Exercise Ball Leg Drop
with Arms Crossed
Starting
Position
Action
- Set
your abdominals
- Slowly lower one leg
flat to
the floor and return it to the ball.
- Repeat
this with the other leg.
- Make sure your lower
back doesn't raise off the floor as you lower your leg.
Prime
Movers
Physio
Tips
- Do
not let your back arch up off the floor or let your hips rotate.
- Keep your head on the
floor and your chin tucked to prevent
neck strain.
- If you find your back
arching, try
Foot Drops
or Leg Drops.
Progression
This is a progression of the foot drops ball exercise. By
lengthening
your lever (straightening your
knee) you exert more force on the muscles required to lower and lift
your leg. Your trunk stabilizing musculature must work harder against
this greater force.
The hip flexors originate from the front of your pelvis and lumbar
spine. As you lower your leg these muscles contract eccentrically to
control the leg's decent to the floor. Simple physics dictates that if
your leg weighs 30 pounds these muscles must exert a force equal to
this to hold your leg up against gravity and that this force is
translated to your pelvis and lumbar spine because that is where these
muscles originate. In order to
maintain
stability of the joints in your
spine and to prevent your pelvis and spine from moving during this
exercise, the stabilizing muscles must work to prevent this movement.
The reason we want to prevent our spine and pelvis from moving during
this exercise is because it can lead to excessive shearing forces at
the joint and strain.
Repeat
this ball
exercise 6
times with each leg.
Repeat
this ball
exercise 10
times with each leg.
Repeat
this ball
exercise 15
times with each leg.
Return to the top of Leg Drops Ball Exercise
