Today, I have a great exercise to help loosen your lower mid-back.
Enjoy the exercise! I feel great after doing it; now you will as well.
Rick Kaselj, MS
In this video, I will go through the best exercise to loosen up your lower mid-back: the Scorpion Stretch.
Click Here to watch the YouTube video.
Lie down on your stomach with your head on a towel to relax your neck muscles, and keep your neck aligned with the rest of your body. We will break down the Scorpion Stretch into five progressions.
1. Hip Off The Floor
Hip Off The Floor
Bring your arms out to the sides to anchor your upper body as you start moving the lower body. The first progression is raising your hip and then lowering it back down. Remember to focus on the movement in the glute rather than have your hamstring do the work.
2. Hips at 90
Hips at 90
If the first progression is too easy, you can progress on to Hips at 90. Try to bring your hips to 90 degrees in a slow, controlled movement.
3. Foot to the Floor
Foot to the Floor
Lift your leg, rotate through your hips and lower back, and try to touch your foot to the floor as quickly as possible and then return. Move to the other side and repeat the exercise. The movement is happening from your glute, trying to bring that foot or toe to the ground as quickly as possible and then returning. With this progression, we are mobilizing the hip and the side joint and loosening up the lower back and mid-back areas.
4. Foot Reach
Foot Reach
Try to reach your foot with the toe or heel as far as you can. Use your upper body and arms to anchor yourself, and reach as far as possible with the toe or the heel.
5. Bringing The Foot To The Hand
Bringing The Foot To The Hand
The last progression is to bring your foot to your hand.
It works well to go through these movements as a progressive warm-up instead of just jumping to that fifth progression. It is good to work your way through lifting the hips, then going hips to 90, then to foot touch, then foot reach, and finally to foot to the hand. As you warm up, you can go through the movement a lot quicker. Start slower to loosen your muscles up, and ensure you do the movements correctly. So there you go! Give that Scorpion Stretch a go.
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Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS
For your guide to eliminating your lower back pain, check out the Low Back Pain Solved program here!
