Quadratus Lumborum Stretch

Hi Guys, I was having trouble explaining this to someone in an email, so thought I would post a picture for you all. This is great for opening out the lower back if your have been dancing a lot. Take it gently, breathe into the stretch, and remember that it should not be painful!!!

Quadratus Lumborum is a muscle that connects from your lower ribs to the top of your pelvis. This muscle helps you to bend your back sideways and straighten up from a bent position. Sometimes one side gets tighter than the other from sports, postural habits, bending habits, or the way you walk. This imbalance will then place stress on your back and may lead to back pain. Gentle stretching may often help to reverse this muscle imbalance.

• Sit with your left knee bent and the right knee straight
• Wrap a towel around your right foot, holding the ends of the towel firmly
• Place your right elbow on your right knee or on the floor in front of the knee
• Bend your upper body to the right
• Keep your chest facing forwards and the left elbow pointing to the ceiling
• Make sure that both sitting bones stay in contact with the ground
• Breath into your left ribcage feeling the ribs expand with each in breath
• With each out breath feel your left side lengthen a little more
• Hold for at least four breaths and repeat on the other side