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Stretch of the Week: Legs up the Wall

Often I hear “I can’t even bend over and touch my toes!” My usual reply is, “Yes you can – just bend your knees.”

When we bend our knees, we release the very strong muscles in the back of the upper legs – the hamstrings – and allow ourselves to hinge at the hips. The hamstring muscles are attached to the pelvis in such a way that when they are tight, they pull on the pelvis and this pulling transfers to the low back.

With 80 percent of the population experiencing low back pain at some point in their lives – it is very useful to know how to release these muscles in a way that does not cause more stress on the low back.

Lie on your back with your legs resting against a wall. Your buttocks can be 6 to 12 inches away from the wall. Judge the distance by the sensation you feel in the back of your legs. Remember from our safe stretching conversation in Volume 17 Issue 25 that you are looking for the beginning of the gentle sensation of lengthening and not a strong pull that is causing your legs to shake and your brow to sweat!

Check that your pelvis is not tilting to one side or the other. Imagine there is a full glass of water resting on your belly just below your navel and your job is to not spill it.

Now begin to pay close attention to the sensation you are feeling in the back of your legs. If you are feeling any pulling behind your knees or at your sit bones, move farther away from the wall. The sensation should always be in the large “belly” or center of the muscle.

Close your eyes and begin to notice your breathing. See if you can direct your breath right to the center of the hamstrings. With each breath, look for a deeper sense of relaxation in the back of the legs.

Now slide your heels towards the ceiling in a gentle pulsing motion. Don’t “spill your full glass of water!” Repeat 10 times with each leg. Rest.

Next, spread your legs comfortably wide on the wall and gently repeat the pulsing motion with your heels 10 times. Rest.

This stretch is safe and beneficial for everyone and is considered one of the key poses in Restorative Yoga. It is one of the first exercises that I give to clients who are experiencing back pain.

If you start to feel pins and needles in your legs or they become cold, bend both of your knees towards your belly until these feelings leave. Then raise your legs back up the wall. This will decrease as you practice.

We will explore this movement a little deeper by adding a hip release in an upcoming issue.

Theresa Evans, RN, RYT500, Certified Critical Alignment Therapist, is the owner of Stone Path Yoga Studio, located on Highway 57 in Sister Bay. For more information call 920.421.1607, email [email protected] or visit http://www.stonepathyoga.com.