In our last post we discussed what Lower Crossed Syndrome is, this week we are going to focus on specific stretches and exercises to correct it. Always make sure to consult with a physician before attempting these exercises to ensure it is safe for you to do so. As a reminder Lower Crossed Syndrome occurs when the low back/hip muscles are tight and the abdominal muscles/glutes are weak. Make sure to check out our first blog post at https://pollardchiro.com/what-is-lower-crossed-syndrome/ if you haven’t seen the first part of this blog post.
Hip Flexor Stretches:
With this stretch, we want to make sure that we feel the stretch in the front of the thigh in the groin area. This stretch is great for people who work at a desk all day, as this can tighten those hip flexors. Start out on one knee, with the other knee at 90 degrees. (If this hurts the knee, you can put a pad or pillow under your knee) From there, push your hips forward till you start to feel a good stretch in the groin area. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Low Back Stretches:
This is a great way to stretch out the low back. Start out by laying on the floor, then grab both of your knees, and slowly bring them towards your chest. You should feel your low back muscles start to stretch. Once you get to a point where you cannot bring your knees any closer, take a deep breath, and slowly breathe out. Repeat three more times. It should help to stretch out the low back muscles even more.
Glute Bridge:
To help strengthen our glutes, we are going to work on our glute bridges. To start, lie on your back with your knees up and your arms at your side. To start this movement, we really want to work on squeezing the glutes together before we even lift our hips off of the ground. Once the glutes are squeezed together then we can raise our hips up slowly. Make sure not to overextend your back as you get closer to the top of the exercise. Once you are at the top of the glute bridge, slowly bring your hips back down to the floor. Repeat this exercise for 10 reps. This is one full set. Repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 sets. (10 reps/3 sets). Make sure not to push through your heels, as this will increase quad activation.
Core Exercise: Quadruped Exercise
To start this exercise, begin on all fours with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. When performing this exercise, move your opposite arm and opposite leg. So if you are bringing your left foot back, move your right arm. Make sure that when you bring your arm and leg up that you only go till you are parallel to the floor. Once you have reached this point, slowly bring both leg and arm down and repeat on the other side. This is 1 full rep. Complete 10 reps and 3 sets, taking a short break in between each set. It is important to remain stable and be able to do this at a slow pace.
If you need help with form or need more stretches/exercises, visit Pollard Chiropractic today. We are happy to help! Call us at (866) 874-5723 and schedule an appointment today!