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Lower Back Pain Causes & Solutions Normal Lumbar Flexion & Extension while Standing

Pilates Information
Pilates Alexander Technique
Posture-Movement Awareness
You will need a mirror and/or a friend with a camera. Preferably take your shirt off!

Start position:-
  1. Stand side on to a mirror
  2. If you have back pain, proceed, but with caution!
  3. Maintain a slightly bent knee throughout this exercise.
Lumbar Flexion while standing:- Action
  1. Gently and slowly tilt your pelvis so that it is looking upwards. Explore the feeling. Do not push through pain.
  2. Hold the position three breathes, and then slowly tilt your pelvis a little further. Explore the feeling. Note if there is pain! - If there is, avoid this extreme in your normal daily routine!
  3. Have your friend take a picture!
Lumbar Extension while standing:- Action
  1. Gently and slowly tilt your pelvis to look downwards. Explore the feeling. Do not push through pain.
  2. Hold the position three breathes, then slowly tilt your pelvis to look a little further downwards. Explore the feeling. Note if there is pain! If there is, avoid this extreme in your normal activities!
  3. Have your friend take a picture!
(Measure Lumbar Flexion & Extension Scroll right>>>...)
Lumbar Neutral while standing:- Action
  1. Come back to what you feel to be the "safe middle range" for your lumbar spine and pelvis, & have your friend take a picture!
Once you know the feel of the safe middle range of your lumbar spine, try to maintain it whenever you bend forward or place yourself in a chair!

Pictures: Standing Lumbar Flexion & Extension:-
Start Position:
Normal or neutral lumbar position
Flexion:
Normal Lumbar flexion
Ext'nsion: Normal Lumbar extension
Neutral:
Normal or neutral lumbar position after having eplored range of motion
What this exercise does-
  • Tells you whether lumbar extension or lumbar flexion is the major cause of your low back pain.
  • Take it gentle, and you also have a safe stretch!
Comments
  • Normal lumbar flexion & extension values for young men and women are quoted below ("0" is when the lumbar spine is flat):-
    Measurement Normal:-
    Normal Lumbar flexion 20 to 25 degrees
    Normal Lumbar Extension -50 degrees
    Neutral Lumbar Position -25 to -30 degrees
  • Low back pain upon lumbar extension is frequently observed, measured at 60 to 75% of all back cases. Indeed, it is almost normal (!!!) for those over 45.
  • Low back pain upon lumbar flexion is also common, especially for men between the ages of 18 and 45 years.
  • "Good body mechanics imply that all the joints of the body are used in such a position in relation to their total range of motion that the possibility of further motion in either direction - the factor of safety motion - is always present(2)".
Reference
  1. Shirley A Sahrman: "Movement Impairment Syndromes" Publ. Mosby, 2002 ISBN 0-8016-7205-8
  2. Goldthwaite Joel E, Lloyd T. Brown, Loring T. Swaim and John G Kuhns: Essentials of Body Mechanics in Health and Disease. (1934,1952) Fifth Edition. Philadelphia: J.B. Lipincott.
(Normal Lumbar Flexion & Extension © Bruce Thomson, EasyVigour Project scroll up^^^^....)