Knee Extension with
the Exercise Ball

Starting Position
  • Lie on a mat face up with your hands behind your lower back palms down as in the picture below.
  • Place the exercise ball between your feet with your knees straight and your hips at 80-90 degrees, the ball over your hips.
Action
  • Lower the ball to the point where your knees are at 90 degrees.
  • If at any point you feel your lower back push down on your hands you have reached technical failure and are no longer using your core musculature to stabilize your spine.
Prime Movers         
  • Quadriceps

    • Physio Tips
    • If you are having trouble with maintaining a stable lower back, go back and work on the Walk Out 
      • while maintaining a neutral spinal position.
    • Work on the leg raise on the floor until you can do it without moving your pelvis or lower back.
    Progression This is a good ball exercise that allows you to feel how your spine reacts to an exercise. Like the leg raise exercise on the floor, this ball exercise forces you maintain a stable core while moving a limb.

    Use the position of your lower back against your hands for feedback as to the position of your lumbar spine. As your ball moves your lower back should remain still. If your lower back moves, try using smaller movements or performing the exercise without the ball until you gain control.

    1ballsRepeat this ball exercise 6 times.

    2ballsRepeat this ball exercise 10 times.

    3ballsRepeat this ball exercise 15 times.


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