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October 3, 2009 - 3:35am
Harmonic Minor
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Joined: 04/10/2009
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What is this exercise?

The new physio I saw yesterday, aside from putting me on lumbar traction which gave me some frightening sensations, also told me to perform an exercise where you 'lie on your front, placing a pillow under your stomach, and raise both legs out.'

I'm not sure if he meant both at the same time but this strikes me as a silly exercise, almost along the lines of:

http://www.criticalbench.com/exercises/pics/superman4.jpg

Though if you keep your chest on the ground is this a safe exercise?

Thank you

_____________

Male, 19yrs old, UK
First injured back in December '08 - completely misdiagnosed as a 'back strain'
Pain continues for 3 months - deflected to physiotherapy. Assured there was no serious underlying problem.
March 4 2009 - wake up with sharp pains down my left leg
Diagnosed as a herniated disc by chiropractor day later, confirmed as L5/S1: 'moderate central and paracentral protrusion' (technically L5/L6, extra lumbar vertebra) by MRI June 5 09
7 months post-injury. 'Does not require surgery right now'.

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October 4, 2009 - 6:42am
#1
Harmonic Minor
Harmonic Minor's picture
User offline. Last seen 2 years 1 week ago. Offline
Joined: 04/10/2009
Posts: 31
Points: 62
Ah I think I've figured it

Ah I think I've figured it out, for reference. Well he said put a pillow or better, 2 pillows, under the stomach when doing the exercise. I think this is to stop it being a hyperextension exercise like the 'superman' (which puts dangerous amounts of force on the hyperextend spine). Since there are 2 pillows under your front there's a little bit of an arch in the body, so raising both your legs (essentially the lower half your body) actually straighens in out, and your chest/upper part of your body is kept firmly on the floor.

Kind of like this,
http://strategicdc.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/prone-leg-raise-o...

except with no exercise ball so your hands are on the ground. There, puzzled out my own question! Though that still doesn't really answer how effective/safe it is for discs.

_____________

Male, 19yrs old, UK
First injured back in December '08 - completely misdiagnosed as a 'back strain'
Pain continues for 3 months - deflected to physiotherapy. Assured there was no serious underlying problem.
March 4 2009 - wake up with sharp pains down my left leg
Diagnosed as a herniated disc by chiropractor day later, confirmed as L5/S1: 'moderate central and paracentral protrusion' (technically L5/L6, extra lumbar vertebra) by MRI June 5 09
7 months post-injury. 'Does not require surgery right now'.

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