#Ql stretch how to

Essentially they connect the hip to the lumbar spine and the lowest part of the rib cage. They attach to the iliac crest (top of the hip bone), the transverse processes of the L1- L4 (lumbar vertebrae) and the twelfth rib (your last rib). The QL muscles are found on either side of the lumbar spine. Image credit modified by Uwe Gille, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Let’s start with some anatomy! Anatomy of the Quadratus Lumborum In order to look after our QL we need to understand its relationship with the muscles around it, its anatomy and what we can do to strengthen it and release it. A qualified bodywork specialist will be able to help you locate them. If you place your hands on your hips (thumbs facing backwards) your thumbs will be hitting the edge (or close to it) of the point where the muscle attaches to the hip bone. They are very difficult to identify on your own body as they lay deep in the lower back and it’s nearly impossible to feel them yourself. However, they’re sometimes unfairly blamed as the sole culprit for pain and we can easily forget that the QL is just one part of a whole system of muscles that work together to support, stabilise and mobilise the spine. Many of you may know about these muscles in relation to back pain and they’re often the source of discussion when trying to identify lower back issues.

They essentially connect the lower spine to the pelvis and assist with movements like side bending and raising the hip.

How many times per day you do this may change depending on your case.The quadratus lumborum muscles, or QLs for short, are found on either side of the lumbar spine (lower back) and are important core muscles that help stabilise the lower back. In general, we hold this for about 30 seconds and perform it 4 times in a row. MdkPHYSIO provides specific parameters to all patients. *All above modifications are reviewed in the video. You may also want to add a pillow between your knees if you are experiencing discomfort into the front or side of your hip with this. Rotate your upper back behind you and up toward your head (on an oblique angle) to feel a stretch into the side of your lower back.Īdjustments can be made to: how high you lift your top leg, the angle at which you twist your upper back and starting the exercise by twisting your upper back first (rather than lift up your leg first).Hold down your top leg with your bottom arm.Bring your top knee up to about 60 degrees (measured from your femur, from the starting position–at 90 degrees the femur would be perpendicular to your trunk).Ly perfectly on your side (always revert back to this position if you need to re-adjust your position for this exercise, so start from the beginning).Here are the instructions and there is a video below that explains it all: Sidely Quadratus Lumborum Stretch Instructions

Stop this exercise if you are unsure about what you are feeling or if it is painful in an unexpected way. If I have given you this exercise, then I want you to feel this in the side of your lower back! You may have to re-adjust, as described in the video, to ensure you get the stretch in the proper location. In some cases people will feel compression into the bottom side of their back. If you aren’t aligned properly, you may feel a stretch into your glutes and upper back. The intent is to feel a stretch into the (top side) of your back.

#Ql stretch how to

In the video below I go through the setup and provide some tips on how to get the stretch. If your QL is shortened and feeling tight and you are aligned properly during this exercise, you should get a really nice stretch into the side of your lower back with this. This is intended to be a stretch for your quadratus lumborum muscle, but can certainly stretch other tissues located in your lower back, glutes and thoracic spine.