Day 62- Figure 8 Knee Stirs

This exercise is intended to increase the range of motion of the hip sockets.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your knees hugging to your chest.  With one hand on each knee you will make a figure eight with the circular motion of your hip sockets. Breathe continuously as you circle one leg outward (out and then down) and one leg inward (down and then out) Continue this motion allowing the release in the muscles of the hip to increase the range of motion at the hip sockets. 

 

Things to think about:

This exercise is a great way to increase flexibility in the hip joint and at the inner thighs. However, as an asymmetrical exercise it is a little tricky for those of us with unstable sacroiliac joints.

Day 61- Butterfly Knee Stirs

This exercise is recuperative it is intended to provide release in the hip socket.  It may also increase stability at the sacroiliac joint.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your knees hugging to your chest.  With one hand on each knee allow your hands to circle your knees outward and then down.  Let your breath be continuous as you do these exercises. After five our six circles change directions and repeat.

 

Things to think about:

In this exercise the legs are moving symmetrically which aids in pelvic stability, so if you have low back pain that is due to sacroiliac dysfunction this is a great recuperative exercise for you.

Day 60-Knee Stirs

This exercise is recuperative and intended to create fluidity in the hip socket and release in the low spine.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back and hug your knees to your chest.  Place one hand on each knee and gently begin circling the knees to the right.  Let your breathing continue through the movement, and feel the ease in your low back.  After about five repetitions begin circling the leg in the other direction.

 

Things to think about:

This exercise should feel easy, as you are circling your thighs you want to be sure that your arms are doing most of the work.

 

Long deep breaths will increase release in the low back.

Day 59- Bridge with Neutral Spine with Foam Roller

This exercise is intended to add additional hamstring strength and proprioceptive challenges to the neutral bridge. 

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a foam roller.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the foam roller.  Be sure that the foam roller is perpendicular to your spine.  Inhale into the back of your ribs, and then exhale as you press your feet into the foam roller allowing your pelvis to float into the air.  Inhale as you hinge at your hips to release your spine to the floor.  Your tailbone and ribcage should reach the floor at the same time.

 

Things to think about:

The fulcrum for the movement in this exercise is the hip joint.  Imagine your knee reaching towards your toes as the femur moves down to suspend the pelvis in the air. 

 

This exercise can also be accomplished with one leg on the foam roller while the other is in a table top position.

 

Day 58- Single Leg Bridge on Foam Roller

This exercise adds proprioceptive challenge to the single leg bridge for added hamstring stretch.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a Foam Roller.  Start by lying on your back with one knee bent with the arch of the foot on the foam roller.   The other leg will be in a tabletop position.  The foam roller will be perpendicular to the body.  As you inhale rock your pelvis towards your tailbone, then exhale as you rock your pelvis towards your belly button and begin peeling your spine off the floor one vertebra at a time. Using your standing leg to stabilize your pelvis.  Inhale at the top and exhale as you release your spine to the floor one vertebra at a time.  Switch legs and repeat. 

 

Things to think about:

Be sure to keep the pelvis and have equal weight on each side of your spine as it articulates.  This is a difficult exercise to do.  Before trying it be sure that you have mastered the single leg bridge with your standing leg on the ground. 

 

This exercise can also be done in a neutral spine as well.  Inhale to prepare and exhale as you press the foot into the foam roller and lift the spine.

 

If the hamstrings happen to cramp simply place the pelvis back on the ground and reach the heel up to the ceiling to stretch the back of the leg.

 

 

Day 57- Bridge Figure 8 on the Foam Roller

This exercise is intended to increase mobility of the spine with the added proprioceptive challenge of the foam roller.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a foam roller.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent.  Place your foam roller underneath the arches of your feet.  Inhale as you rock your pelvis towards your belly button, and then exhale as you begin lifting your pelvis into the air articulating through your spine.  At the top inhale into your chest, and then exhale completely as you rotate your pelvis to the right and lower down one segment on the right side of your spine.  Inhale into your chest and then exhale as you rotate your pelvis to the left lowering your spine one segment on left side of your spine.  Continue this process until your pelvis has returned to the floor.  At the bottom exhale as you begin lifting your pelvis vertebra by vertebra and then repeat being sure to rotate to the left side first. Repeat 2-4 times

Things to think about

This is an exercise with active spine rotation.  When you rotate the pelvis to the left or right it is not an act of simply letting the pelvis fall on one side, it is an active rotation with muscle engagement.

Be sure to maintain the space and length in the front of the hips.

Enjoy the added mobility to your spine after doing this exercise and for an added challenge try this exercise with your feet on a large exercise ball.

Day 56- Bridge Sidestepping on the Foam Roller

 

This exercise is intended to add proprioceptive challenge to the bridge and to increase spine articulation at each vertebral segment.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a Foam Roller.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent.  Place your foam roller underneath the arches of your feet.  Be sure that the foam roller is perpendicular to your spine.  Inhale as your rock your pelvis towards your tailbone.  Exhale as you rock your pelvis to your belly button and then continue articulating through your spine to lift your pelvis into the air until the weight of your body is resting on your head, neck and shoulders.  At the top inhale into the chest and shift your pelvis to the right.  Then exhale as you lower your spine one segment.  Then inhale and shift your pelvis to the left, and exhale as you lower your spine down one segment.  Inhale as you shift and exhale as you lower.  Continue until your pelvis reaches the floor and then exhale as you articulate through your spine to lift your pelvis again.

 

Things to think about

As your articulate your spine to lift your pelvis notice the increased mobility after one repetition of the lateral shifts.

 

Remember your imagery.  This is a great exercise for the typewriter image.  As you are shifting your pelvis imagine that it is the carriage on a typewriter shifting back and forth.

 

Be sure that you are laterally shifting your pelvis and not allowing it to dip from side to side.

 

To increase the challenge you can also do this exercise with the feet on a larger exercise ball.