The Cat-Cow is a wonderful exercise that I give many of patients with “stiff” or “stuck” low back pain because of the awesome light they shed on what is really restricted in their movement pattern. It exposes which angles are flaring up their pain sensitivities in the low back with a simple animal themed movement! Watch below…
This exercise is pretty ubiquitous at this point. You may have seen this being performed everywhere as every mobility expert in the gym is showcasing how much they can arch and round their back in this provocative position. Sometimes, I wish I was cool enough to partake in the quadruped twerk for hours on end, but alas, I typically use this as a way for my patients to warmup when they complain for feeling stiff or have low back pain that flares with bending or arching their back. The real KEY is moderation, and I’ll tell you why…
The average patient that comes into my clinic with low back pain complains of achiness and stiffness while moving in one direction or another. This exercise not only helps expose some of those motions, but can also be used as a way to “crack the ice” that patients feel freezes them up when moving those directions. The quadruped positioning allows for greater control and less fear and loading of the spine while performing what would typically be a fear inducing motion.
Cow Joke…
Extra point: The beauty with these guys is that not only are they a useful tool for patients who feel stiff or immobile, but they also are excellent for clients with poor ability to find neutral spinal positioning understand both extremes of the movement. Transition from these to a rack dead or any other floor/rack mounted lift and the client now has a better understanding of what a solid neutral spine that is ready to take some heavy (and thus functional for everyday activities) weight feels like.
Cat Joke…
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Assessment tip: Just watching your client perform these can show you where immobilities in both extension or flexion lie throughout the thoracic and lumbar spine! Could be a great starting point to determine where to focus the plan of care and training focus.
Those of you in the Miami area are you unable to enjoy the your favorite hobbies because of nagging pain? I urge you to reach out to me by hitting the contact button or calling me directly to discuss what exactly what we can do to get you feeling better again!