Evolve Chiropractic's Rehab Protocols
On this page you will find video and instruction for many of the rehab protocols used at Evolve Chiropractic.
These protocols are meant to be used under the guidance of our highly trained staff.
Please rely on your chiropractor to help guide you through these exercises. Self-exploration is not encouraged or recommended.
Table of Contents
Thoracic Protocol Series 1
Sidelying Thoracic Rotations (Open Books)
2) Have arms on top of each other directly in front of you
3) Bring your top arm across your body & follow it with your head as far as possible
4) Hold this position for 5 seconds & then return to start
5) Repeat on opposite side
3 Sets of 30 Repetitions (each side)
Seated Thoracic Extensions
1) Start with foam roller at level of your scapula right below neck
2) Place hands behind head & keep elbows in front of your face
3) Extend your neck over the foam roller for 10 reps
3) Move foam roller down 3 inches to upper/middle back
4) Extend your neck & upper back over the foam roller for 10 reps
5) Move foam roller to middle/lower back
6) Extend your neck, upper, & mid back over the foam roller for 10 reps
10 Reps Each Segment
Paloff Press
1) Place the resistance band in front of your chest with your body turned sideways
2) Side step enough to provide adequate lateral resistance
3) Keeping your hands at chest level, press straight out from your chest and then raise arms up to your nose
4) Engage your core & shoulder blade muscles to prevent any thorax/trunk rotation
5) Repeat
3 Sets of 15 Repetitions (each side)
Thoracic Protocol Series 2
Archer Pulls
2) Have arms on top of each other directly in front of you
3) Hold resistance band ends with each hand
4) Draw your top arm across your body to place hand next to upside’s ear (drawing a bow)
5) Finishing position is with shoulder blade/elbow flat on table/mat
6) Repeat
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Wall Rotations
1) Stand with you side facing the wall
2) Put both arms straight out in front of you
3) Rotate your top arm up over your head and behind you
4) Bring back to starting position
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Anti-Rotation RDL
1) Place a resistance band on the wall over the opposite shoulder from attachment site
2) Stand on AIREX pad w/ one leg (closer leg to attachment site)
3) Perform a single leg RDL
4) Repeat while avoiding excessive thoracic rotation
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Lumbar Protocol Series 1
Prone Press Ups
2) Put hands in a pushup position
3) Press up keeping pelvis/hips flat on floor
4) Try to get elbow as straight as possible
5) Hold at top & take a deep breath
6) As you exhale let your belly sag to the floor
7) Slowly return to starting position
Pelvic Tilting
2) Place hands on top of pelvis to feel it’s movement with next stretches
3) Round out lower back as much as possible (posterior tilt)
4) Arch lower back as much as possible (anterior tilt)
5) Repeat
TA Activation with Bent Knee Fall Out
2) Use Abdominal Drawing-In Maneuver (big breath in & blow out while pulling your belly button to your spine) to activate TA
3) While maintaining TA activation, slowly move right knee to the side keeping foot at same spot on floor
4) Only move right knee 20 degrees then slowly bring back to center
5) Use 2 second lowering: 1 second hold at bottom: 2 second raising tempo
6) Repeat on other leg
3 sets of 10 repetitions
Quadruped Multifidus Activation
2) On target side, keep your foot on the ground/table while raising your knee straight towards the ceiling
3) Minimal lumbar rotation should occur without excessive contralateral compensation patterns
4) Perform all repetitions on one side before moving on to the other
3 sets of 10 repetitions
Hip Hikes
1) Stand on step with one foot on the edge of the step & the other foot hanging over the edge
2) Pelvis & feet are level to start
3) Keeping both knees straight, let the foot & pelvis that is off the edge of the step lower towards the floor
4) “Hike” that side up past your level starting position
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions (each side)
Lumbar Protocol Series 2
Prone Press Up with Overpressure
2) Wrap a towel/sheet around your lumbar spine
3) Put hands in a pushup position while holding each end of the towel/sheet
4) Press up keeping pelvis/hips flat on floor
5) Try to get elbow as straight as possible
6) Hold at top & take a deep breath
7) As you exhale let your belly sag to the floor
8) Slowly return to starting position
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
TA Activation (Deadbugs)
2) Have a swiss ball in between arms and legs
3) Use Abdominal Drawing-In Maneuver (big breath in & blow out while pulling your belly button to your spine) to activate TA
4) Lower your opposite arm & leg simultaneously
5) Keep swiss ball steady in between stationary arm & leg
6) Once the lowering arm & leg touch the floor bring them back to starting position
7) Repeat with opposite side
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions (each side)
Prone Multifidi (Scorpions)
1) Lie flat on your stomach with your arms straight out to your sides & feet together
2) Lift one leg off of the floor, crossing it over to your other side while twisting your hips until your foot touches the floor
3) Hold, then return to the starting position
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions (each side)
Sit to Stand
1) Place one hand on stomach and other on lower back
2) Round out lower back as much as possible (extreme posterior pelvic tilt)
3) Arch lower back as much as possible (extreme anterior pelvic tilt)
4) Round lower back to slightly lesser than in step (2)
5) Arch lower back to slightly lesser than in step (3)
6) Repeat step 4 and 5 until you find the “center”
7) Use Abdominal Drawing-In Maneuver (big breath in & blow out while pulling your belly button to your spine) to activate TA
8) Lean forward with hip hinge
9) Stand up while maintaining neutral spine & squeezing glutes
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Shoulder Protocol Series
Scapular Depression and Retraction
2) Move your scapula/shoulder blades down (towards your feet) & hold for 2 seconds
3) From this position, move your scapula/shoulder blades back (together) & hold for 2 seconds
4) Return to starting position
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Banded Wall Slides
1) Stand near wall with hands a chest level and pinkie side of hand directly on the wall
2) Have a resistance band looped around your wrists
3) Slowly slide your hands up the wall until elbows are at eye height
4) Then, lift your hands off the wall without bending your elbows or moving your body backwards
5) Bring hands back to the wall
6) Return hands to starting position
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Wall Clocks
1) Stand near wall with hands a chest level and pinkie side of hand directly on the wall
2) Have a resistance band looped around your wrists
3) Retract both shoulder blades and hold throughout movement patterns
4) 1st movement is an upward 45 degree angle (2 o’clock)
5) 2nd movement is straight across (3 o’clock)
6) 3rd movement is an lower 45 degree angle (4 o’clock)
7) Restart at starting position before moving through each movement
8) Repeat
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions (each side)
Lat Pull-Downs
1) Anchor theraband above eye level
2) Grab each end of the theraband and pull straight down by your sides
3) Keep both elbows straight
4) Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end range of each repetition
5) Repeat
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Elbow/Wrist Protocol Series
Closed Chain Wrist Flexion and Extension
Extension
1) Place your palms completely down on a table or floor with fingers pointed away from your body
2) Keeping your palms flat on the surface, shift you body over your hands as far as you can without pain
3) Hold for 30 seconds
4) Return to starting position
Flexion
1) Place back of your hand completely down on a table or floor with fingers pointed towards your body
2) Keeping the back of your hand flat on the surface, shift you body over your hands as far as you can without pain
3) Hold for 30 seconds
4) Return to starting position
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Eccentric Wrist Flexion and Extension
1) Obtain a dumbbell of challenging weight for a set of 10
2) Stabilize lower arm on a flat surface to get the most out of our target muscles
3) With an overhand grip (palm facing the floor) position your wrist on the surface so that you have enough room for both flexion & extension (up & down)
4) Start in a neutral position, go into full extension (back of your hand towards you), go back to a neutral position, go to full flexion (palm towards the floor), and finish at neutral
5) Each of these positions should be held for 2-3 seconds & together combine for 1 rep
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Forearm Pronation and Supination
1) Obtain a dumbbell & place your arm on a supported surface
2) Have your elbow flexed & keep it in line with your chest
3) Start with your palm facing the floor slowly rotate until your it faces the ceiling
4) Once you’re at this position, slowly face your palm back towards the floor
5) This is 1 repetition
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Pelvis/Hips Protocol Series
Psoas Marches
2) Use Abdominal Drawing-In Maneuver (big breath in & blow out while pulling your belly button to your spine) to activate TA
3) Straighten one leg and lower it towards the floor, without letting your low back position change
4) Bring leg back to starting position
5) Repeat with other leg
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Sidelying Clams
1) Lie on your side on the floor and bend your knees and hips to 90 degrees with knees & feet stacked on top of each other
2) Roll the top hip slightly forward
3) Place one hand on glute medius to feel muscle activate
4) Push through your heel as you rotate your hip open, raising your knee only 20 degrees
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Hip Wipers
1) Sit on the floor with one leg to your side into an abducted & internally rotated position & the leg in front of you into a flexed & externally rotated position
2) Feet & knees should be touching the floor throughout this exercise
3) If you don’t have adequate hip mobility in this position, you can sit on a yoga block to decrease the amount of hip mobility required to perform this exercise
4) To further the stretch you have two options:
-Increase the load by leaning forward toward your front leg
-Rotate away from the leg on your side
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Bridges
2) Posteriorly tilt your pelvis (tuck your tail in)
3) Use Abdominal Drawing-In Maneuver (big breath in & blow out while pulling your belly button to your spine) to activate TA
4) Raise your hips off ground toward the ceiling
5) Stop when knees, hips, and shoulder are aligned
6) Slowly lower hips back down to floor
7) Use 2 second raising:1 second hold at top: 2 second lowering down tempo
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Donkey Kicks
2) Keeping the knee in a bent position, extend one leg (lift behind) squeezing your glute
3) Pause at the top of the motion.
4) Slowly lower back down
5) Keep hips from rotating
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Knee Protocol Series
Straight Leg Raises
1) Lie flat on your back with your hands by your side & legs straight
2) While keeping your low back pressed against the ground, contract your quad & raise your leg 30 degrees off the ground
3) Hold this position for 3 seconds
4) Slowly lower leg back to the ground
5) Try to avoid excessive hip rotation or ankle movement
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Hamstring Curls
1) Lie flat on the floor with legs straight & swiss ball underneath your calves and heels
2) Bridge up so that your hips are off the ground
3) Feet, Hips, and Shoulders should all be in a straight line
4) Roll swiss ball towards your body as far as possible by bending your knees & activating your hamstrings
5) Roll the ball away from your body to it’s starting position with an 8 second tempo
6) When ball is back at starting position drop hips back to ground
7) This is 1 rep
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Golf Ball Pickup
1) Stand on one leg, while placing the other leg behind you & just on the toes like a kickstand
2) Maintain a slightly bent front knee throughout the exercise
3) Keep your back flat during the entire exercise
4) Hinge from the hips, bringing your torso towards the floor until
5) As you begin to stand back up, push up through your heel & squeeze your glute
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Side Steps
1) Place the theraband between the arch of both your feet
2) With a slight bend in your knees, move take 2 steps to your side keeping your toes pointed forward
3) Take two step back to starting position
4) This is 1 rep
5) Keep the band consistently taught throughout the exercise
3 Sets of 10 Repetitions
Ankle/Foot Protocol Series
Lunge with Posterior Glide
1) Obtain a theraband or cord & wrap it right above where the top of your foot ends (you want to be below the end of your shinbone)
2) Place the band so that the resistance is pulling posterior or behind you
3) Now go into a lunge position
4) Shift your weight forward as much as you can while keeping your heel down
3 Sets of 15 Repetitions
Toe Yoga
1) Sit with your feet flat on the floor
2) Raise just your big toes while your other toes are on the ground for 5 seconds
3) Raise all the other toes besides your big toe for 5 seconds
4) Splay them out as best you can for 5 seconds
5) Return to starting position
3 Sets of 15 Repetitions
Toe Curls
1) Place a towel underneath your foot so that your heel is anchoring the close end of it
2) Use your toes to drag the far end of the towel closer to you
3) Once the far end isn’t able to move anymore, use your toes to push the towel back out to it’s starting position
4) Try to use your ankle muscles as little as possible
3 Sets of 15 Repetitions
Calf Raises
1) Use a tennis ball, lacrosse ball, or anything of similar shape to stick between your ankles
2) Place your feet so that they are both angled outwards as far as you can go
3) While squeezing the ball between your ankles, raise your heels off the ground as far as you can
4) Slowly lower yourself back to starting position
3 Sets of 15 Repetitions