Pains in the lumbar spine

“Pregnancy posture” or “slouched posture”with hands on the iliac crest (and pushing slightly forward) creates a large arch in lumbar spine.

spinal

As time passes, an anterior pelvic tilt is being created which in turn leads to the following:

  1. It creates arch in the lumbar spine / increased lumbosacral angle. The back extensors  muscles are shortened, as well as hip flexors.
  1. Short hip flexor muscles means  increasing of an anterior pelvic tilt and  locked hips.
  1. It causes stretching and relaxation of the abdominal muscles.
  2. It makes the shoulders shift upwards, the head protract and the cervical muscles shorten.

.. .all these lead to back pain!

People with weak abs, pregnant and obese people are those who adopt this wrong / bad posture.

So we have to do……. :

PILATES exercises…

We strengthen the  PH and mobilize the  lumbar spine.

SUGGESTED EXERCISES: PELVIC CLOCK, ROLL UP PREPARATION, SEATED CRUNCH, 1/2 ROLL

DOWN …

We stretch the hip flexor muscles

We give a slight backward  tilt to the pelvis

We pull knees to the chest and embrace them in order to stretch sacral and  lumbar spine muscles (in supine position)

We push ribs against a wall without slouching , when being in an upright position

We slide shoulder blades towards the spine and then downwards  towards  pelvis (a slight adduction and a retraction of the shoulders).

Once we manage to achieve mobilization of the spine, then we try twists.

Varvara Solomonidou,Wellness Specialist, Personal Trainer, Seminar & Conference Lecturer, Pilates Master Trainer “AthensTrainers® Ultimate Pilates System®”, General Manager & Owner of AthensTrainers®

varvara low

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