The Bridge exercise is a classic staple in back pain treatment and rehabilitation. There is a good reason for this. It is simple, effective, and can be easily modified to meet the needs of virtually any patient. And it targets one of the most common issues we see with lower back pain… weak and inhibited […]
Trunk Extension Exercise Progressions
It is well established that repetitive and sustained flexed postures will damage the spine. Given the preponderance of sitting (trunk flexion) and forward bending (even more trunk flexion) it is critical that we develop the capacity to control these flexed postures. That is where trunk extension exercises come in. It is the trunk extensor muscles […]
Dead Bug Exercise Progression
The Dead Bug is one of my absolute favorite go-to exercises to improve low back stability. Not only is it effective, but it is also completely scaleable. In other words, it can be made extremely simple for those patients who are severely deconditioned. But can also be easily progressed to more challenging levels for more […]
Abdominal Bracing
Lumbar stability is a critical goal when treating low back pain. And if our objective is to stabilize the spine during real life activities it is paramount that we train this stability within our rehabilitation programs. If we want to get this right the first thing we need to train is the ability to properly […]
Thoracic Extension Strength and Control
Discussions around the thoracic spine seem to revolve around mobility. But what about thoracic strength? With regions like the shoulder, hip, and lower back strength is considered an integral part of restoring proper function. Yet thoracic strength and control seem to get much less press. Please don’t misunderstand me. I am in no way suggesting […]