F.I.T. Tips: Low Back Hygiene with The Founder Pose
- Gavin Buehler
- Jan 18
- 2 min read
By Gavin Buehler
Low back pain is one of the most common complaints worldwide. While imaging can show you degenerative changes, disc bulges and a whole lot of other spinal changes that may be contributing to the discomfort, a lack of spinal stability over a period of time might have been responsible for the degenerative changes or injuries in the first place. A quick daily routine (spinal hygiene) to help activate spinal stabilizers that will also support the maintenance of vertebral spacing can not only help prevent injuries and delay the onset of degenerative changes, but it can also help alleviate discomfort you may already be feeling.
When performing manual therapy on patience who experience back pain, a common finding is that there are usually segments along the spinal column where the multifidus muscles are not fully functioning. The multifidus muscle’s primary role is to provide stability to the spinal column by acting like an internal scaffold to keep the spine aligned during movement, preventing excessive motion protecting joints and discs. Multifidus weakness or delayed activation is strongly associated with chronic low back pain.
Some of the best exercises for recruiting the multifidus muscles are movements that involve some sort back extension such as a Bird Dog. However, hip hinging movements such as the deadlift and squat loaded at 50% of a max effort have been shown to outperform movements such as the bird dog for multifidus recruitment.
Unfortunately, if you already suffer from back discomfort, a loaded squat or deadlift will likely aggravate things more. Here’s where the Founder Pose shines. It’s a gentle isometric hip hinge movement that really lights up those multifidus muscles. Below is a full tutorial video as well as a recommended protocol for daily spinal hygiene.
Credit for this movement goes to Eric Goodman for popularizing it with his Foundation Training program.
Recommended Protocols:
1-3 sets, 1 repetition 30-45 second hold. 2 minutes rest in between reps if performing more than one.
As always, these videos are for entertainment and educational purposes only. Please consult a health professional before attempting new exercises or protocols, as the following suggestions may or may not be appropriate for you.
Comments