autostretching0230

THE LOWER BACK 6 A.

Your difficulty is:

Tight Muscles: Eąuipment: Starting Position:

Stretching:

Stimulation:

Common Errors:

Notes:

Normal Mobility:

Bending backward while turning right and bending sideways to the left at waist level. Lying on your side, back arched.

Muscles that tum lower back and bend it forward and sideways.

Finn cushion or rolled towel; sandbag or other weight to aid stretch.

Lie on left side with cushion under waist. Straighten left leg at hip and move il slightly backward, so that lower back is arched. Bend right hip. but not enough to straighten arched back. Straighten right knee. (This position stabilizes pelvis.) Left arm straight out to side; sandbag or weight in right hand, arm pointing straight up toward ceiling.

1.    Look to the right; exhale. Turn upper body to the right, lowering right arm toward floor, so that stretch is felt in lower back. Keep right arm straight out to side and don’t move in shoulder joint.

2.    Look to the left; inhale. Tense muscles as if to tum upper body to the left againsl resistance of left arm pressing on floor; hołd for 5 seconds.

3.    Relax. Look to the right; exhale. Tum upper body to the right, lowering right ann toward floor, pushing with left arm to limit - maybe a little bit morę.

4.    Repeat until you feel you can stretch no further and muscles feel tight. Hołd this finał stretch from 15 seconds to a minutę or morę.

1.    Retain position and grip; look to the right.

2.    Exhale; push with left arm and turn upper body to the right, so that right shoulder is lowered as far toward floor as possible without any move-ment in shoulder joint.

3.    Hołd position a few seconds.

*    Lower back not arched enough.

*    Feet not steady on floor.

*    Legs not held straight.

*    Upper body not turned to the right as right arm is lowered toward floor; that is, only shoulder joint moves.

1.    Left arm should press against floor and push to increase tum.

2.    Stretch should be felt only around lower back and belly. If you feel pain or discomfort in back, down either leg, or in any other place, stop stretching immediately.

3.    For effect higher up in back, move cushion higher.

While bending your lower back backward and to the left, you should be able to turn right until your shoulders are almost at a right angle to your pelvis.

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