Doorway Sciatic Nerve Glide
- Lie on floor with _______ knee bent and within doorway.
- Now place a belt, length of rope or stretch strap over ball of _______ foot and rest this heel on doorframe with knee straight.
- Place two pillows under head to keep neck flexed. Rotate leg inward if possible. A gentle stretch behind the knee should be felt at this point.
- If the stretch is painful, move slightly away from wall. If no stretch is felt, move closer to wall.
- Using belt, rope or stretch strap, pull toes toward knee in an oscillating or pumping fashion.
Tweak 1:
- While keeping leg rotated inward, rotate ankle/foot inward even further per second picture.
- Pull toes toward knee as above.
Tweak 2:
- While keeping leg rotated inward, rotate foot/ankle outward per third picture.
- Pull toes toward knee as above.
| _2-1__eos_doorway_sciatic_nerve_glide.pdf |
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
- Kneel with the RIGHT/LEFT knee on the floor and the RIGHT/LEFT leg in front of you.
- Posteriorly rotate your pelvis by drawing your hip bones up towards your ribs and “tucking your tail.” Do not lean back with your trunk.
- Maintain the posterior pelvic tilt and engage/tighten kneeling side gluteals while shifting your weight forward onto your front leg. You should feel the stretch in the front of the RIGHT/LEFT hip.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
Nerve Glide Modification:
- Perform instructions above, but once you have reached the stretch position, curve your upper back and bring your chin down to your chest.
- Gently perform 20-30 quick head nods.
| _2-2__kneeling_hip_flexor_stretch.pdf |
Foam Roller ITB Release
- Lie sideways on the foam roll as shown with the leg down.
- Using your arms and opposite leg to guide the motion, roll up and down from just below the hip bone to just above the knee.
- If you feel spots that are particularly tight, do small oscillations over that spot, pushing down with your hands and opposite leg to “unweight” the lower leg as needed.
- To increase intensity of stretch (upgrade), “stack” legs on top of one another (as in 3rd picture).
| _2-3__foam_roller_itb_release.pdf |
Split Stance Squat
- Stand with split stance, RIGHT/LEFT foot forward, opposite foot back.
- Posteriorly rotate your pelvis and cross your arms across your chest.
- Maintaining posterior pelvic tilt, lower your back knee to the floor.
- Front knee is allowed to move forward in front of your toes provided you maintain pressure through your front heel and keep this foot flat.
| _2-4__split_stance_squat.pdf |
Kneeling ITB Stretch
- Kneel with the RIGHT/LEFT knee on the floor and the RIGHT/LEFT leg in front of you.
- Posteriorly rotate your pelvis by drawing your hip bones up towards your ribs and “tucking your tail.” Do not lean back with your trunk.
- Grab your RIGHT/LEFT foot with your RIGHT/LEFT hand and pull your foot towards your butt.
- Maintain the posterior pelvic tilt and tighten/engage this same side gluteal muscles. Keep your
- hips square and facing forward while shifting your weight toward your front leg.
- Drop your back hip to the outside, and lean away from that side, as shown in picture 3. You should feel the stretch in the outside of the RIGHT/LEFT thigh.
- Hold for ____seconds.
| _2-5__kneeling_itb_stretch.pdf |
Medial Patellar Mobilization
The goal of this exercise is to mobilize the kneecap towards the inside of the knee and stretch the connective tissues on the outside of the kneecap.
Modification:
- Start seated, with your heel on the ground and your knee slightly bent. Keep your quad (front thigh) muscle totally relaxed or the kneecap will not move.
- Find the outside border of your _______ kneecap (picture at left) and place the heel of your _______ hand against it.
- Stabilize the inside of your knee with the opposite hand (picture at right).
- Use the heel of your hand to push the kneecap inward; be sure you actually feel the kneecap moving and that you’re not just wrinkling the skin.
- Push to end range and proceed to pulse _____ times.
- Repeat the exercise with your knee bent ___________ degrees. Goal is to achieve 90 degree angle at knee.
Modification:
- Place opposite hand on knee with thumb along border of kneecap and fingers on inside of knee.
- Now place heel of other hand on top of thumb and use this to press kneecap to the inside.
| _2-6__medial_patellar_mobilization.pdf |
Resisted Lateral Walk
- Stand with theraband loop around your KNEES/ANKLES/FEET.
- Take wide, controlled steps to the RIGHT/LEFT.
- Sidestep RIGHT/LEFT for __________ feet, then continue facing the same direction and side step back to the starting position, leading with the opposite leg.
- You may also modify this by squatting lower (per third picture)
| _2-7__resisted_lateral_walk.pdf |
Lower Extremity Lunge Matrix
Forward Lunge – (Picture at left)
Side Lunge – (Center Picture)
Rotational Lunge – (Picture at right)
- Take a large step forward, reaching to your SHIN ANKLE THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF YOUR TOES.
- Try to keep your pelvis tucked slightly backward and low back flat, bending from the waist.
- Return to the start position with focus on pressing through front heel.
- Repeat with the opposite leg.
Side Lunge – (Center Picture)
- Take a large step sideways, keeping your foot pointed forward.
- Again, keep the back slightly rounded, bending from the hip.
- Return to the start position and repeat with the other leg.
Rotational Lunge – (Picture at right)
- Take a large step to the side and slightly behind you; if you were at the center of a clock, keep your static leg’s toes facing 12:00.
- Moving foot: left foot would step to 8:00 and your right foot to 4:00.
- Concentrate on bending from the hip and rounding spine slightly.
- Return to the start position and repeat with the opposite leg.
| _2-8__lower_extremity_lunge_matrix_revised.pdf |
Hurdlers Stretch
- Sit on the floor with RIGHT/LEFT leg forward, and RIGHT/LEFT leg back.
- Front knee should be bent at 90 degrees; back knee will be bent beyond 90 degrees (approximately 130 degrees).
- Arch your lower back, stick your chest out, and lean forward, pushing your belly button down towards your front knee.
- You should feel a stretch in the posterior hip region of the forward leg.
- Maintain the curve in your lower back.
- Hold for ____ seconds.
| _2-9__hurdlers_stretch.pdf |