Piriformis Stretch

 

 Phase 1

Lay down on your back with knees bent. 

Bilateral shoulder girdles are in neutral

Bilateral shoulder joints are in neutral

Bilateral Wrist joints neutral
Bilateral Elbow joints in neutral

Phase 2

Take one knee and put it across the other leg.

Bilateral shoulder girdles are in neutral

Bilateral shoulder joints are in neutral
Bilateral Wrist joints in neutral
Bilateral Elbow joints in neutral

Phase 3

Grab the knee that is crossing the other leg and pull it towards your chest. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat three times then switch legs.

Bilateral shoulder girdle are abducted 

Agonist

   Pectoralis minor- contract concentrically to abduct the shoulder girdle

   Serratus anterior- contract concentrically to abduct the shoulder girdle

Bilateral shoulder joints are diagonaly adducted
Agonist Muscles Used

     

Anterior Deltoid -contract concentrically to diagonally adduct shoulder joint.
Coracobrachialis- -contract concentrically to diagonally adduct shoulder joint.
Biceps Brachii (short head)- contract concentrically to diagonally adduct shoulder joint
Pectoralis Major - Upper & Lower-   contract concentrically to diagonally adduct shoulder joint

Antagonist

o    Posterior Deltoid

o    Infraspinatus

o    Teres Minor

o    Triceps Brachii (Long Head)

Dexter wrist in neutral sinister wrist slightly flexed

Agonists

–        Flexor carpi radialis contract concentrically to flex the wrist.

–        Flexor carpi ulnaris contract concentrically to flex the wrist.

–        Palmaris longus contract concentrically to flex the wrist.

–        Flexor digitorum superficialis contract concentrically to flex the wrist.

–        Flexor digitorum profundus contract concentrically to flex the wrist.

–        Flexor pollicis longus contract concentrically to flex the wrist.

Bilateral elbow joints are flexed

Agonists

     Biceps brachii contract concentrically to flex elbow
Brachialis contract concentrically to flex elbow

     Brachioradialis contract concentrically to flex elbow

 

Hip diagonally adducted

Agonist
Adductor Brevis contracts concentrically to adduct the hip joint.
Adductor Longus contracts concentrically to adduct the hip joint.
Adductor Magnus contracts concentrically to adduct the hip joint.
Gracilis contracts concentrically to adduct the hip joint.

Passive Stretch—Muscle Passively Lengthening

The Piriformis Muscle is being passively stretched

 

 Drill

The clam

This exercise targets not only your piriformis but also your gluteus medius and minimus muscles, which assist the piriformis in its actions. Lie on your right side, bend your knees . Support your head with your bottom arm and make sure your hips are stacked. Keeping your ankles together, slowly lift your top knee toward the ceiling. Lift as high as you can without rolling your hips. Slowly return to the starting position. Complete 15 repetitions, then switch sides and repeat the exercise. As your muscles become stronger, loop a resistance band around your knees when performing the clam to make it more challenging.

Sitting Knee Flexion (Long Arc Quads)

Phase I

Sit in a chair or on the edge of the bed with back straight and legs bent. 

Bilateral shoulder girdle is in neutral
Bilateral shoulder joint in neutral

Phase II

Extend the knee as far as you can to make the leg straight.
Agonist Muscles used in extending the knee.

rectus femoris contracts concentrically to extend knee.

vastus intermedius contracts  concentrically to extend knee.

vastus lateralis contracts concentrically to extend knee.

vastus medalis contracts concentrically to extend knee

Phase III

 Go back into the original position by flexing the knee.

Agonist muscles used to flex the knee. 

Bicep femoris contracts eccentrically to control flexing of the knee.

popiteus contracts eccentrically to control flexing of the knee.

semimembranous contracts eccentrically, to control flexing of the knee.

            semitendinous  contracts eccentrically to control flexing of the knee

Drill

1 - Stand with your right foot forward and left foot back, a step width apart and toes pointing ahead.

2 - Slightly bend your right knee (moving your weight forward), keep your left knee straight and heels on the floor. Facilitate this stretch by leaning on a wall directly in front of you. Gently push against the wall whilst doing the stretch described above.3 - Feel the stretch in your left calf.

4 - Repeat by switching legs.

Levator Scapulae Stretch

Phase 1

 Sitting in a chair with back straight look down at the right armpit.

 Bilateral Shoulder girdles are in neutral
Bilateral Shoulder joints are in neutral

Bilateral wrist joints in neutral

Bilateral elbow joints flexed

Agonists

–        Biceps brachii contract concentrically to flex elbow.

–        Brachialis contract concentrically to flex elbow

–        Brachioradialis contract concentrically to flex elbow

Phase 2

 Raise your sinister arm up and place your left palm on the top of your head

Gently guide your sinister hand to bring your chin down towards your sinister underarm

Sinister shoulder girdle is rotated upward the right one is in neutral.

Agonists

Middle Trapezius contract concentrically to rotate shoulder girdle upward.

Lower Trapezius contract concentrically to rotate shoulder girdle upward.

Serratus anterior contract concentrically to rotate shoulder girdle upward.

Sinister shoulder joint is flexed  

Agonists Muscles Used.

Anterior Deltoid- Contract concentrically to flex the shoulder joint

Upper Pectoralis Major- contract concentrically to flex the shoulder joint

              Antagonist muscles

Teres Major 

   Latissimus Dorsi

  Lower Pectoralis Major

Sinister wrist joint is slightly flexed, dexer wrist joint is neutral

Agonists 

     Flexor carpi radialis contract concentrically to flex the wrist. 

     Flexor carpi ulnaris contract concentrically to flex the wrist

    Palmaris longus contract concentrically to flex the wrist.

   Flexor digitorum superficialis contract concentrically to flex the wrist.                        

   Flexor digitorum profundus contract concentrically to flex the wrist.

                     Flexor pollicis longus contract concentrically to flex the wrist

Dexter elbow is slightly flexed, sinister elbow is flexed about 120 degrees

Agonists

–        Biceps brachii contract concentrically to flex elbow.

–        Brachialis contract concentrically to flex elbow

–        Brachioradialis contract concentrically to flex elbow

Passive Contraction-Muscle Passively Lengthening
The Levator Scapulae is Contracting passively

Drill

Stand straight and try to bring your shoulders to your ears. DO NOT roll your shoulders with this exercise. Tighten the abdomen and maintain good posture. Hold the shrug on top for two seconds will help strengthen the muscle.