Build a Healthier Body: Top 10 Essential Orthopedic Exercises

What Are Orthopaedic Exercises?

Your body copes with the daily wear and tear, much more so when you are highly active or sit for most of the time at your desk. Orthopaedic exercises help keep your body aligned. So, your muscles, bones, and even your joints will end up being strong and well-aligned. With these exercises, you can avoid ending up with stiffened joints, weak muscles, and even injuries. These ortho exercises target weak areas where you often feel pain from time to time, such as the back, knees, hips, and shoulders, that otherwise would help keep your posture and all movements up.

Orthopaedic exercises also play a very significant role in the recovery after an injury. They help to develop certain groups of muscles, restore mobility and strength, and save much time from the recovery period following injuries or surgeries.

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Top 10 Orthopedic Exercises for a Stronger and Healthier Body

1. Glute Bridge

The glutes are actually very important in supporting your lower back and your hips.

To do glute bridges:

• Lie back on a flat surface with your legs bent and your feet flat against the floor.

• Lift your hips off the ground and drive your heels through. Push your body into one long, straight line from shoulders down to knees.

• Hold it for a few seconds, and then lower it.

This stabilises your hips, helps in lower back pain relief, and gives general strengthening of the core.

2. Quadriceps Stretch

Orthopaedic stretches like quadriceps keep your knee flexible and healthy as they stretch. Tense quadriceps stretch the knee and also cause lingering pain to the knee.

How to stretch quadriceps?

• Stand on one leg while leaning on a chair or a wall.

• On the other leg, bend your knee and pull your heel to reach your buttocks.

• Keep one hand on your ankle as you pull your leg down toward your chest, stretching your front thigh.

• Switch sides after 20 to 30 seconds.

This orthopaedic stretch increases the mobility in your knees, alleviates knee pain, and serves as a facilitator for good movement and walking.

3. Plank

Plank is the best exercise for a full-body workout, building strength in the core, shoulder, and back. It ensures stability in the spine while also promoting good posture.

How to do plank?

• Lie on your stomach and raise your body with your forearms and toes up.

• Maintain a straight line from the head until your heels.

• Engage your core and hold for 20-30 seconds.

The plank is an exercise that does a wonderful job with the tightening of abdominal muscles yet gives complete support to the entire lower back.

4. Wall Squat

A wall squat is a good form of exercise for strengthening the quads and hamstrings without aggravating the conditions within your joints. It is also highly beneficial if you have problems in your knees but want to strengthen your legs.

To do the wall squat:

• Stand away from the wall with your hips, shoulders parallel to the floor, and feet at hip-width apart.

• Slowly slide your body down along the wall, keeping your knees bent at a right angle.

• Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, afterwards, slowly stand up.

Wall squats are just the best exercise to strengthen the legs and maintain stability, thus reducing the amount of stress put on the joints of the body-for example, walking or climbing stairs.

5. Calf Raises

Calf raise is another exercise used to strengthen your lower legs, improve balance, and support ankle joints.

How do calf raises?

• Standing on a shoulder-width stance, keep both your feet at shoulder-width apart, with hands on the wall, to maintain balance.

• Then slowly and slowly raise onto the balls of the toes, and keep heels high in the air

• Hold for some seconds and slowly bring the heels back down to the starting position.

Do 15 to 20 repetitions for 3 sets.

6. Shoulder Blade Squeeze

The shoulder blade squeeze is a very simple yet effective exercise in strengthening your posture and relieving tension in the upper back and shoulders.

To do the shoulder blade squeeze:

• Sit or stand with your arms at your sides.

• Squeeze your shoulder blades together as though you are trying to grasp a pencil between them.

• Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then let go.

Do this exercise 10 to 15 times. 

7. Hamstring Stretch

Stretching your hamstrings is vital for maintaining flexibility in your hips and lower back. Tight hamstrings can contribute to back pain and reduce your mobility.

For the hamstring stretch:

• Sit on the floor with one leg extended straight in front of you.

• Bend your other knee and place the sole of your foot against the inner thigh of the extended leg.

• Slowly reach toward your toes, keeping your back straight until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh.

• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.

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8. Hip Flexor Stretch

Your hip flexors play a significant role in movements such as walking, running, and bending. Stretching these muscles helps reduce tension in your hips and lower back.

For hip flexor stretch:

• Kneel on one knee, placing your other foot forward so that your front knee forms a 90-degree angle.

• Gently push your hips forward while keeping your back straight.

• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.

This stretch promotes flexibility in your hips and reduces the risk of lower back pain.

9. Side Leg Raises

Side leg raises strengthen your hip abductors, which are crucial for stabilizing your pelvis and improving balance.

For side leg raises:

• Lie on your side with your legs straight.

• Lift your top leg upward while keeping it straight.

• Hold for a moment, then lower it back down.

Perform 10 to 15 repetitions for 3 sets on each side. 

10. Bird Dog

The bird dog is an excellent exercise for improving your core stability and strengthening your lower back.

For the bird dog:

• Start on your hands and knees, keeping your back flat.

• Extend your right arm forward and your left leg backwards simultaneously.

• Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position.

• Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.

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Conclusion

Orthopaedic exercises become part of one's daily routine. They increase strength, flexibility, and health. All these ortho exercises target a different kind of muscle group, which makes the joints stronger and more stable and prevents injury. With time, this becomes a habit and you'll be able to enjoy long-term benefits as your body enjoys being strong and healthy.