Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

7. Basic exercises for the pelvis7. Basic exercises for the pelvis 7. Basic exercises for the pelvis7. Basic exercises for the pelvis
   6. Hold for 3–5 breaths.
   7. Put your right foot on the floor, with the right
   knee bent.
   8. Bend your left knee towards your chest; holding
   the top of the shin with both hands, keep your
   sacrum still on the roll or brick, and straighten
   your right leg. Bring your left knee closer
   towards your chest. As soon as your right knee
   starts bending, push your right heel further
   away so long as you are comfortable in the
   back of your pelvis and lumbar area; adjust the
   distance of your left knee from your chest so
   that you can straighten your right leg.
   9. Hold for 3–5 breaths, then release the position.
   10. Lie with your sacrum on the rolled towel, your
   knees bent, and the soles of your feet on the floor.
   11. Keeping your sacrum still on the towel or brick,
   slide both heels away to straighten both legs;
   slightly tilt your pelvis backwards. If there is
   any discomfort in the back of the pelvis or the
   lumbar area, bend your knees, and rest the soles
   of your feet on the floor.
   12. Hold for 3–5 breaths.
   13. Bring your feet back to the starting position
   with the soles on the floor; slightly lift the
   pelvis, remove the towel or brick, and lower the
   back of your pelvis on the floor; if you can keep
   your abdomen and lumbar area soft, straighten
   and relax your legs; stay calm for a few breaths.

Exercise 7.6: Correcting pelvic

torsion

Aim: derotating the pelvis.

To test which side of the pelvis is more posterior or

backwards, to which side it is rotated:

1. Lie on your back.


2. Bend both knees, keeping the soles of your feet
   on the floor, and knees and feet together.


3. Rock both knees in a slow rhythm to the left and
   to the right.


4. If you feel more weight in your right hip
   when rocking to the right than in your left
   hip when rocking to the left, your right side

is more posterior; otherwise your left side is

more posterior.

We are describing here the exercise for a posterior

right side; if your left side is more posterior, swop

left and right in the description:

1. Lie comfortably on the floor, using a pillow for
   your head if you need it.


2. Bend your right leg, with the knee towards your
   chest; hold the back of the thigh or the top of
   the shin with both hands; if there is any irritation
   in the knee hold the back of your thigh.


3. Keeping the shoulders relaxed on the floor, pull
   your right leg closer towards your chest.


4. Raise your left leg, externally rotate and
   abduct it about the width of your foot to the
   left and slowly lower it to the floor; the weight
   of the left leg turns your pelvis to the left –
   opposite to the diagnosed rotation of your
   pelvis (Figure 6.157).


5. Bring your left leg back to the starting position in
   line with the left side of your body.


6. Pull your right leg even closer towards your chest
   and repeat points 4 and 5.


7. Repeat the test described above.


8. If there is improvement repeat points 2–7 once
   or twice, depending on the result.


9. After finishing the test, relax in a symmetrical
   position for a few breaths.

Hints

If you cannot feel any improvement continue work-

ing with exercises 7.2 and 7.3 instead.

If you are not using this exercise to correct pel-

vic torsion you can use it bilaterally to mobilize and

strengthen your hips.

Figure 6.157