Jeff.. I’ve always been taught to have pt do a pelvic tilt and then squeeze the butt while in this position..before bridging… Is this incorrect?
Answer:
From the hook lying position, maintain the abdominal brace in order to keep your spine stable.
Have your arms at your side and turn them out so that the back of your thumbs are pressed against the floor. Spread your fingers out as wide as possible.
Keep the spine in a neutral position and slowly raise your pelvis off the floor into the bridge position (at this point you can have the client pre-contract the glutes). I like to observe what strategy they use without coaching on the first several reps. Do they use more hamstrings vs glutes?
Be sure to maintain the abdominal brace throughout the entire movement.
It is also important not to let your low back arch or flatten out at any time during the movement.
Slowly lower back to the starting position.
Repeat.
If getting the spine in a neutral position requires slight pelvic tilt, by all means explore APT or PPT and help them find it. You’ll be amazed at how many low back clients have lost the ability to perform ATP and PPT. Also make sure the knees stay in neutral as well (they don’t drift inward or outward).
Additional bridge progression
Cook Bridge (Hold one knee to chest)
Bridge with strap around the knees
Bridge with heels raised
Bridge with steps
Bridge with one leg extended
Hope this helps.
Jeff
www.DrJeffreyTucker.com
Italian researchers examined the magnesium status of people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease (AD). They found those with low-ionized magnesium levels had the most impaired cognitive function compared to a control group.
The magnesium “ion test” in the study showed low magnesium levels in AD, whereas serum total magnesium levels didn’t show a deficiency. “This serves to confirm that magnesium deficiency overexcites the brain’s neurons and results in less coherence and reduced cognitive function,” said Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, magnesium expert and medical director of the Nutritional Magnesium Association.
“The study also validates the fact that serum magnesium levels are a poor way to diagnose magnesium deficiency and that magnesium ion testing is a far more valid way of testing for magnesium deficiency,” she added. “Magnesium in the blood does not correlate with the amount of magnesium in other parts of your body.”
Magnesium deficiency/depletion may be more common than we think. Check your supplements! It is associated with short- and long-term memory.
Magnesium Research 24(3):115-121, 2011
A rise in blood pressure during middle age significantly raises the risk of having a heart attack or a stroke during a person’s lifetime, report Northwestern University School of Medicine (Illinois, USA) researchers. Norrina Allen and colleagues analyzed data from 61,585 participants in the Cardiovascular Lifetime Risk Pooling Project. Starting with baseline blood pressure readings at age 41, researchers measured blood pressure again at age 55, then followed the patients until the occurrence of a first heart attack or stroke, death or age 95.
Men who developed high blood pressure in middle age or who started out with high blood pressure had a 70% risk of having a heart attack or stroke, compared to a 41% risk for men who maintained low blood pressure or whose blood pressure decreased during the time period.
Women who developed high blood pressure had almost a 50% risk of a heart attack or stroke, compared to a 22% risk for those who kept their blood pressure low or saw a decrease.
People that maintain or reduce their blood pressure to normal levels by age 55 have the lowest lifetime risk for a heart attack or a stroke.
I urge my patient’s to prevent high blood pressure through exercise, diet and nutrition efforts. I will be happy to discuss this with you.
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Please email (DrJTucker@aol.com) me or call (310-473-2911) me for registration info. Course credits apply o the Diplomate in Rehabilitation degree.
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