Duration : 2-3 Minutes
Instructions:
This is a great exercise for patients who suffer from lumbar disc injuries… it helps most in the morning, when the discs have the most water in them.
- Get on all fours, knees behind the hips.
- Allow your belly to drop out to the floor, and look up to the ceiling. This is EXTENSION, something (almost) every lumbar disc loves.
- Hold this position for 30 to 40 seconds. Breathe using your belly during this time.
- Then, begin to arch your back.
- Hold this position for only one to two seconds.
- Repeat this for 2-3 minutes.
- For acute disc pain, performing a variation of this in the shower, with hot water on the low back, is also acceptable.
- With a lumbar disc injury, avoid bending and rotating at all costs!
Remember, the downward motion Picture (#2) is the important one. Focus on relaxing into this position most, approximately 30s “DOWN” for each 1s “UP”