S P O RT S MEDI C INE
Lower back exercises
From the top, Muagututia demonstrates four rolling exercises for the lats, lower back, hip flexors and gluteals.
The fiqure 4 position is used to loosen up the gluteal region.
L-4
• Quads: Prop yourself up on your elbows
and roll the front of your thigh from top to bottom. Don’t roll over the knee cap, but be sure to roll the inside and outside areas of the quad as well as the central portion. • IT band: Prop yourself up in a side lying position and roll the outer area of your thigh from top to bottom. • Calf: Sit with a foam roll under the
back of your lower leg and roll top to bottom. Also, angle the lower leg to address the inside and outside of the lower leg.
Low back Stiffness in the low-back region may have
many different causes, but loosening the lats, low-back muscles, hip flexors and gluteal muscles may help. • Lats: Prop yourself up in a side lying position and roll the underside of your shoulder. The latissimus attaches into your low back and could be causing problems if it’s
too tight. • Low back: Prop yourself up on your
elbows and foam roll the lower back region. • Hip flexors: Lie on your stomach and position a ball just inside your hip to roll out the hip flexor. • Gluteals: Sit in a figure 4 position and use either a roller or a ball to loosen the deep gluteal region. Self-myofascial release can be a great tool
in a volleyball player’s toolbox. If you’ve been using SMR devices, continue to explore and experiment. If you haven’t used SMR, now is a great time to start.
Aaron Brock is the director of sports medi-
cine and performance for the U.S. National Teams and the athletic trainer for the U.S. Men’s National Team. Jimmy Stitz is a strength and conditioning consultant for the U.S. Women’s National Team.
50 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag
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