By Dr. Shayne Kelly, DO — Fellowship-Trained Sports Medicine Surgeon · Tri-City Orthopedics, Kennewick, WA
A home exercise program from Dr. Shayne Kelly, fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon.
Call Dr. Kelly's office at (509) 460-5588 right away if you develop new or worsening weakness in the arm or leg, numbness in the groin or saddle area, or any change in bowel or bladder control — and go to the emergency department if those happen suddenly. For all exercises below: symptoms moving TOWARD the spine (centralizing) is good; symptoms shooting FURTHER down the arm or leg means stop that exercise.
Avoid long stretches of slouched sitting. Change positions every 20-30 minutes. Short, frequent walks are one of the best treatments for nerve-related back pain.
Sitting tall, glide your head straight back to make a 'double chin' while keeping your eyes level — do not tip the head up or down. Hold 3-5 seconds. Relax.
Sitting on one hand, tilt your ear toward the opposite shoulder until a gentle stretch is felt along the side of the neck. You may add light overpressure with the other hand.
Turn your head as far as feels comfortable to the right, then to the left. Stay in a pain-easing range.
Arm at your side, palm forward. Gently straighten the elbow, wrist, and fingers until a light pull is felt — never pain, never worsening tingling — then release. If symptoms move further down the arm, stop.
Lie face down and prop up onto your forearms, letting your hips stay on the floor and your low back settle into a gentle arch. Breathe. If leg symptoms ease or move toward the spine, this is your exercise.
Lying on your back with both knees bent, gently pull one knee toward your chest. Hold, then switch.
Lying on your back with both knees bent, gently drop both knees to one side while turning your head the other way. Hold, return, and repeat to the opposite side.
Sitting tall at the edge of a chair, straighten one knee while lifting the head to look up; then bend the knee while tucking the chin. A smooth, gentle rhythm — never pushing into pain or worsening leg symptoms.
Frequent short walks at a comfortable pace, building duration as symptoms allow.
Call Dr. Kelly’s office at (509) 460-5588 for fever over 101°F, increasing redness or drainage at incisions, pain that is worsening instead of improving, or new numbness or tingling. For chest pain or trouble breathing, call 911.
Dr. Kelly sees patients at Tri-City Orthopedics in Kennewick.
Request an AppointmentPublished rehab research (the Silbernagel pain-monitoring model) uses this rule of thumb: pain up to about 5 out of 10 during exercise is acceptable — as long as it settles back to your usual level by the next morning and isn't trending worse week over week. With nerve symptoms, the direction matters too: symptoms moving toward the spine is good; symptoms shooting further down the arm or leg means stop that exercise.
What to expect: In published series, most episodes of nerve-related arm or leg pain improve substantially over 6-12 weeks without surgery. Individual results vary.
Call Dr. Kelly's office at (509) 460-5588 right away if you develop new or worsening weakness in the arm or leg, numbness in the groin or saddle area, or any change in bowel or bladder control — and go to the emergency department if those happen suddenly. For all exercises below: symptoms moving TOWARD the spine (centralizing) is good; symptoms shooting FURTHER down the arm or leg means stop that exercise.
Avoid long stretches of slouched sitting. Change positions every 20-30 minutes. Short, frequent walks are among the most helpful things you can do for nerve-related back pain.
Sitting tall, glide your head straight back to make a 'double chin' while keeping your eyes level — do not tip the head up or down. Hold 3-5 seconds. Relax.
Sitting on one hand, tilt your ear toward the opposite shoulder until a gentle stretch is felt along the side of the neck. You may add light overpressure with the other hand.
Turn your head as far as feels comfortable to the right, then to the left. Stay in a pain-easing range.
Arm at your side, palm forward. Gently straighten the elbow, wrist, and fingers until a light pull is felt — never pain, never worsening tingling — then release. If symptoms move further down the arm, stop.
Lie face down and prop up onto your forearms, letting your hips stay on the floor and your low back settle into a gentle arch. Breathe. If leg symptoms ease or move toward the spine, this is your exercise.
Lying on your back with both knees bent, gently pull one knee toward your chest. Hold, then switch.
Lying on your back with both knees bent, gently drop both knees to one side while turning your head the other way. Hold, return, and repeat to the opposite side.
Sitting tall at the edge of a chair, straighten one knee while lifting the head to look up; then bend the knee while tucking the chin. A smooth, gentle rhythm — never pushing into pain or worsening leg symptoms.
Frequent short walks at a comfortable pace, building duration as symptoms allow.
Call Dr. Kelly’s office at (509) 460-5588 if your pain is worsening instead of improving despite these exercises, if you develop new numbness, tingling, or weakness, or if pain wakes you at night or keeps you from your daily activities. For chest pain or trouble breathing, call 911.
Dr. Kelly sees patients at Tri-City Orthopedics in Kennewick.
Request an Appointment