Exercise sequence acute low back
Standing exercises
Neutral posture: (neutral bäcken position) Avoid arching back (sway back) or making back too flat.
Stretch your spine up to the ceiling as though you are being lifted up by the back of the head, the chin points to the floor. Find the neutral pelvic positioning, most common is to have too much of an arch so the motion is to tip the pelvis down as though you draw your tail between your legs.
While standing with the neutral pelvis position, the hands point straight to the floor as in picture.
Now activate the core muscles by making a “SSHHH” noise, or pretending to blow up a balloon. You should feel how the stomach is pressed to the back. Lift the pelvic floor. This is a Kegal exercise. You find it by trying to stop the flow of urine midstream. With an acute low back you can practice tightening up while breathing slowly and consistently.
To activate the supporting muscles of the ribcage, you squeeze down the shoulder blades. Note that this activation should not load the lower back, tighten up as though you standing at attention or a ballerina.
To couple the CORE in the low back and ribcage, imagine that the pelvis and lower ribs move towards each other. This is very subtle and the back is not flattened. There is still a neutral pelvic positioning.
To put it all together:
- Lift spine to ceiling, chin pointing to floor
- Find neutral pelvic positioning and connect to ribcage in front
- Draw up the pelvic floor
- Tighten the stomach to the back with a “SSHHHHH sound”
- Tighten down the shoulder blades
By breathing and turning this all on is the most basic form of “CORE” training. It should not be painful in any way or provoke symptoms. This position will be used when you take a walk, when you bike or work out otherwise and periodically through the day. When you do something that can strain the back you want to engage the CORE.
Sway in the wind:
Activate core with breathing (“SSSHHHH”), lengthen spine
Swaying side to side with body completely straight, shift weight from one leg to the other without bending at the mid-section
Swaying from toes to heels
Sway from right leg to left leg
Swaying in neutral figure 8
Standing exercises using arms
With palms forward, squeeze shoulder blades while moving elbows up and down.
Press hands up to ceiling, and down towards the floor.
Other exercises not visualized onpage “Axlar stående”
Lie on back knees bent, feet flat on surface (a towel under head if needed)
Activate the CORE muscles in this position:
- Lengthen spine, chin points towards feet
- Lift pelvic floor (kegal)
- “SSHHH” to press stomach to back
- Tighten the muscles surrounding the ribcage
Slowly and controlled, breathe in (so the stomach raises to the ceiling).
As you breathe out, lift pelvic floor, activate the core, tighten the ribcage. Do this exercise until you feel confident that you can activate the core with breathing.
Now you can do a variety of arm movements to activate different parts of the CORE. Avoid wobbling around. Do the exercises slowly and controlled. There are more suggestions for arm movement s under the page ”Exercises in nature”
Lie on side completely straight head supported on arm ( a towel can be used to support the neck)
Activate the CORE as above
Hold balance, start with fingers on floor for balance. Breathe maintaining balance while activating CORE.
Variations are with a hand on hip and then with increased control one arm up to ceiling.
Arm movements can be added and eventually a weight.
Lie on stomach, lengthen spine, chin tucked towards chest, tighten abdomen “SSHHH” and activate muscles around ribcage.
W format: Thumbs to ceiling, squeeze shoulder blades down, hold 15-30 seconds
If the neck is strong, you can slightly lift the head from the floor with the chin tucked. Do not load the low back, then you have lifted too high. Other exercises in this position are on the page “bröstryggs stabilitet”
Start with these exercises before continuing with more difficult exercises. None of the exercises should hurt or provoke pain.