Restoring spinal mobility is essential for maintaining a healthy, pain-free back. One of the exercises my clients often find relief from is the lying spinal twist.
However, if you have a sore back, using the heavy leg as a counter-lever can put unnecessary strain on your lower back. A safer approach is to use your arm as a lever to guide the twist instead. This allows for a controlled stretch without excessive force on the spine.
How to Perform the Spinal Twist Exercise:
1. Starting Position:
- Lie flat on your back with your left leg extended straight.
- Bend your right knee and hip to 90 degrees.
- Gently rotate your body so that your right knee and ankle rest on the floor on the opposite side.
2. Engaging the Stretch:
- Reach your right arm straight up toward the ceiling.
- Slowly let your arm and shoulder blade drop back toward the floor, keeping it level with your shoulder.
- Keep your bent knee on the floor to maintain the spinal twist.
3. Deepen the Stretch:
- Breathe deeply, relaxing into a deeper stretch with each slow exhale (6-10 seconds).
- If you have full range of motion, your wrist, elbow, and shoulder should eventually rest flat on the floor while your knee and ankle remain grounded on the opposite side.
4. Return to Neutral & Repeat:
- Slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side.
How Often Should You Do This Exercise?
- To improve spinal mobility
- Hold each twist for up to 60 seconds.
- Repeat the movement a couple of times on each side.
- For faster improvements, perform this stretch up to 3 times per day.
By practicing this exercise consistently—and being mindful of how you leverage rotation—you can safely restore mobility in your spine and keep your lower back functioning optimally.