Cascade Health Collective

A great little stretch to open up the hips, spine and get your breathing patterns set prior to exercise! Click the link for more info! Happy Mobility Monday :)

This week’s exercise: Walking Spiderman Stretch

Why Do it: We as a society are prone to hip and spine mobility limitations as well as poor breathing patterns with too much time spent sitting. This dynamic stretch incorporates both hip and spine stretching, but also core stabilization and emphasizes appropriate breathing patterns with rotation to improve inhalation and exhalation.

Area of Emphasis:
-hip rotation, pelvic and core stability, spine rotation and diaphragmatic breathing

How to Do it:
1) Begin by lunging forward onto one leg, placing both hands to the inside of the front foot.
2) Engage abdominals and flatten back and drop back hip/pelvis toward the floor to stretch front of hip. Perform a long exhalation while holding for 5 seconds.
3) Then inhale for 5 seconds while straightening your front leg, keeping hands on the ground. Feel the stretch in your hamstrings and calf of front leg.
4) Exhale and drop back into lunge position, this time rotating the hand up toward the ceiling closest to front leg with eyes on your hand. Inhale while returning to lunge position.
5)Then exhale for 5 seconds while rotating to the opposite direction away from front leg, driving lead knee and elbow into each other for stability.
6) Return to neutral and rise back up. Repeat recommended reps on each side.

Parameters:
-Reps: 5 each side
-Sets: 1-2
-Duration/Hold: 5 secs holds at each
-Frequency: 3-5x/week

Precautions:
-Do not perform if this creates any pain or impingement in hip or low back or w/o consulting your physician or your PT first.
*Consumer accepts inherent risk to his or her health in performing this exercise.
* Peak Performance Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine and Cascade Health Collective and its members are not liable for any injury sustained from performing this exercise.

Just a reminder of the FREE Sports Physicals, Sport Assessments and Functional Assessments being performed at Ashland High School this Saturday from 8am-12pm. We have collaborated with Asante and Ashland Orthopedics and local practitioners to provide some of the best pediatric, adolescent and collegiate sports injury prevention and preparation in the valley. Participants will gain insight into their strengths, weaknesses, where they stand amongst age matched peers across the US as well as their personalized corrective exercises to reduce their risk for injury and improve their performance. We hope to see you or your son/daughter at this wonderful event.