MOTOR CONTROL OF LUMBAR FLEXION
Fig.1
Stand tall with legs straight and
the lumbar spine and pelvis
positioned in the neutral
position.
Monitor the lumbosacral neutral
position by palpating the spinous
process of L2, L5, and S2 with
your fingers. (Fig.2)
Stand
the trunk forwards from the hips,
keeping the back straight
(neutral spine). (Fig.1 and 3)
If the palpating fingers do
not move further apart, lumbar
flexion is being
controlled. (Fig.3)
Fig.2 Fig.3
Visual feedback (e.g. observation You should repeat 35 times the
in a mirror) is a useful retraining pattern of movement 2 to 3 times
tool. Ideally, you should have the daily to reinforce the motor control
ability to dissociate the lumbar of the lumbar pelvic region.
spine from hip flexion as
evidenced by 50° forward
lean while preventing lumbar
flexion or posterior pelvic tilt.
There should be no provocation
of any symptoms under flexion
load, within the range that the
flexion can be controlled.
If control is poor, the pattern of
forward leaning with a straight
back and independent hip flexion
should be performed only as far
as lumbar flexion and posterior
pelvic tilt can be actively
controlled or prevented.