Quadruped Rockback RNT

I've recently been gravitating toward this particular exercise recently for patients presenting with quadratus lumborum hypertonicity and subsequent thoracolumbar junction restriction. Specifically, this particular exercise may come in handy when all adjacent and distal regions have been cleared and manual therapies have failed. Better yet, bypass the manual therapy altogether and often you'll find this "high-threshold strategy" reversed.

Performing the following exercise:

• The individual starts in a quadruped position on the floor with a neutral spine and the buttocks gently pressed against a stability ball.
• The hands are placed shoulder width apart directly beneath the shoulders and are actively engaging the floor.
• The neck is in a neutral position
• In order to achieve neutral spine, the individual is asked to both round and arch their back and then to find the "mid-point" between the two. A slight lordosis in the lumbar region is commonly observed.
• The individual then rocks back and "crushes" the ball behind him or her, maintaining stability in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions.
• As long as the individual is performing this movement well, a good sequence would be to have them hold the position according to a pyramid of 10 seconds, 9 seconds, 8 seconds, and so on.
• It is important that as he or she is "crushing" the ball, diaphragmatic breathing is maintained.​