- Basic exercises for the lumbar spine1. Basic exercises for the lumbar spine 1. Basic exercises for the lumbar spine1. Basic exercises for the lumbar spine
7. Lie on your back with your hips and knees bent;
hold the knees close towards the chest so that
the back is comfortable on the floor (Figure 6.1).
8. Gently rock your legs from side to side, about
20°, slightly lifting the opposite hip, to oscillate
the lumbar spine into rotation, up to 3 times
within one exhalation; finish in the starting
position (point 7).
9. While breathing in, stay calm and feel the
relaxation of your abdomen and lumbar area.
10. Perform points 8 and 9 3–5 times.
11. Stay relaxed for a few breaths in the knee hug
position (Figure 6.4).
Refined work
Play with the scope and frequency of the oscillation
to find the easiest and most comfortable rhythm.
Exercise 1.4: Knee hug rotation
variation
Aims: mobilizing the lumbar spine into rotation,
balancing the trunk muscles.
- Start with the knee hug position (Figure 6.4);
hold the knees close towards your chest so that
the back is comfortable on the floor; holding a
brick or pad between your knees may be useful
to help position the hips and knees (Figure 6.5).
- Bring your arms down in line with your shoulder
girdle, with the palms facing the ceiling; you may
like to also try it with the palms facing the floor,
as shown in Figure 6.7, below.
3. Without shifting the knees move your legs to
the right side as you exhale; the left hip comes
off the floor; the left shoulder and arm should
remain on the floor, so only go this far and as
long as you can control the rotation (Figure 6.6);
keep your head in line with your spine.
4. Hold this position for 1–2 breaths.
5. Bring your legs back to the center as you inhale.
6. Repeat points 3–5 for the left side, keeping the
right shoulder and arm on the floor.
7. Perform points 3–6 3–5 times.
8. Relax in the knee hug position (Figure 6.4) for a
few breaths; feel the softness in your abdomen.
Refined work
Try different angles for your hips and knees, but no
more than 90°. Hold up to 3 breaths at the end of
range of rotation.
Hint
If you are very mobile you may prefer to perform
the rotation movements during inhalation instead of
Figure 6.4 exhalation.
Figure 6.5
Figure 6.6
