Core Chiropractic Brighton, 2 Circus Parade, New England Road, Brighton, BN1 4GW
01273 933 170

Tag Archives: back pain brighton

Author Matthew Bateman Categories CORE + HIPS, HOME EXERCISES

Core Strengthening routine

Elevate Your Stability: The Ultimate Core Strengthening Routine at Brighton Physiotherapy

When most people think of “the core,” they envision six-pack abs. However, as any Brighton Physiotherapist will tell you, your core is actually a complex 360-degree cylinder of muscle that stabilizes your entire spine. Whether you are navigating the uneven pebbles of Brighton Beach or training for the Brighton Marathon, a robust core is the foundation of every movement you make. In fact, developing core strengthening safely improves almost every activity.

Beyond the Crunch: Why Core Strength Matters

A weak core often manifests as chronic lower back pain, poor posture, and decreased athletic power. At Brighton Physiotherapy, we prioritize “functional stability.” This means training your muscles to work together to support your torso, protecting your discs and nerves from unnecessary shear forces. The process prioritizes not only strength, but also purposeful core strengthening for complete physical wellbeing.

The Essential 3-Move Routine

You don’t need a gym membership to build a resilient midsection. Incorporate these three clinical favorites into your daily habit and enjoy the results of evidence-based strengthening core practices:

  • The Dead Bug: Lie on your back with arms raised and knees at 90 degrees. Slowly lower the opposite arm and leg toward the floor while keeping your lower back pressed firmly against the ground. This builds lumbar stability.
  • The Bird-Dog: From all fours, extend your right arm and left leg simultaneously. Focus on keeping your hips level like a tabletop. This targets the multifidus and glutes.
  • The Modified Side Plank: Prop yourself up on your forearm and knees (or feet for a challenge). This strengthens the obliques and quadratus lumborum, essential for lateral stability.

Local Benefits for Brighton Residents

From the steep inclines of Hanover to the windy gusts along the Promenade, Brighton’s geography demands a stable center of gravity. Implementing a consistent regimen for strengthening your core can be a game changer for city living. A dedicated core routine improves balance—essential for our older residents—and enhances force transfer for the city’s many cyclists and kitesurfers.

Physio Insight: Core strength is about endurance, not just power. It’s better to perform a move perfectly for 20 seconds than to struggle through a minute with poor form.

Take the Next Step

If you’re struggling with recurring back issues or feel “weak in the middle,” it’s time for a professional tune-up. Our team at Brighton Physiotherapy provides personalized biomechanical assessments to identify which specific core muscles are letting you down. As a result, a renewed focus on strengthening your core can transform your physical health and reduce pain.

Book your consultation today and build a foundation that lasts.

Are you looking to strengthen your core for a specific sport, or are you primarily focused on relieving daily back discomfort? If so, our Brighton team specializes in creative core strengthening programs to fit your needs.

Author Matthew Bateman Categories HOME EXERCISES, POSTURE, SHOULDERS, STRETCHES, UPPER BODY

External Rotation Shoulder Stretch (overhead stretch with cane)

Optimize Your Overhead Reach: The External Rotation Shoulder Stretch with Cane

For the active community in Brighton—from the sea swimmers at the West Pier to the racket sports enthusiasts at Withdean—shoulder mobility is the key to longevity. One of the most frequent limitations we see at Brighton Physiotherapy is a lack of overhead external rotation. When this movement is restricted, activities like reaching for a high shelf or performing a tennis serve can lead to painful impingement.

The External Rotation Shoulder Stretch using a cane (or a broomstick) is a clinical gold standard for safely expanding your range of motion.

Why Use a Cane?

Unlike “passive” stretches where you gravity-hang, using a cane allows for precise, controlled leverage. It enables you to push the shoulder into a deeper range of external rotation while keeping the joint centered in the socket. This is particularly beneficial for those recovering from “frozen shoulder” (adhesive capsulitis) or post-operative stiffness.

How to Perform the Overhead Cane Stretch

To maximize results and protect your rotator cuff, follow this guided technique:

  1. The Setup: Stand tall or sit upright. Hold a cane (or PVC pipe) in both hands.
  2. Position the Target Arm: Lift your affected arm so your elbow is at shoulder height, bent at a 90-degree angle (the “high-five” position).
  3. The Leverage: Hold the bottom of the cane with your “good” hand. Pass the top of the cane behind your target arm’s elbow and grasp the top with the target hand.
  4. The Stretch: Using your bottom hand, gently push the cane forward. This will leverage your target hand and forearm backward, rotating the shoulder externally.
  5. Hold: Keep your shoulder blade tucked down and back. Hold for 30 seconds, breathing into the tension.

Clinical Benefits for Brighton Patients

  • Impingement Prevention: Clears space under the acromion bone to prevent “pinching.”
  • Postural Correction: Counters the internal rotation caused by long hours of cycling or office work.
  • Enhanced Athleticism: Vital for improving the “cocking phase” in throwing or overhead sports.

Physio Note: If you feel a sharp pinch in the top of the shoulder, reduce the height of your elbow slightly. The stretch should feel like a deep “opening” in the front of the joint.

Professional Guidance at Brighton Physiotherapy

If you are experiencing “clicking” or sharp pain during overhead movements, a DIY approach may not be enough. At Brighton Physiotherapy, we provide comprehensive shoulder screens to differentiate between simple tightness and structural issues like labral tears.

Reclaim your overhead mobility today—contact our Brighton clinic for an expert consultation.

Author Matthew Bateman Categories HOME EXERCISES, POSTURE, SHOULDERS, UPPER BODY

Sleeper Stretch – for tight or frozen shoulders

Why Toe Stretching is the Best Foot Forward for Your Health

When you think of chiropractic care, your mind probably goes straight to spinal adjustments and neck alignments. But at our Brighton clinic, we look at the whole picture—and that picture starts right at the bottom with your feet. Specifically, your toes. Interestingly, stretches targeting your shoulders can also benefit posture, but today we’re focusing on your toes.

If you spend your days walking down the Lanes or commuting across Sussex, your feet take a beating. Jamming them into tight shoes can lead to issues that ripple all the way up your body. That’s where toe stretching comes in.

The Benefits of Toe Stretching

Toe stretching is a simple yet powerful practice that restores natural alignment, improves flexibility, and strengthens the muscles in your feet. By regularly spreading and lengthening your toes, you can: For overall body alignment, don’t neglect a good shoulder stretch either—balance above starts below.

  • Relieve Plantar Fasciitis: Stretching releases tension in the connective tissue beneath your foot.
  • Improve Balance and Posture: A wider base of support means better stability on Brighton’s uneven pavements.
  • Alleviate Lower Back Pain: Misaligned feet change how you walk, which places extra stress on your knees, hips, and spine.

Did you know? Your feet contain 26 bones and 33 joints. When they are stiff, your spine has to compensate for the lack of shock absorption.

How to Do It

You don’t need fancy equipment to start. Try the Interlace Technique: sit comfortably, take your fingers, and weave them between your toes. Gently squeeze and stretch them apart for 30 seconds. Alternatively, invest in a pair of silicone toe separators to wear while relaxing at home. Likewise, shoulder stretch movements can complement your overall mobility routine.

Visit Our Brighton Chiropractic Clinic

Healthy movement starts from the ground up. If you are struggling with foot discomfort, nagging back stiffness, or postural issues, toe stretching is a great home remedy—but professional care makes the real difference. Just as a shoulder stretch can support upper body wellness, regular toe stretching supports your foundation.

Our experienced Brighton chiropractors are here to help you find long-term relief.

Book your consultation today https://ccsussex.co.uk/chiropractic-appointment-brighton/

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Author Matthew Bateman Categories CORE + HIPS, HOME EXERCISES, LEGS + FEET, STRETCHES

Seated Figure Four Stretch | Brighton Physiotherapy

What Is the Seated Figure Four Stretch?

The Seated Figure Four Stretch is a highly effective mobility exercise that Brighton Physiotherapy professionals frequently recommend to relieve tension in the hips, glutes, and lower back. If you’re exploring treatment options at Brighton Physiotherapy, this stretch provides a good example of the exercises therapists often use to improve movement and reduce discomfort. It is particularly beneficial for people experiencing hip tightness, piriformis discomfort, sciatica symptoms, or stiffness caused by prolonged sitting. Physiotherapists commonly include this stretch in rehabilitation programmes to improve flexibility, mobility, and overall movement quality.

How to Perform the Seated Figure Four Stretch

To perform the exercise, sit upright in a chair with both feet flat on the floor. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee to create a “figure four” position. Keep your back straight and gently lean forward from the hips until you feel a comfortable stretch in the buttock and outer hip area. Hold the stretch for 20–30 seconds while maintaining steady breathing. Slowly return to the starting position before switching sides. Brighton Physiotherapy specialists often recommend repeating the stretch several times throughout the day to improve hip mobility and reduce muscular tension.

Benefits of the Seated Figure Four Stretch

Physiotherapists frequently use the Seated Figure Four Stretch because it is safe, low impact, and suitable for most fitness levels. The stretch can help:

  • Improve hip flexibility and mobility
  • Reduce tension in the glutes and piriformis muscle
  • Ease lower back discomfort
  • Support better posture and movement patterns
  • Decrease pressure on the lower spine and surrounding muscles

Office workers, runners, cyclists, and individuals recovering from lower back or hip injuries often benefit from adding this stretch to their routine.

The Importance of Proper Technique

Physiotherapists guide patients through the correct technique to ensure they perform the stretch safely and effectively. Maintaining proper form helps maximise the benefits of the exercise while reducing the risk of strain or irritation. Consistent practice can also help prevent recurring discomfort and support long-term joint and muscle health.

When to Seek Professional Physiotherapy Advice

If you experience ongoing hip pain, reduced mobility, or persistent lower back discomfort, a physiotherapist can assess your condition and create a personalised treatment plan. A professional assessment can identify the underlying cause of your symptoms and help you recover more effectively through targeted exercises, hands-on treatment, and movement advice.

Book your appointment now https://ccsussex.co.uk/chiropractic-appointment-brighton/

Author Matthew Bateman Categories BACK, CORE + HIPS, HOME EXERCISES, STRETCHES

Low Back Flexibility | Brighton Chiropractor

Low Back Flexibility | Brighton Chiropractor Matt Bateman shows you how to help with the flexibility of a stiff low back

This exercise which is a combination of Childs Pose and Cobra Yoga positions or McKenzie extensions or Pluto Sniff positions known in various circles and industries.

These should be dine wihtin pain free range of motion and not casue any sharp pain or radicular pain down either legs. If this happens then stop and reduce the stretch

Author Matthew Bateman Categories CORE + HIPS, HOME EXERCISES, POSTURE

Plank Variations | Brighton Chiropractor

Plank Variations | Brighton Chiropractor Matt Bateman shows you how to do variations of the common plank that wont cause of exacerbate any back pain

People with history of back pain may not benefit from the stand high or elbow plank because at some point the back will arch. If this happens then pressure can build on the low back joints or discs and this can cause more pain

Moving the leg in these positions can avoid dropping the back into an arch but also activate a short weak psoas which is always a key aggravation to back pain

Work on these plank variations to avoid the common plank causing any issues

Author Matthew Bateman Categories HOME EXERCISES, POSTURE, STRETCHES, UPPER BODY

Chest Stretches | Brighton Chiropractor

Chest Stretches | Brighton Chiropractor Matt Bateman Shows you how stretch and open up your Pectoral Muscles including Pec major and Pec Minor

Tight Pec Muslces can cause postural issues but also be an effect of postural issues. Either way they need to be addressed by combining opening up the pecs with strengthening the antagonistic muscles in the back

But start here by stretching the Pec Muscles as shown

Author Matthew Bateman Categories BACK, CORE + HIPS, POSTURE, SHOULDERS, STRETCHES, UPPER BODY

Brugger Relife Position | Brighton Chiropractor

Brugger Relief Position | Brighton Chiropractor Matt Bateman shows a simple postural exercise which can be done at home or in the office environment to reset the shoulders against creeping forward

Forward Hunched shoulders is something that occurs when the arms lean forward towards a computer screen etc especially when in a seated position

Practice this exercise every hour when seated for 5 x 5 second hold

Author Matthew Bateman Categories CORE + HIPS, HOME EXERCISES, LEGS + FEET

Psoas March | Brighton Chiropractor

Psoas March | Brighton Chiropractor video is a great exercise used to strengthen the core while the psoas muscles is elongating and isometrically contracting

Complete 3 sets of 8 reps daily or when you do a core session

The psoas (hip flexor) is a real problem in low back pain. It can cause low back pain, it can occur during low back pain then stop the back getting better and it can cause faulty movement patterns ongoing

For further help and information go to www.ccsussex.co.uk/homeexercise

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