Best Exercise to Relieve Low Back Pain: One Leg Bridge

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One Leg Bridge Core Stability Physiotherapy Exercise Described by Toronto Physical Therapist Dev Chengkalath:

This is one of the most challenging variations of the bridge exercise.

Start by lying on your back with your hands by your sides, one leg extended out and one knee bent.

From this position, brace your abdominal muscles without pushing your belly out or sucking it in. Basically, keep your stomach tight.

From this starting position, go through the bridging movement, keeping the extended leg out.

Contract your buttocks as you lift your hips off the ground and drive them towards the ceiling. Don't let your pelvis shift side to side.

Focus on keeping your torso in the same position throughout the movement while hinging exclusively through your hips. Don't sag or move through your back at all.

While squeezing through your glutes, try to keep your hamstrings or back of your thighs as relaxed as possible.

Remember to breath normally.

Once you return to the starting position, alternate legs.

This variation is quite challenging and should only be attempted when you have mastered the other three variations.

Key points:

-only work in your pain free range
-keep your abdominals tight for the whole exercise
-all bridging movements should take place at the hips
-squeeze your glutes as your drive your pelvis up
-keep your hamstrings as relaxed as possible
-start and end the one leg bridge with one knee bent and one leg straight
-breathe normally throughout the exercise

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• low back pain
• relieve low back pain
• reduce low back pain
• strengthen low back
• low back fitness
• core fitness
• core health
• Core Stability
• physiotherapy exercise
• Toronto
• Physical
• Therapist

[DevChengkalath]

Hi Annabug1988,

If any of these movements or exercises makes it hurt worse, it's probably not the appropriate one for you at this time. Were you able to do the basic bridge with no problems? This variation of the bridge is a bit more challenging and should be considered a progression to the basic, marching and alternating bridge.

Hope that helps.

[annabug1988]

when I tried doing this...it only hurt worse. I waited and did it again...well, no more for me.