Lumbar Exercises
Wall Lean Stretch
With the left hand against the wall, slowly stretch hips toward the wall, the other arm supporting the trunk. Hold for 2 seconds
Wall Slide
Stand with your back against a wall. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, your hands on your hips. Inhale and exhale deeply and evenly as you gently slide your back down the wall until your knees are at an angle of about 90 degrees. Count to five, and then gently and slowly slide back to your original position.
Hip Extension Unilateral - Support
Lie on your stomach on a table top, head resting on arms, positioned with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Find a neutral lumbar spine by rocking the pelvis towards 12:00 then 6:00, find the midpoint in between and hold this position by drawing the belly button in towards the spine.
Extend one leg at a time, maintaining bent knee and keeping a neutral lumbar spine. Do not allow the leg to rotate out to the side as you bring your leg toward ceiling.
You should feel your buttocks tighten during the movement. Try to focus the movement to
the hip joint, avoiding movement, especially arching of the spine.
It may be helpful to try and elongate the leg by reaching away with your knee as you bring the leg toward the ceiling.
Sphinx - On Elbows Prone
Lie flat on your stomach, propping yourself up with your forearms. Make sure your elbows are directly under your shoulders. Gently but firmly press through the palms of your hands and the tops of your feet while pressing your pubic bone forward. Hold for 2 seconds.
Sphinx Press Up
Press upper body upward keeping hips in contact with floor. Keep lower back and buttock relaxed. Hold for 2 seconds
Superman Extension Prone Alternate
This exercise strengthens your lower back muscles. Lie on your front with your arms and legs extended and your forehead resting on the floor. Lift your left arm and right leg off of the floor as far as you can without arching your back or lifting your chest. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat the exercise by lifting your opposite arm and leg. Continue alternating sides
Superman - Extension Prone
Lie on your front with your arms and legs extended and your forehead resting on the floor. Lift both arms and both legs off of the floor as far as you can without arching your back or lifting your chest. Do not arch neck. Slowly return to the starting position.
Mid Back Stretch
Start on your hands and knees and stretch your arms out in front of you. Bring your toes together and open your knees out to either side of your body. Slowly sit back until your glutes rest above your heels. Lower down as far as you can go, but don’t force it. Continue to reach your arms forward until you feel a continuous stretch that travels from your lower back, down to your fingers. Hold this pose for 2 sec
Angry Cat Stretch
Get on your hands and knees. Palms should be flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart, while knees are hip-width apart and bent 90 degrees. Engage your core and abs and keep your spine in a neutral position. Then round your back up toward the ceiling. Hold pose.
Lumbar Extension
On your hands and knees, let your belly sag towards the table to increase extension through your spine . Hold 10-20 seconds
Knee to Chest Stretch - Unilateral
This one’s simple! Lie on your back with both legs extended on the floor. Then, keeping one leg extended, bring a knee up into your chest and hold for 15 – 30 seconds. You can use your hands to help pull the leg closer to your chest, if it’s comfortable. You should feel this in your lower back and buttocks. Hold for 2 seconds
Knee to Chest Stretch - Bilateral
Start with the knees bent and feet flat against the floor. Tighten the abdomen to push the low back against the floor and lift both legs off the ground and pull them to the chest. Hold this pose for five seconds then lower the legs back down to the ground.
Pelvic Tilt
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Flatten your back against the floor by tightening your abdominal muscles and bending your pelvis up slightly. Hold for up to 10 seconds. Repeat.
Bridge
Lie on your back as shown above, with knees bend and your feet placed a hip distance apart. Then, take a deep breath, and as you let it out, lift your hips up off of the floor until your knees, shoulders and hips are in a straight line. Breathe in and lower your hips back to the floor.
Lumbar Rotation (non-weight bearing)
Lie on your back. Stretch your arms out to the sides, and place your legs in front of you, with your knees bent and together. With your upper body relaxed, breathe deeply, and as you breathe, roll both of your knees to one side, followed by your pelvis, while keeping your upper body and shoulders flat on the ground. Breathe deeply and return to the starting position before rolling your knees to the opposite side.
Gluteal Stretch
Lie on the back with both knees bent. Rest the ankle of one leg against the knee of the other. Grab onto the thigh of the bottom leg and pull it toward the chest until you feel a stretch in the buttocks and possibly the outer part of the hip. Hold this pose for 15 to 30 seconds before switching legs. These stretches for spondylolisthesis should be repeated three times for each leg.
Leg Extension
Begin on your hands and knees. Tighten the abdominals; while doing so, raise one leg. Hold this pose for five seconds and then lower the leg and arm to the ground and repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Do NOT arch neck - Hold for 2 seconds then repeat
Arm Leg Extension Alternate
Begin on your hands and knees. Tighten the abdominals; while doing so, raise one arm and the opposite leg. Hold this pose for five seconds and then lower the leg and arm to the ground and repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Do NOT arch neck - Hold for 2 seconds then repeat with left arm and right leg.