Exercises

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Physioworks: Lower Back Exercise Program

As outlined the exercise for transverse abdominus is particularly difficult to do correctly. You should feel very easy about breathing, speaking etc. while holding the contraction. You will NEVER get the contraction if your tummy is tight, it must be totally relaxed!! A way of "getting the feel" of the correct muscle contraction is to try:

1. kneeling with your shoulders over your hands, your bottom over your knees, your back straight, with a small towel/pillow under your ankles. Let your tummy totally "flop out".
2. breathe in-out-in - out slowly
3. don't breathe in, but "draw up" towards your spine and head your abdominal contents.
4. the contraction - because of the particular make up of the muscle will need to take about 3 seconds to develop
5. breathe in - but make sure you don't just "suck" up your tummy (you will have difficulty in speaking out aloud if you contract your diaphragm as you suck up your tummy incorrectly). You should be able to breath easily and maintain the contraction.
6. there should be no "hollow" between your ribs and your tummy (if there is you are probably sucking in too much). Neither should there be any increased crease lines around your belly button.
7. hold the contraction of transverse abdominus about 6-7 seconds.

The muscle group, multifidus is important in the stabilization of your spine, this group extends all the way up your spine, but is largest in the lumbar (lower back) region, extending as a triangle up to your thoracic spine: It is the muscle that is between the hip bones, "aiming" up to the head - you can feel this muscle by placing your finger tips on your spine at the lower back, then just let them fall off the pointy spinous process - that bone you feel. This picture also shows the shoulder blade - coming from the top of the shoulder blade muscles are (largest) infraspinatus, the small terres minor, and the one below is terres major. These are three of the four rotator cuff muscles - vital for your shoulder function.

Back to multifidus now, its actions are primarily to stabilize your spine, however it is involved in movements, rotating the vertebral column slightly to the opposite side. Its function as support cannot be overestimated, it has been found however that following instances of back pain, its cross sectional area is reduced - by significant amounts (to 25%). This is the muscle group which you will need to strengthen if you wish to support your lumbar spine.

It is a "postural muscle", and to strengthen it requires firstly that you "feel" where it is. Postural in this sense refers to the characteristics of the muscle that enables it to contract for extended periods of time prior to fatigue - if it is trained in that manner. So, how to train it? The essential word is "feel" - the actual movement created by its contraction is small, in fact barely perceptible so the correct technique is essential, otherwise is will not strengthen. How to exercise multifidus - it's not easy to give explanations over the internet, but try this or get instruction from a qualified physiotherapist, (in America they are called Physical therapists) or a good pilates instructor.

This page owes its existence to the generosity of Primal Pictures, in allowing me to copy from their "Interactive Functional Anatomy" CD to show the location of most of the muscles I mention throughout the website. If you want you can order the CD itself and learn about lots more muscles, contact - sheila@primalpictures.com, and ask for your copy, mention my web site and I'm told a huge price reduction will be yours.