Important Note:
These exercises were designed as a place to start to address your symptoms. These exercises should not be performed or continued if they cause or increase your pain in any way. Using these exercises for self-management of your symptoms does not replace the value of being assessed by a Health Professional.
1. Cat and camel
Start on all fours with hands underneath the shoulders.
Lift the head and chest simultaneously while leading from the tail bone, allowing the stomach sink and the lower back arch to perform the cat.
The lead from your tail bone and round the back and let the head and neck drop while trying to get the head and pelvis as close as possible.
Do not force the end range of motion as this is not a stretch.
Repeat 10 times, 1-2x/day
2. Glute bridge
Lie on your back with your feet hip distance apart, toes facing forward and knees bent.
Take a deep breath in, as you breathe out gently engage your core muscles by pulling your belly button in and gently squeeze your buttocks while lifting your buttocks off the ground. Do not lift into your back. Your back should remain straight and not arched. Slowly lower back to the floor and just gently touch down before you lift up again. If you are having a hard time accessing your glutes, raise your toes and press into your heels.
3 sets of 8-10reps, working up to12 reps, daily
3. Banded dead bugs
Lie on your back and attach one end of an elastic to your ankle and hold the other end with the opposite hand. Place both knees and hips bent to 90 degrees and both arms pointed towards the ceiling. Activate your lower abdominals (transversus abdomini) by bringing your belly button inward and by activating your pelvic floor muscles. Maintain a steady abdominal breathing while you lower one leg straight and lower the opposite arm over the head, pulling on the elastic. Just before you touch the ground, return the leg and arm to the starting position and repeat.
3 sets of 8-10reps, working up to12 reps, daily
4. Kneeling hip flexor stretch
Kneel on one knee. Place a pillow under the knee if it is sore. Lunge forward, keeping your upper body upright, keep your abs engaged. Increase the stretch by squeezing your buttocks and gently pushing your hips forward.
Then raise your arm overhead to stretch the side of your torso.
Hold 20sec, repeat 3 times per side, 1-2x/day, each side. It should feel like a stretch in the front part of your thigh. It should not aggravate your low back or knee in any way. Maintain the stretch at a comfortable/tolerable point. Only add the arm if it helps to increase the stretch at the front of the thigh and not aggravate the low back.
5. Figure 4 stretch
Sit up tall on a chair. Feel that you have equal weight on both sides of the buttocks.
Bring 1 one foot over the opposite knee and allow it to rest comfortably in a figure 4 position.
You should feel a comfortable and potentially deep stretch in your buttocks. It should not cause pain or discomfort in your groin or knee.
Lean forward slightly, keeping your back straight to increase the stretch if needed.
Maintain the stretch at a comfortable/tolerable point.
20sec x 3reps, on each side, x1-2 times a day on both sides. It should feel like a stretch in your outer hip/buttocks and low back