Exercise safety Part 3

Standing toe-touches

Avoid standing toe-touches altogether. Bending down to touch the toes, with straight legs, can overstretch the lower back muscles and hamstrings, and stress the vertebrae, discs and muscles of the lower back and hamstrings. Adding a twisting movement to the toe-touch can cause damage to the joints.

Alternative stretches for the abdominal muscles or the lower back muscles and hamstrings include:

• Stretch the hamstrings and lower back muscles by placing one foot on a low bench or chair, with both legs slightly bent so as not to stress the knee joints and, keeping your back straight, gently reach forward with your arms.
• An alternative hamstring stretch involves lying on your back with both knees bent. Straighten one leg by lifting it towards the ceiling, keeping the knee slightly bent. Support this leg by clasping both hands behind the knee. Hold. Repeat for the other leg. You should feel the stretch on the back thigh of the straight leg.
• For an alternative lower-back stretch, sit cross-legged on the floor then slowly lean forward, keeping your back straight while reaching your arms out to the floor. Hold.

Deep (full) squat

Full squats push the knee joint past 90 degrees. Whether they are done with or without weights (a barbell or a weight held across the shoulders or in the hands) this can strain the ligaments, cartilage and muscle of the knee joint and lower back, and create problems with the tracking (movement) of the kneecap. Suggestions include:

• Perform half-squats instead (45-degree bend of the knee).
• Use a mirror to check when your knee joint is at 90 degrees. You could also ask someone else to watch you or seek instruction from a qualified fitness professional.