Exercise for those with back issues

Hi, gwendolynwhatley. Below are options for both:
Simple Stretches
Hands:
1. Bring your entire hand in a fist for a couple of seconds.
2. Open your palm and stretch your fingers freely for five seconds.
3. Repeat the same process on the opposite hand.
Feet:
1. Clench or point your foot for a couple of seconds.
2. Flex your foot and stretch your toes freely for five seconds.
3. Repeat the same process on the opposite foot.
Limb Lifts
Arms:
1. Lift one arm as high as you can. If this becomes too difficult, you can rest your upper arm on the bed and lift your elbow instead.
2. Hold up your arm for 10 seconds.
3. Repeat the exercise on the opposite arm.
Legs:
1. Bring your legs together, straight or bent (as able).
2. Slowly lift up left leg; keep as straight as possible.
3. Hold that lift for 10 seconds (as able).
4. Return the leg to its original position.
5. Repeat on the opposite leg.
Belly & Back Boosts
Side Rolls:
1. Lie on your back. Turn to your right and maintain that position for 10 seconds. Get help as needed to position your limbs for comfort.
2. Roll onto your back again. Maintain for 10 seconds.
3. Turn to your left. Maintain for another 10 seconds.
4. Repeat process several times as tolerated.
Tummy Tucks:
1. Start on your back with your legs stretch forward.
2. Place your palm on your stomach.
3. Inhale to tighten your stomach by “pulling” it towards your spine. Hold for 10 seconds.
4. Repeat as tolerated, switching palms each time.
Squeeze & Strengthen
Thighs:
1. Lie on your back with your legs slightly apart.
2. Put a soft, long pillow in a lengthwise position between your knees.
3. Squeeze the pillow with your knees and hold for 10 seconds.
4. Release the squeeze and rest for 10 seconds.
5. You can repeat up to 10 times as comfortable.
Butt/Glutes:
1. Lie on your back with legs slightly apart.
2. Clench your right butt muscle (glute).
3. Hold this for 5 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds.
4. Repeat on your left glute.
5. You can repeat up to 10 times as comfortable.

Seated Strength Exercises
These toning and strength exercises will give you a full-body workout while sitting in a chair.
Important points
• You should always ‘warm-up’ before any type of exercise and ‘cool-down’ at the end.
• When seated, make sure your knees are at a 90-degree angle.
• Sit up as tall as possible while making sure your back is supported by a wall or chair back during each exercise and use your stomach (abdominal) muscles to maintain good posture; this will also work your belly muscles.
• Perform each exercise for 1 set of 10 repetitions or what you can manage at first. After you’re familiar with the moves and feel ready, increase to 2 or more sets.
• Do this workout 2-3 non-consecutive days a week, taking at least one day of rest between workouts.
Leg exercises
The first two exercises use paper plates as an aid to reduce friction.
• Exercise 1 – Seated Slides – Back and Forth
Place paper plates or Frisbees under each foot. Pressing down into the plate, slide your right foot back, feeling the back of the leg (hamstring) contract. At the same time, slide your left foot forward, feeling the move in the front of your leg (quadriceps muscle).
Continue the exercise, alternating one foot forward and back and really press down into the plate with each foot as you slide to get the most out of the movement. Continue for 15 repetitions, rest and repeat for a second set.
• Exercise 2 – Seated Slides – Side to Side
As in the first exercise, place plates under each foot. Press down into the plates and slide both feet out to the sides (using the outer thighs/gluteus muscle) and then back together (using the inner thighs). Again, press down into the plates to increase intensity and repeat for 15 repetitions.
• Exercise 3 – Leg Extensions
Sitting up very tall with feet flat on the floor, knees together, straighten the right leg as much as you can while keeping your foot flexed (ankle bent). Bend the knee and lower the foot back down. Touch the heel lightly to the floor (don’t rest all the way down) and repeat the leg extension for 15 repetitions. Switch to the other leg. Make sure your knees stay at the same level (i.e. don’t let the knee of the working leg drift up or down).
• Exercise 4 – Seated Knee Lifts
While in a seated position back straight and feet flat on the floor, lift the right foot a few inches off the floor while keeping the knee bent at 90 degrees. Lower back to the floor and gently touch the foot and repeat for 15 repetitions before switching sides. Be sure not to rock the torso back as you lift your leg – keep your abdominal muscles contracted so you maintain good posture.
Arm exercises
• Weight training
Many traditional upper body exercises can be done from a seated position using dumbbells, resistant bands, or anything that is weighted and fits in your hand, like soup cans.
Perform exercises such as shoulder presses, bicep curls, and triceps extensions using heavier weights and more resistance than for cardio exercises. Aim for two to three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions for each exercise, adding weight and more exercises as your strength improves.
• Seated Punches
Jab your fist forward, alternating the right and left arms. When jabbing, snap the arm forward as fast as you can without locking the elbow or fully extending the joint. Pull the arm back in as quickly as you can, keeping the other arm up and guarding the face, then jab with the other arm.
Front muscles – 20 repetitions
High muscles – Take your punches up toward the ceiling, alternating sides for 20 repetitions
Front and high muscles – Punch forward, alternating right and left, then punch high, alternating right and left. Repeat, going forward and then up to 20 repetitions.
Repeat 2 more times, moving as fast as you can without causing pain.
• Shoulder Retractions
Sit tall with the abdominal muscles engaged and push the arms straight out in front of you without locking the joints. Bend the elbows and pull them back, squeezing the shoulder blades together, slightly behind the torso. Continue pushing forward and pulling back for 2 sets of 20 repetitions.
• Weight Exchange
Sit tall with abdominal muscles engaged and hold a medium-sized (i.e. 16 oz or 480 g) full can of food or similar weighted object in the right hand, down at your side. Circle the arm up and overhead, taking the object with the other hand and lowering it down to the left side. Continue circling the object overhead, alternating arms and directions. For more intensity, go faster or add a toss at the top of the movement. Repeat for 16 repetitions.
• “Prayer” Chest Squeeze
Sit tall and hold your palms together at chest level with elbows out, and squeeze the palms together to contract the chest. While continuing to squeeze, slowly push your arms forward out in front of you at chest level until elbows are almost straight. Continuing the pressure with your hands, bend the elbows and pull the ball back to chest. Repeat for 16 repetitions.
• Overhead Press and Alternating Arms
Sit with good posture holding light-medium objects in both hands. Begin with arms bent to 90 degrees, weights next to ears (arms should look like goal posts). Press the weights overhead and lower back down, repeating 8 times. Next, keep one arm down while the other arm presses overhead. Continue alternating arms for 8 repetitions (1 repetition= both right and left arm).
• Front Raise with Triceps Extension
Sit tall and hold weights at your sides. Sweep the arms up so shoulder level and then continue overhead until the arms are next to the ears. Bend the elbows and lower the weights behind the head to about 90 degrees. Straighten the arms and sweep them back down, repeating 16 times.
Cool-down
The “cool-down” is a continuation of movement that tells your body you are getting ready to stop exercising. It allows your heart rate and blood pressure to settle back to normal gradually, so that you do not have any side effects that can occur if sudden changes take place.
To cool down you need to do the following:
• Continue to exercise slowly for another (final) 5-10 minutes before you stop.
• Any movement of the legs will do – even keeping your toes resting on the floor and lifting alternate heels.
• If you have been using your arms during the exercises, gentle arm movement will also help.
Final points

Always remember to start off slowly (10-15 minutes) and finish slowly (5-10 minutes), but build up the bit in the middle where you work a bit harder.
It is normal to get slightly out of breath when exercising – when you can feel yourself breathing deeper and a bit faster, but can still talk easily. Do not confuse this with breathlessness, where breathing is difficult. Not only does this not feel good, it can mean that you are not burning fat.
Try to increase the length of time for your exercise, depending on how you feel, as follows:
• Daily if you find it easy, and don’t get tired or have any other symptoms. e.g. breathlessness or chest tightness, or
• Every few days if you find you tire easily
Do make sure that you only make small increases in what you do – if you try to make big increases in activity, you may become overtired and this can slow your progress and be discouraging.
Do not be discouraged if you cannot exercise every day. Even though light exercise every day is ideal, even a few days a week is good for you.
Everybody eventually reaches a point where they cannot increase their exercise ability. When you reach that point, it is important to maintain that level if possible.