Spondylolisthesis Physical Therapy day 5

Physical Therapy day 5 - Spondylolisthesis BJJ

Wednesday 7/6/2016.  1st exercise total gym squats and I counted my reps today.  Performed slow and controlled incline body weight squats taking my legs to a 90 degree angle.  Continuous reps for 3 minutes = total count of 52 squats.

2nd warm-up was 6 minutes on the elliptical machine with resistance level of 4.  3 minutes going forward and then 3 minutes going backwards.  My heart rate topped out at 123 bpm. 

Following that was resistance bands going up in resistance using a blue band around both ankles as I did side walks down the path and back a total of 2 times there and back.  She made the band shorter and harder by tying another knot in it for the 2nd set. 

Hamstring door stretch: 

  

1 Minute stretch each leg 2 sets total of 2 minutes each leg. 



Bench hamstring stretch - was over at a bench where I place one leg up on the bench and tilted forward at the hips with my back straight doing a traditional hamstring straight leg stretch.

After 1 minute I turned outward and the stretch hit my groin and inner hamstring.  After that 2nd minute I turned back inside and crossed over the other way and the stretch got my IT band.  After doing all three of those back to back for 1 minute each position I then did the other leg.



Next Exercise was new for me - Roman Deadlifts: 

The hard part about this exercise was the balance portion.  While holding a 10 pound dumbbell with both hands I would lower it slowly to the ground and touch the ground with it.  One leg would go back straight as I lowered the weight to the ground and then back to standing - however the whole time the lifted leg was to never touch the floor.  This was difficult.  I did 20 reps for each leg and it really made my standing leg work.  My ankle was tired and so was my calf from trying to keep my balance.  Trying to keep my back flat and stomach tight the whole time was tough.  My feet, calves, hamstrings and ankles are tired and sore this evening. 


Pelvic tilts:  

 

While lying on the therapy table I did 30 pelvic tilts - hold each while pressing my lower back into the table. 

Pelvic tilts and bridge:  Same movement as above but instead of pressing my low back into the table they had me hold the pelvic tilt and bridge lifting my hips off the table.

I held this bridge in the air for a count of 5 and then back down and relax for 1.  I did this for 3 minutes. 



Side leg raises: 

30 repetitions for each leg. I was able to do them faster this time but they still burn and hurt while doing them.  

Isometric hands against knees:   Both knees at the same time (different from picture below)

With back flat on the table you lift both your knees up feet off the table.  Your cross hands to opposite knees and press against your knees while you try to pull your knees towards your hands.  Hold for 30 seconds.  2nd set was same as before but you switched your hands to be straight forward left to left knee and right to right knee.  3rd set was same as before but you put your palms flat on the ground  next to your hips and pressed into the ground with your hands while keeping your knees up. 

Table hamstring stretch:  Back on the table with on leg in the air hooked to the stretch strap in order to hold in place while the other leg lay flat on the table.  Pic below the bottom leg is meant to be straight.  

1 minute stretch for each leg 2 times each.


Buttock/Hamstring stretch:  

This stretch felt good as it stretched many muscles.  I will be adding this to my BJJ class stretches when I return to coaching. 


Thomas stretch:  This one was done with the assistance of the therapist.  

I sat on the front edge of the therapy table and then laid back and pulled one knee up into my chest while the therapist stretched the hanging leg down towards the floor. This time though the therapist was a different person and she did not push my leg inwards to help with the IT band stretch.  I will ask her next time to do so if she is the one that works with m