Miami Chiropractic 1821 SW 27th Ave., Miami, FL 33145
Scapular Retraction & Posture Progression For rounded shoulders, tight upper traps, and better posterior shoulder strength
Key cues (teach the shrug to turn off)
1) "Long neck" - keep shoulders away from ears (no shrugging).
2) "Back pockets" - gently pull shoulder blades down and back (lower traps).
3) "Ribs down" - exhale, keep your ribcage stacked over your pelvis.
4) Feel the work mid-back and side ribs (serratus), not the upper traps.
Phase 1: Mobility + Awareness (daily, 5-8 min
Breathing reset: 5 slow belly breaths (exhale fully, ribs down).
Doorway pec stretch: 30-45 sec x 2 each side.
Thoracic extension (foam roller or chair): 8-10 slow reps.
Phase 2: Activation (3-4x/week)
Wall angels (controlled range): 2-3 sets of 6-10 slow reps.
Band pull-aparts (palms up): 2-3 sets of 10-15 (pause 1 sec).
Prone T/W/Y (light): 2 sets of 6-10 each (no neck tension).
Phase 3: Strength + Endurance (2-3x/week)
Row variation (band/cable/dumbbell):
3 sets of 8-12 with 2-sec squeeze.
Face pulls (to forehead): 3 sets of 10-15 (elbows high, neck relaxed).
Lower-trap raise (prone Y): 2-3 sets of 8-12 (thumbs up).
Phase 4: Boxing carryover (2-3x/week)
Shadowboxing posture: 2 rounds of 60-90 sec focusing on "long neck" + ribs down.
Push-up plus / plank plus (serratus): 2-3 sets of 8-12.
Pallof press (anti-rotation): 2-3 sets of 8-12 per side.
Safety notes Stop and contact your provider if pain is sharp/worsening, you get numbness/tingling into the arm, or symptoms increase with these movements.
Move slowly and keep the neck relaxed - if you feel the upper traps burning, reset your ribs and think "shoulders away from ears."
MIAMI CHIROPRACTIC 1821 SW 27th Ave, Miami, FL 33145
LOW BACK PROGRESSION
For disc herniations and non-specific back pain (exercise-based progression)
How to use this sheet (simple rules):
1) Choose the phase that matches your symptoms.
2) Progress only when pain stays 0-2/10 and symptoms are not
traveling farther down the leg.
3) If you get new numbness, progressive weakness, loss of bowel/bladder control,
fever, or severe unrelenting pain - stop and seek urgent medical care.
Key goal early on: “Centralize” symptoms (pain moves out of the leg and toward the low back) and restore comfortable
motion.
PHASE 1 - RELIEF & CENTRALIZATION (Days 1-7+)
McKenzie back extensions (prone press-ups) - 10 reps, hold 1-2 seconds, 3-6x/day. Stop if leg pain
increases or travels farther down.
Prone on elbows (if press-ups too much) - hold 30-60 sec, 3-5 rounds.
Glute (butt) squeezes - squeeze 5 seconds, 10-15 reps, 2-3 sets.
Walking - 5-15 minutes, 1-3x/day (easy pace).
Goal: reduce spasm, improve extension tolerance, calm symptoms.
PHASE 2 - STABILITY & ENDURANCE (Week 2-3+)
Bird-dog leg extensions (hands/knees, extend one leg) - 6-10/side, 2-3 sets. Keep spine neutral.
Bridges - 8-12 reps, 2-4 sets. Squeeze glutes; avoid over-arching the low back.
Glute medius work (choose 1-2): clamshells, side-lying hip abduction, lateral band walks - 12-20 reps,
2-3 sets.
Core brace ("tighten belt") with breathing - 5 breaths x 3-5 rounds.
Progress when: daily activities improve and symptoms stay central.
Educational handout. Not a substitute for medical advice. Stop if symptoms worsen.
Before you add load or rotation:
You should be able to:
1) walk 15-30 minutes comfortably,
2) bridge without cramping/arching,
3) bird-dog without shifting,
4) bend at the hips (hinge) without sharp pain.
PHASE 3 - STRENGTH & HINGE (Week 3-6+)
Hip hinge drill (dowel/wall tap) - 8-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
Goblet squat to box (pain-free range) - 6-10 reps, 2-4 sets.
Split squat or step-ups - 6-10/side, 2-3 sets.
Carry (farmer carry) - 20-40 yards x 4-6 trips, stay tall.
Goal: build strength with good mechanics (neutral spine + strong hips).
PHASE 4 - ROTATION & RETURN TO SPORT (Week 6+)
Pallof press (anti-rotation) - 8-12/side, 2-4 sets. Hold 1-2 seconds each rep.
Half-kneeling cable chop / lift - 6-10/side, 2-3 sets (slow + controlled).
Open-book rotations (thoracic mobility) - 6-10/side, easy range.
Medicine ball rotational throw (only if pain-free and stable) - 3-5 reps/side x 3-5 sets.
Goal: reintroduce rotation safely (control first, power last).
Need this personalized? Disc pain patterns vary. If symptoms persist or you want a sport-specific plan, schedule a visit
at miamichiropractic.us.
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