Low Back

Range of Motion

Can be done seated, standing, or on hands and knees on the ground. Seated/Standing - sit with hands on knees or stand with hands on hips, for flexion drop your head to look at your belly let the back relax and make a C curve behind you, then reverse, looking up to the ceiling and pushing the belly forward, this is extension, let the pelvis come into the stretch and rock on the chair, try to get the whole spine but primarily the low back involved. Rotation - hold your hands out in front of you like a diamond and try to keep the diamond shape rotating as far as you can right and left. Lateral flexion or Side bending - hand can keep the diamond shape in front of you or go up over your head or if standing can be straight down your sides. Keeping you hips in one place lean like you are trying to touch your shoulder to hips, if standing with arms down your sides, reach your hand sliding down your leg to try to touch your knee. On Hands and Knees, we often know this movement as Cat/cow for flexion and extension - face to look at belly, and then belly down to floor looking up. Side bending: try to let shoulder touch the hip bending the side. For rotation, plant one hand under your chest and let the other one raise up to the ceiling as far as you can, you can also then bring it down and thread it under the other arm and let the shoulder come to rest on the floor called thread the needle - and then repeat on the other side.

Child’s Pose + Standing Variation

Low Back Strength Exercise

swimmers

Foundation Training

Decompression Breathing Tutorial

Anchoring Tutorial

Basic Founder

Psoas Stretching - Variations

Stretches for Muscles attaching to pelvis that affect low back
 (these are also helpful for hip and knee issues)

For each section of stretches below - choose one variation and hold each side for 30-60secs, and try to do it 5xweek

Standing Lunge

Kneeling Lunge

Nerve Floss Lunge

Lunge on Bench or Stairs

Laying on back with foam roller

Passive - one leg on chair one leg out straight

Glute/Piriformis

Figure 4 stretch on back

in Chair Seated

Nerve Floss Lunge

Lunge on Bench or Stairs

Manual Release with Tennis Ball or Lacross Ball

Passive - one leg on chair one leg out straight

Quad

Foam Roller

Front Quad Line

Lateral Quad Line

IT Band

Inner Thigh/Adductors

Manual Release with Tennis Ball or Lacross Ball

On Foam roller with Figure 4

Standing stretch

Standing with Chair for stability

If you can't reach to hold your leg or puts too much pressure on Knee - put foot on a chair

Strap Assist

laying on floor (can also be done side lying)

Hamstring

Feet up the wall

Seated with Strap

Single Leg- Strap Option - Keep Back Straight - Avoid Flexion

Standing - single leg on chair

Wide Leg Folded Founder

Roll bottom of foot

- Roll bottom of feet with tennis ball or lacross ball
- bottom of facial chain 
- can release tension from legs, low back all the way up to the neck
Roll and stretch Calves

Strength 

building strength to create stability is super important
choose 1 version of each type of exercise and try to work up to 3 sets of 10-20 reps 

Glute Ham Bridge

Double Leg with Weight

Glute Ham Bridge

Double Leg with Weight

Glute Ham Bridge

Double Leg with Weight

Glute Ham Bridge

Squats 

Door Knob Squat - 10-20 reps

open door, hold door knob/handle with both hands one on each side, bring feet close to the door about hip with apart or slightly wider and feet turned out slightly, lean back with a little weight in the hands, sit back with back straight bringing hips down until thighs are at least parallel to the ground - or as close to ground as you can. Bonus: can also do with an exercise band around thighs right above knees to keep glute med active and working.

squat with chair 

The chair is there as a guide to make sure you go low enough in your squat but also to catch you if you have trouble getting back up. Stand with feet slightly turned out and slightly wider than hip width apart. Keeping eyes straight forward and chest up - keep torso as upright as you can through the entire squat, bring hips to touch chair. Progression, add exercise band around knees, add weight in hands holding with two hands arms bent with weight close to chest

Free Squat/ Free Lunge

Gluteus Medius: aka Glut Med 

- good for Pelvic Stability - choose 1 from below and do each side to exhaustion for ~20 reps

Clam shells with Band

Clam shells with band in side plank

Squat "crab" walks with band @knees

Core

Dead Bug - 10x each side

Hollow Body Hold

Hollow body - progression knees bent to straight

Plank

Can Also - lift feet off the ground one at a time to exercise hip extension

Hollow body - progression knees bent to straight 
work up to holding for 60seconds - bonus challenge multiple rounds of 60sec

Reach for the toes - activate adductors by squeezing a block between the ankles - 10x center, 10x each side

Check out our YouTube 
for Educational Videos

Book an Appointment Now!

The best way to schedule an appointment is to use our online booking system, or send a text with your name and preferred appointment day(s) / time(s) to 510- 394-5035. We will find a time for you in the schedule ASAP!

Life Chiropractic - Rockridge
5330 College Avenue, Suite 210
Oakland, CA 94618
team@oaklandlifechiro.com
(510) 594-9994
(510) 394-5035

Follow Us!

Red Light Therapy, 
Massage  and Acupuncture 
3756 Grand Ave Ste 205
Oakland, CA 94610
510-346-5115
www.vitalityrlt.com
Vitalitysolrlt@gmail.com
Life Chiropractic BBB Business Review
2022 Best of Oakland Top 5