How to do it
On hands and knees with the back neutral. Reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back until both line up with the trunk; hold eight seconds without the low back sagging or the pelvis turning.
Default dose
3 × 6 · 8s · each side
This is the library's default dose. Each person's programme is set after assessment, around the grade of their finding and their own conditions and limits.
Muscles involved
- working Gluteus maximus
- holding still Multifidus and deep spinal muscles, Erector spinae, thoracic, Erector spinae, lumbar
Muscle colours in the animation: orange working, blue stretching, amber holding still. These muscles were measured on the 3D model.
Where it sits in a programme: Activate the weak
The third phase is activation: strengthening a muscle that has become weak or underused, with controlled movement and light load, so it can carry its share of holding the body up.
Which postural findings it is prescribed for
It appears in programmes the tool prescribes after a musculoskeletal assessment.
Take care
- If the movement causes pain or makes pain worse, stop and contact the clinic or your doctor.
Source
Textbook:
- McGill SM, Karpowicz A. Exercises for spine stabilization: motion/motor patterns, stability progressions, and clinical technique. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2009;90(1):118-26.
Technique and progression of the three foundational neutral-spine exercises: curl-up, side bridge and bird dog. - McGill S. Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention and Rehabilitation. 3rd ed. Human Kinetics; 2016.
The foundational spine-stability exercises and the neutral-spine hip hinge.