Regional Lumbar Flexion T10-S1 (side-lying)

Position of the therapist:

  • Standing at the long edge of the bench

Position of the patient:

  • Side-lying position on the side to be examined/treated
  • Facing the examiner lying close to the edge of the bench
  • Hip and knees bent to 90° and supported on the therapist’s lap
  • Patient holds on to his wrist of the upper arm and performs slight adduction with the upper arm

Hand placement:

  • One hand placed through the patient’s crossed arms
  • Fixating hand palpates T10
  • Patient’s torso rotated away until fixated level
  • Other hand now palpates T11
  • Fixating hand slipped under patient’s iliac crest

Movement:

  • Maximal homonymous 3D movement with equal components of flexion, ipsilateral lateral flexion and ipsilateral rotation
    This movement causes maximal opening of the facet joints of the lumbar spine on the side the patient is lying on

 

N.B:

It’s important to maintain the rotation from above by exerting pressure with your forearm in order to stabilize your fixation