Following a comprehensive physical therapy evaluation of the Lumbar, our treatment programs fall into one of three categories; Neutral Spine, Flexion Biased or Extension Biased.
Each of the three categories has a progression of difficulty. As the patient shows the ability to perform an exercise at the beginner level independently, with proper form and demonstrating proper firing patterns of the muscles involved, he or she then progresses to the next level.
What category a patient is steered into will be determined by what their condition is and more importantly what the mechanics of their dysfunction is. For instance, patients suffering from stenosis (a closing of the canal that the spinal chord runs through) generally benefit from an increased opening of the canal through a flexion (forward bending) biased program.
On the other hand, a patient with a herniated disk that is protruding posterioly (towards the back) generally benefits from an extension biased program that takes pressure off the anterior (towards the abdomen) portion of the vertebrae by extending backwards.
Patients with either condition mentioned previously, or other lumbar spine dysfunctions whose symptoms are exacerbated by either flexion or extension are put in the neutral spine category. This category focuses on exercises where the spine is kept in a neutral position through contraction of the abdominal muscles.
As with the treatment of dysfunctions in any part of the body, there is overlap in these groups where patients will perform both neutral and extension biased or neutral and flexion biased exercises.
-J. Ruta
-Sign Up for the Lumbar Educational Seminar Thursday, January 26th @ 12 PM-
-Online Webinar Available to Those Who Can't Make It-
-Four Free Physical Therapy Assessments-
This is my response to a blog on stretching.............
http://toddhargrove.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/quite-a-stretch-guest-post-from-paul-ingraham/
Great blog - very specific info on the effects of stretching prior to performance. Most of the article is backed by quality evidence that has become accepted throughout the physical therapy and fitness community. What is not addressed here and in much of the literature is the long-term effects of stretching (or not).
The author suggests that most people do not need to be more flexible. According to a recent study by the CDC, the risk of having symptoms of osteoarthritis in at least one knee by age 85 was 45.5 percent. That's only in the knee, suggesting that more than 1/2 the population will live with arthritis in their lifetime.
There are several ways to prevent arthritis and stretching is one of them. Now I 
don't believe that stretching alone is the cure for arthritis, but increasing flexibility and relieving stress on the joints is one element of a joint preservation program. A stretching program can also improve exercise performance as indicated by this article from the ACSM
Stretching has gotten a bad rap lately. I've recently read several articles and blogs downplaying the value of stretching. The bottom line is that stretching is not a quick fix. Over the long haul it will increase muscle elasticity, overall flexibility, and performance.
This is my response to a blog on stretching.............
http://toddhargrove.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/quite-a-stretch-guest-post-from-paul-ingraham/
Great blog - very specific info on the effects of stretching prior to performance. Most of the article is backed by quality evidence that has become accepted throughout the physical therapy and fitness community. What is not addressed here and in much of the literature is the long-term effects of stretching (or not).
The author suggests that most people do not need to be more flexible. Stretching my have other value though. According to a recent study by the CDC (http://goo.gl/TsKrX), the risk of having symptoms of osteoarthritis in at least one knee by age 85 was 45.5 percent. That's only in the knee, suggesting that more than 1/2 the population will live with arthritis in their lifetime.
There are several ways to prevent arthritis and stretching is one of them. Now I don't believe that stretching alone is the cure for arthritis, but increasing flexibility and relieving stress on the joints is one element of a joint preservation program. A stretching program can also improve exercise performance as indicated by this article from the ACSM - http://goo.gl/Q9Rix
Stretching has gotten a bad rap lately. I've recently read several articles and blogs downplaying the value of stretching. The bottom line is that stretching is not a quick fix. Over the long haul it will increase muscle elasticity, overall flexibility, and performance.