The hollow back is also called lumbar hyperlordosis in medical terminology. This means that the curvature of the spinal column is increased in the lumbar region. The facet joints are put under heavy strain and facet joint arthrosis can occur.
In extreme cases, a vertebra may even slip ventrally (anterior). The so-called spondylolisthesis (spondylolisthesis), however, increasingly affects adolescents in growth, who practice sports in which an extreme hollow back is taken. Targeted exercises are intended to bring the lumbar spine back into extension and tilt the pelvis forward.
- Hip flexor (bending the hip)
- Lower back (pull/stretch the upper body backwards)
- Abdominal muscles (bend the upper body forward)
- Buttock muscles (prevents the pelvis from tilting forward, stretching of the thigh, hip abduction
- Back of thigh (bends the knee joint and stretches the hip)
3 simple exercises to imitate
- Power-House in a lying position
- Front support
- Diagonal four-footed stand
Exercises
Basic tension A tension should always be felt in the lower abdomen and around the navel. The back does not work and does not hurt! There are many variations of this simple basic tension in the supine position.
From crunches and “cycling” to sit-ups and exercises for the abdominal muscles, which are performed using leg movements. A coordinated exercise program should be worked out with the physiotherapist.
- A simple basic exercise can be performed in the supine position.
The legs are initially adjusted. The heels stay on the ground, the toes are pulled up, the knees are bent about 90 degrees, the hips are also bent. The patient lies straight on the floor or a mat.
The mat should not be too soft. Now actively press his lower back with the exhalation into the pad and raise his head slightly. The gaze points towards the feet.
The tension is held for 10-15 seconds and then slowly released. If the exercise is too easy, the legs can also be held in the air at a 90 degree angle. When you now press your back to the floor, the pelvis rolls over the pad, the knees come closer to the face.
It is important to increase the exercises slowly. If the abdominal muscles are too weak in the beginning, the weight of the legs may still be too heavy, and it will pull the lower back further into the hollow back.
Front support four-footed stand These are just a few exercise suggestions that work against a hollow back by strengthening the abdominal muscles and the stabilizing muscles. An individual training plan must of course always be adapted to the patient.
In addition to the exercises for the abdominal muscles, any other problem points associated with a hollow back should also be taken into account. For example, the rear thigh muscles of patients with a hollow back are often too weak and should be strengthened. Knee bends, lunges, but also training on machines is recommended.
More exercises can be found in the articles:
- In the prone position, the forearm support is a very good exercise that counteracts a hollow back. The patient is in the prone position. The forearms lie parallel on the floor, the elbows are placed directly below the shoulder joints.
In the easier version, the knees remain on the floor. The upper body is raised so that the torso and thighs form a straight line. It is important to provoke the practiced pelvic movement for the hunchback.
The abdominal muscles are deliberately tensed, the navel is pulled towards the spine. This position is now held for up to 30 seconds. You can also start smaller here and slowly increase.
The execution of the exercise goes over the length. After a short break the exercise can be performed about 3-4 times in a row. The exercise becomes more difficult when you release your knees from the floor and only touch the floor with your forearms and forefoot.
Here it is especially important not to bend in the pelvis or lower back. For further variation you can work with resistances which the physiotherapist gives to the patient while he tries to keep his position stable. Individual support pillars can also be lifted off to reduce the support surface on which the patient is supported and thus increase the effort to keep the body in a straight position.
- Another starting position in which good exercises can be performed against a hollow back is the quadruped position.
From this position (hands under the shoulders, knees under the hip joints), supporting pillars, i.e. an arm or a leg or together, can also be lifted. Moving the arm and leg forwards and backwards strengthens the back, while making small, bringing the elbows and knees together under the abdomen, strengthens the abdominal muscles. This can also be done very well with the oblique abdominal muscles.
- Exercises for spinal canal stenosis
- Physiotherapy for nerve root compression
All articles in this series:
