Bridging with Straight Leg Raise

Professional Rationale
This is a great exercise for patients that have moved beyond a basic bridge position. It is not recommended for any patients with sacroiliac dysfunction due to the unilateral weightbearing and the resulting shear forces.

Client Rationale
This is a bridging exercise. This exercise 'wakes up' your core muscles - abdominals, gluteals, back extensors, in a supported environment. The focus of this exercise to to maintain a glut contraction and the lower abdominal (tranverse abdominus) contraction, as your raise your hips off the surface, maintain the bridge position and keep the pelvis level while you decrease your base of support by straightening out your leg.



Instructions

• Keep your hips/pelvis level for the entire exercise.
• Keep abdominals tight.
• Slowly raise buttocks from the surface.
• While keeping your hips raised, straighten out one leg.
• Slowly return leg to start position, and repeat with the other leg.
• Slowly lower hips to the surface.
• Do not arch your back.
• Do not raise your hips too far off of the surface.

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