Lower Trunk Flexor Stretch Back Lying Position

Lower-Trunk Stretches:

Method:
Lie on the floor on your back. Place a rolled-up towel (1 to 2 inches, or 2.5 to 5 centimeters, in diameter) between the small of your back and the floor.

Affected Body Part:
Most-stretched muscles: Rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique.
Lesser-stretched muscles: Quadratus lumborum, psoas major, iliacus.

Of all of the stretches in this book that stretch the lower trunk flexors, this stretch is the best for people who have a swayed back or have weak abdominal muscles, since arching the lower back is potentially dangerous for these people. Because the small of the back is supported in this exercise, undesired pressures on the spinal column are reduced. Nevertheless, the width of the back support is important. The larger the diameter of the object, the greater the undesired pressure. Make sure that the upper back, shoulder blades, and buttocks are resting comfortably on the floor. Also, squeezing the buttocks will reduce stress on the lower back.