Donkey-kick is hard on my back....

kelsiehoagland

Any exercise that is done on all fours where my leg goes higher than my back (donkey-kicks, some exercise where you pulse your straight leg from even with your back, to slightly higher, etc.) are tough on my back because I have had a spinal fusion (years ago, but my back is fused from the bottom of my neck to the top of my tailbone), so I don't have a lot of flexibility in my back.

Do these types of exercises work okay IF I do them on my forearms instead?

(such as these exercises http://collegecandy.com/2012/03/22/dorm-room-workout-no-squats-here/)

I really appreciate the help! (:

DavPul

I was about to reply with my normal blah-blah-blah-planks-for-your-core stuff and then I read the part about your spinal fusion. This is they type of question you really should be asking your doctor or some other medical professional. Even if you don't see the doctor that performed your procedure anymore I bet he'd respond to an email or something. I've done this with the Ortho that did both my knee and shoulder surgeries. I bet he even has something printed that he can send back to you to about what to avoid doing or what to do to increase flexibility if this is a common problem. And if it's an uncommon problem, all the more reason to get him/her to chime in on it.