Exercise for Iliocostalis Muscle Pain Syndrome
1. Back scratching for mobility
Hold your arms out to the sides and bend your arms from the elbow.
Slowly reach up behind your back to just under your shoulder blades.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
2. Strengthening extension
Lie face down on a mat with your arms behind your head and your chin tucked in.
Lift your upper body up by pulling your shoulder blades together without lifting your feet.
Return to the starting position and repeat.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
3. Lumbar extension
Lie on your stomach with your chin tucked in and your arms along the side.
Raise your head and shoulders off the bed keeping your chin tucked in.
Lower your head and shoulders back to the bed and repeat.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
4. Pecking with arms extension
Lie down on your stomach with a small rolled towel under your forehead.
Lift the upper trunk off the floor and lift your arms up while squeezing the shoulder blades.
Hold slightly then lower.
Make sure to keep your feet on the floor at all times.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
5. Spine extension
Lay down on your stomach with your hands together behind your back and your arms straight.
Lift your head and trunk as high as possible, while pulling your shoulders back and tucking your chin.
Hold for a few seconds. Then exhale while lowering your chest down on the floor.
Repeat.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
6. Scapula retraction
Lie on your stomach, face down with your arms overhead, elbows bent and thumbs pointing upward.
Lift your elbows and hands off the surface while pulling your shoulder blades together and downward.
Let your elbows down and repeat.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
7. Lumbar extension/rotation
Lie on your stomach with your hands on your head and your chin tucked in.
Get yourself tall by pretending a rope is pulling you up from the back of your head.
Slowly lift your upper body off the floor and rotate your trunk to one side and then the other side.
Return to the initial position and repeat.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
8. Upper back extension
Lie lengthwise over the end of a foam roll, with the supported head over the end of the roll such that the stiff level of the spine is at the edge of the roll.
Be sure to engage your lower core muscles to prevent the low back from arching.
Keeping a neutral neck, with the chin slightly nodded, glide the head back toward the ground to straighten the upper back.
Return to the starting position, then repeat.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
9. Sphinx
Sit on your heels in a kneeling position with the palms of your hands on the floor-in front of your knees.
Tuck your chin into your chest and round your back upwards.
Reverse the movement dropping your chest downwards and looking upwards.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
10. Latissimus dorsi stretch
On all fours, bring the buttocks onto (or as close as you can) your heels and lengthen one arm (palm up) in front and a little bit toward the inside as far as possible without moving the buttocks.
Keep the head down and aligned with the spine.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
11. Latissimus dorsi stretch 2
Start on all fours, bring the buttocks onto (or as close as you can) your heels and lengthen the arms (palms up) in front as far as possible without moving the buttocks.
Keep the head down and aligned with the spine.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
12. Thoracic rotation
Start on your knees with your butt on your heels and one arm down on the floor between your knees.
Put the other hand behind the head.
Lift your elbow up and rotate the torso as much as possible without moving your hips.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
13. Thoracic rotation
Start on your knees with your buttocks on your heels and one arm down on the floor between your knees.
Put the other hand behind your lower back.
Rotate the torso as much as possible without losing your original position.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
14. Thread the needle
Start in a four point position with your hands directly under the shoulders and the knees under the hips.
Keep your chin in, back straight and shoulders back.
With one arm reach under the other as far as possible rotating and rounding your upper back.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
15. Mid back stretch in flexion
Sit down on a chair.
Reach your right arm towards the left side of the room, rounding at your mid back. Take a deep breath in to enhance the stretch and go a little bit further.
Hold the position for the recommended time.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
16. Assisted trunk rotation
Sit on a chair with your back in neutral position (slightly arched) and your chin tucked in.
Turn your upper body to one side moving at the middle back.
Increase the stretch by pulling yourself with the back of the chair.
Return to the initial position and repeat.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
17. Seated thoracic extension
Sit upright in reverse on a chair (backrest in front of you).
Place your hands behind your shoulders.
Perform an extension of the thoracic spine region by pushing the chest forward and the shoulders backward.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
18. Thoracic extension
Sit all the way back in a chair so that your back is leaning on the backrest.
Cross your hands on your chest.
Extend the thoracic spine over the chair and then come back to the starting position.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
19. Thoracic mobilization
Sit on the floor with your fingers clasped behind your neck and your elbows together in front of you.
The knees should be bent.
First, slump then lean the affected part of the thoracic spine against the seat of the chair so that the lower of the vertebrae to be mobilized is supported.
Slowly relax backwards over the seat of the chair as far as you can comfortably stretch. Keep your elbows close together and try not to arch the low back.
Relax and repeat.
It is possible to sit on an elevated platform such as cushions to mobilize the right region of the thoracic spine.
You can put a rolled towel between the chair and your back.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
20. Mid-upper thoracic extension
In sitting, place the stick behind your nape/upper back and position your arms on each side to have the stick at wrist level.Arch your upper back using the stick to encourage extension.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
21. Low thoracic extension
In sitting, slide a broomstick behind your back and into the crook of your elbows. Keep your elbows flexed at 90 degrees with your thumbs up. Punch your arms forward while maintaining 90 degrees of elbow flexion to increase the extension of your thoracic spine and to lift your chest toward the ceiling.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
22. Thoracic extension
Start on your knees in front of a chair or bench.
Put your elbows on the chair.
Flex the elbows to bring the hands behind your head. Then drop your chest and push the hips back slightly to extend the middle back.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
23. Thoracic ext. mobility
Place your foam roller on the floor and take a kneeling four point position with your wrists on the foam roll in front of you.
Roll the foam roll forward by stretching your spine and lowering your chest towards the floor.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
24. Side stretch on roller
Lie sideways on a foam roller.
Put your top leg back and the bottom leg forward to ensure stability.
Raise the top arm overhead and drop the bottom arm down.
Hold the stretch position.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
25. Mid-back extension
Lie on the floor over a foam roll or rolled towel with the roll perpendicular to the body, knees bent, and interlaced hands supporting under the back of the head. Start with the roll at the tightest level of the spine.
Keep the lower core activated and the low back curled, and the chin tucked throughout the exercise.
Drop back over the foam roll, creating an arch in the mid back to mobilize the stiff area. Be sure not to arch the low back or neck.
Return to the starting position, and repeat.
The roll can be moved up or down several levels and the arch back repeated to loosen the stiff area.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
26. Thoracic extension
Lie down on your back over a pool noodle placed in your middle back (thoracic spine region).
Extend your legs and relax your head.
Raise both arms simultaneously overhead, trying to arch in your thoracic spine and not in your lumbar spine.
Bring the arms back to the starting position and repeat.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
27. Foam rolling thoracic
Position the foam roller just below your shoulder blades and place your hands behind your head.
Lift your hips up and roll to the base of your nape then roll down your back while lowering your hips, stopping just above the lumbar spine.
Roll up and down, lifting your hips when rolling up and lowering them when rolling down.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
28. T-spine self-mobilization
Position the foam roller perpendicular to your body and place the top of your shoulder blades on the foam roller.
Support your head with your hands and bring your elbows together as much as possible.
Lift your hips so your back is straight.
Roll the foam roller down your spine-middle back-by using your legs.
Roll the foam roller back to the starting position-at your shoulders.
You may perform the specified number of repetitions consecutively or give your legs a break by bringing your hips down to the ground for a brief rest.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
29. Thoracic extension stretch on ball
Sit on a ball and step forward to lower your back onto the ball.
Place the ball directly under your shoulder blades and open your arms on each side to increase the stretch.
Maintain the position and relax.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
30. I on Swiss ball
Lie on your stomach on a Swiss ball with your arms straight in front below shoulder level.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you raise your arms parallel to the floor in an “I” position.
Keep your thumbs up and your shoulders and neck relaxed.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
31. W on Swiss ball
Lie on your stomach on a Swiss ball with your arms bent to 90 degrees below shoulder level in a “W” position.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you raise your arms parallel to the floor.
Keep your palm facing down and your shoulders and neck relaxed.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
32. T on Swiss ball
Lie on your stomach on a Swiss ball with your arms straight and below shoulder level.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you raise your arms parallel to the floor in a “T” position.
Keep your thumbs up and your shoulders and neck relaxed.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
33. Scapula retraction+lowering
Take a four point position with your stomach over a ball. Your back must be straight, but not arched and your chin must be tucked in.
Activate your lower abdominals by slightly pulling your belly button inward and by activating your pelvic floor muscles.
Maintain a steady abdominal breathing while you lift both arms overhead by pulling your shoulder blades together and downward, keeping your back in a neutral position.
Lower your arms and repeat.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min
34. Lumbar extension and rotation
Lie on your stomach on a ball with your chin tucked in, your arms cross on your chest and your feet against a wall.
Maintain a steady abdominal breathing while you lift your upper body and rotate your shoulders to one side, keeping your chin tucked in.
Return to the initial position and repeat on the other side.
Sets 3, Reps 5, Frequency every day, Duration 5 – 15 sec, Rest 1-2 min