The following animated exercise is one of most effective stretches for
this muscle. To do this exercise, simply lie on your back with both
legs bent and cross your leg over the top of your opposite knee. From
here, let your crossed leg(the knee that is the highest) slowly rotate
toward the floor and hold for a count of 10. Do this exercise 10 times
on both sides.
Low-Back Stability Training
Len Kravitz, Ph.D.
Article Reviewed
McGill, S. M. (2001). Low Back Stability: From Formal Description to
Issues for Performance and Rehabilitation. Exercise and Sport Science
Reviews. 29, 26-31. Introduction In the world of fitness, the terms
.core function., .core strength., and .core stability. have become
modern day terms in exercise program design. Client exercise
prescriptions now include exercises specific for the .critical torso
muscles. (e.g., transverse abdominins and multifidus muscles),
posture/spinal assessments, training movements to correct muscle
imbalances, and new concepts for training the .global. abdominal
muscles (rectus abdominis and obliques). However, much of the exercise
design is based on .bits an pieces. of the research on low back
stability. Most recently, Stuart McGill, one of the leading researchers
in the world on low back stability authored a review article on this
topic to .develop a synthesis of the scientific foundation of the
notion of stability as it pertains to the lumbar spine and then to
provide specific guidelines for enhancing stability to advance
rehabilitation and athletic performance.. Highlights of this review
article will be discussed in this article. The Unstable Spine How do
injuries to the low back occur from such seemingly simple tasks as
bending over to pick something off the floor? Research now shows that
nominal daily tasks, as well as strenuous bodily exertions, may result
in a spine .buckling. (McGill, 2001). Computerized analysis of this
phenomenon suggests that there is a momentary reduction in neural
activation to one or more of the deep intervetebral muscles, resulting
in this spinal segmental .buckling. (slight rotation of a spinal
segment), leading to tissue irritation or injury. Therefore, the
musculature must be trained to .stiffen the spine against buckling.
(McGill, 200). However, when prescribing low back exercise programs for
the many levels of fitness abilities, and realizing the different
demands people place on their bodies, determining an optimal balance of
stability and mobility becomes quite challenging. The Stable Spine
Considering that spinal joints can rotate in the sagital, frontal and
horizontal plane, as well move along the three axes of these planes,
the goals of creating a stable spine are multidimensional. It should be
noted that all joints have an inherent .joint stiffness., which is
attributable to the passive joint capsules and surrounding ligaments
(McGill, 2001). In addition, the motor control system to the muscles is
able to control stability of the joints through coordinated muscle
coactiviation (McGill, 2001). However, as introduced in the section
above, a defective motor control system can lead to the temporary
.buckling affect. of an intersegmental joint, and subsequent injury.
McGill suggests that the preventative objective is to attain
.sufficient stability., which directly relates to optimal stability and
mobility with no compromise to the spine. This can be attained with
exercises that provide coactivation of the deep intrinsic spinal
muscles and abdominal wall (transverse abdominis). Introducing the Main
Lumbar Spine Stabilizers Identifying the functional roles of the
significant spinal stabilizers requires deep intramuscular electrode
studies, which are quite challenging to successfully complete.
Developing mathematical models of the spinal muscular doing activities
is another way of estimating muscle involvement and activation.
However, the use of both of these investigative techniques suggests
that the important intrinsic muscles of the spine include the
multifidus, quadradus lumborum, longissimus, and iliocostalis as well
as the transverse abdominins (McGill, 2001). The Low Back Training
Program From McGill.s research on low back stability, the data suggest
that the healthiest training intervention for the spinal flexors
involves muscular endurance versus strength training. McGill states
that .the safest and mechanically most justifiable approach to
enhancing lumbar stability through exercise entails a philosophical
approach consistent with endurance, not strength; that ensures a
neutral spine posture when under load (or more specifically avoids end
range positions) and that encourages abdominal muscle cocontraction and
bracing in a functional way.. Bracing is a neurophysiological
phenomenon involving cocontraction of the abdominal wall and deep
intrinsic muscles of the spine in an effort to better stabilize the low
back. Flexion-Extension .Cat-Camel. Warm-up McGill and colleagues
recommend beginning the low back stability program with about six
flexion-extension cycles of the .cat-camel. exercise. This is done not
as a stretch, but as a mobility exercise to reduce any present stresses
on the spine. Quadratus Lumborum Training For quadratus lumborum
training, McGill recommends the horizontal isometric side bridge which
can be done from a knee supporting position on the floor or a more
challenging version which utilizes a feet supported version. Another
advanced version that involves a maximal involvement of the quadratus
lumborum, obliques, with cocontraction of the critical spine muscles
and transverse abdominis is the rolling side bridge. Rectus Abdominis,
Obliques, and Transverse Abdominis Training Dr. McGill notes that there
is no single abdominal exercise that effectively challenges all of the
abdominal musculature. He therefore recommends several versions of
curl-ups (or crunches) for the rectus abdominis and obliques in
conjuction with the quadratus lumborum exercises. The article suggests
to avoid sit-up exercises with bent and straight legs due to the high
psoas activation and compressive loads on the low back. Leg raises also
cause a great deal of psoas activation and spine compression. Back
Extensor Training Front lying (prone) upper torso (or leg) lifts off
the floor may not be safely indicated for persons with low back pain.
These exercises may place to much load on the spine. One alternative
exercise McGill recommends in his review is the .Bird-Dog. exercise.
This exercise adequately engages the longissimus, iliocostalis, and
mutifidus muscles of the spine, with much less stress to the spinal
segments. Stability Training Concepts When designing low back stability
programs, keep in mind that the optimal goal is training the spinal
extensors and flexors for .sufficient stability.. McGill suggests that
to accomplish this goal with the torso musculature, programs should be
designed to enhance muscular endurance, rather than muscular strength.
Try to balance the amount of exercises you do for the spinal flexors
and extensor exercises. The lateral musculature exercises should get
about 75% of the time allotted the spinal extensors (McGill, 2001).
Finally, encourage your clients to continually learn how to draw in the
abdominals, engaging the transverse abdominals. Hopefully, with this
researched-based approach to low back stability training you will be
sparing your clients spinal damage while helping to improve the quality
of their active lifestyle. [spectrum.gif] Top of Page | Research
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