As always, check with your Doctor before doing any exercises.
Seated Knee Pillow Squeezes
You can gain leg strength, reduce your shortness of breath and have less low back pain all with this simple yet powerful exercise!
Seated knee pillow squeezes are a great Pulmonary Rehab and Lung Cancer Rehab exercise to strengthen your leg muscles without making you too short of breath. This simple yet effective exercise will help build some of the muscles used for walking and stair climbing and as an added benefit it can help reduce low back pain. Stronger muscles equals less shortness of breath!
Remember to breathe properly: Blow out gently with your lips and inhale softly and slowly only through your nose throughout the entire exercise.
Let’s begin:
1. Sit towards the front of a chair with your pelvis rolled forward to place an arch in your lower back.
2. Place your knees directly over your ankles with your feet parallel, roughly 6-8 inches apart and flat on the floor.
3. Place a pillow between your knees and keep your pelvis rolled forward maintaining the curve in your lower back.
4. Place your hands on your thighs palms up and gently squeeze your shoulder blades together. Keep your shoulders squeezed together during the exercise.
5. Now, squeeze and release the pillow between your knees keeping the arch in your low back and your feet pointed straight ahead.
6. Remember to breathe properly: Blow out gently with your lips and inhale softly and slowly only through your nose.
Do this exercise: 3 sets of 20 repetitions (Set 1: slowly, Set 2: quicker, Set 3: slowly)
Notes:
• Make sure your knees are positioned directly over your ankles
• Keep your hips rolled forward creating and arch in lower back
• Check your feet between sets (they probably have moved) remember to keep your feet parallel and roughly 6-8 inches apart and flat on the floor
• Don’t open your knees too much when releasing, the pillow will fall out
• You may feel this in the inner thighs, top of the thighs and lower back
Have fun and remember, proper exercises will help you Breathe better, Get stronger and Live longer.
Let me know how you did with this exercise and stay tuned for more great Pulmonary Rehab and Lung Cancer Rehab exercises!
About the author:
David Junga, RRT is a Nationally Board Certified Registered Respiratory Therapist and Program Director at Pulmonary Rehabilitation Associates, LLC and PulmonaryRehab.com. David has been in private practice since 1999 and loves teaching patients how to overcome their shortness of breath.
https://pulmonaryrehab.com
David is also a Postural Alignment Specialist certified by the Egoscue University and Program Director at CtPainFree. His other passion is teaching people how to eliminate chronic pain through simple yet powerful corrective exercises.
http://ctpainfree.com
While doing this exercise, do we breathe out while squeezing the pillow and breathe in while releasing the squeeze – or visa-versa? Thanks.
Hi Glorianna, excellent question. We suggest trying this: Breathe in, pause, then slowly exhale while simultaneously doing three or four squeezes, then repeat.
I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, just let us know. Have a great day!
I have PF and I do a monthly newsletter for American Lung Association in New Mexico. I would love to receive your newsletter for personal reasons, but also for any information that I can add (with your permission) to our newsletter. Thank you.
Hi Glorianna, on the right side of our blog page is the sign up form for our newsletter. Also, we would love to help provide you information for your newsletter, we can connect via telephone (call our office) or Skype to discuss the specifics. Look forward to hearing from you!
i need exercises
Hi Sarah,
We would be happy to help you with some exercises, we would need more information to be able to help you.
We sent you an email with a link to begin the process, please fill it out and lets chat.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Seems like a great exercise. One question. What kind of pillow should be used?vAnd the size of it.
Thanks
Paul
Hi Paul, another great question! In our office we use a Posture Therapy pillow which is 6 inches wide, but you could use any number of things such as a pillow folded in half, a beach towel rolled up, or even a partially deflated soccer ball. No matter which you choose, you want it to be firm enough to give a little resistance when you squeeze but not so firm that you can’t squeeze it. Hope this helps and please check back and tell us how it’s going. Have a great day!
I have IPF. Thank you for the exercise . I will give it a try.
You are quite welcome Kay, there are more exercises coming. Please let us know if you have any questions, have a great day!
Dave -blow out gently with your lips [when squeezing the pillow]?
Fran, Yes great question. Remember to breathe properly: Blow out gently with your lips and inhale softly and slowly only through your nose throughout the entire exercise.