Flexion is a movement of the body that causes a decrease in a joint angle. Bending the elbow to lift a coffee cup to your mouth is an example of flexion. The spinal flexors are the muscles that cause flexion at the spine. They consist of the rectus abdominis and internal and external obliques that make up the abdominal musculature. Stretches help lengthen these muscles, and they are performed in an opposite motion of strengthening exercises.
Purpose of Spinal Flexor Stretches
The abdominal muscles get worked when you move your trunk forward and decrease the angle between your waist and chest. Situps and crunches are examples of exercises that strengthen the abs. If you do a high amount of spinal flexion exercises, you run the risk of developing strong spinal flexors and weak spinal erectors, which can result in bad posture. The spinal erectors are the muscles that run down the length of the spinal column; they cause spinal extension. Spinal flexor stretches can help alleviate this muscle imbalance.
Lying Abdominal Stretch
The lying abdominal stretch is performed from a prone, or face-down, position. This stretch predominately lengthens the rectus abdominis. To begin, lie on your stomach, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and spread your feet out to shoulder-width apart. Keeping the tops of your feet flat on the floor, push your torso straight up by extending your arms. Push up as high as you can, arch your back and look up toward the ceiling. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds and slowly release. This stretch also targets the hip flexors that run from the base of your stomach to your pelvis.
Stability Ball Backbend
A stability ball is an inflated, round ball that can be used to work the entire body. A backbend is a spinal flexor stretch performed from a face-up position. To start out, sit on the ball with your feet planted firmly on the ground. Slowly walk your feet forward as you roll your spine down the ball. Once the middle of your back is on top, reach your arms behind your head and place your hands on the floor. You may have to roll back and forth slightly to get into the proper position. After you feel a good stretch in your abdominal area, hold for 30 to 45 seconds and slowly release.
Bow Pose
A bow pose is a yoga exercise that stretches the spinal flexors. This is performed from a face-down position on the floor. While lying on your stomach, bend your knees, reach back behind your body and grasp your ankles with your hands. Steadily lift your chest and legs in the air as high as you can and balance on your pelvis and lower stomach. Your body will form a bow shape at this point. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds and slowly release.
