increase the movement?

NO!!!!NO!!!!

Take a Break Now!Take a Break Now!

References:References: Pena, J. (2004). Single-leg Romanian deadlift. Pena, J. (2004). Single-leg Romanian deadlift. Muscle Muscle

and Fitnessand Fitness, 65(10), 72. , 65(10), 72. 24 Hour Fitness, (n.d.). Romanian style deadlift. 24 Hour Fitness, (n.d.). Romanian style deadlift.

retrieved Sep 07, 2004, from retrieved Sep 07, 2004, from http://www.24hourfitness.com/html/fitness/today/hahttp://www.24hourfitness.com/html/fitness/today/hams/rom_dumb_deadlift ms/rom_dumb_deadlift

(n.d.). Herniated disk. retrieved Sep 07, 2004, from (n.d.). Herniated disk. retrieved Sep 07, 2004, from http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/sth1497http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/sth149777.asp?navbar=hw56431. 77.asp?navbar=hw56431.

Bodybuilding. COM, (n.d.). Dumbbell lunge. Bodybuilding. COM, (n.d.). Dumbbell lunge. retrieved Sep 08, 2004, from Dumbbell retrieved Sep 08, 2004, from Dumbbell Lunge Web site: Lunge Web site: www.bodybuilding.com/exercises.www.bodybuilding.com/exercises.