Essential Skills: Module 2: Standing Lumbar Flexion (with a wall)

Here is one of the basic standing exercises I introduce for patients to start refining their low back stability training. The principle is that core muscles should contract around a well-balanced trunk, in smooth coordination with the hip, knee and ankle joints. Too often I see people try to stabilize around their spine while it's out of balance. So this exercise is to help train your spine muscles to find to find that balance between forward and backward bending (hyperflexion and hyperextension).

Some folks learn this kind of standing maneuver quite easily. For others, it may be useful to try the seated version first, and then advance to standing. (If you're a patient of mine, I may have sent you the seated version separately.)