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Quadratus Lumborum Self-Stretch
Brief tutorial on |
Stretch Archives Quadratus Lumborum Stretch The quadratus lumborum is a muscle with many functions. It laterally flexes (sidebends) the trunk, and elevates the hip. It also helps to stabilize the low back, and is, therefore, usually involved when low back pain is present. It has fibers that run vertically and in two diagonals. This stretch is primarily for the vertical fibers, which make up the bulk of the muscle. It works best if the hip abductors are stretched first (see archives) Quadratus Lumborum (QL) Stretch-Side Lying, with a partner 1. The stretcher is lying on his left side, with his back at the edge of the table and his right leg hyperextended and hanging over the edge of the table. Be sure he keeps his hips stacked vertically on top of each other. He reaches his right arm up over his head. This lengthens the right QL. If the stretcher experiences any low back pain in this position, he may bend forward from the waist to round his low back while keeping his leg hanging off the edge of the table. 2. Stand behind the stretcher to keep him from falling off the table! Cross your arms and place your left hand against his right iliac crest; your right hand is spread wide and placed on the lateral aspect of his rib cage. 3. Stretcher education begins now. Your goal is to have him contract the right QL by bringing the hip and the ribs toward each other. He is side bending and "hiking" his hip at the same time. Many people have difficulty doing this, so you may need to break the motion into separate components and work with him until he can do each motion separately, then combine them. Be patient and creative. 4. Once the stretcher can perform the motion, ask him to begin slowly to try to bring the top of his hip and his rib cage toward each other. You apply matching resistance to prevent any motion from occurring. You control the force of the push. 5. After the isometric push, the stretcher relaxes and inhales deeply. As he relaxes, allow his leg (and his hip) to drop toward the floor. 6. On the exhale, ask the client to pull his foot closer to the floor and reach farther up over his head to increase the stretch on the right QL. 7. Repeat 2 to 3 times. 8. Facilitated stretches should always be pain free. If the stretcher experiences pain, try repositioning the limb or use less force during the isometric contraction of the target muscle. If pain persists, don't stretch that particular muscle until you've determined why it's causing pain. |
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