What muscles flex and extend the spine?
What muscles flex and extend the spine?
Lumbar Extensors The erector spinae allow for vertebral rotation in the sagittal plane (e.g., lumbar extension) and posterior vertebral translation when muscles contract bilaterally. The multifidus muscle is also involved with lumbar extension movements and is therefore a target of lumbar strengthening exercises.
What is flexing the spine?
Flexion is the anatomical name for forward bending. When treating back pain, many spine specialists encourage exercises to strengthen the muscles that act to bring the spine into flexion. In the lower back, approximately 50% of flexion occurs at the hips, and 50% occurs at the lower spine.
What is the main muscle that flexes the lumbar spine?
The rectus abdominis flexes and laterally flexes the trunk at the spinal joints and posteriorly tilts the pelvis at the lumbosacral joint. The rectus abdominis also compresses the abdominal contents.
What muscles extend the spine?
Spinal Muscles: A Comprehensive Guide
| LUMBAR MUSCLES | FUNCTION |
|---|---|
| Intertransversarii Mediales | Lateral flexion of vertebral column |
| Multifidus | Extends & rotates vertebral column |
| Longissimus Lumborum | Extends & rotates vertebral column |
| Iliocostalis Lumborum | Extension, lateral flexion of vertebral column, rib rotation |
What is the extension of the spine?
Spinal extension is the opposite action to flexion; you might think of it as back-arching, but in this exercise, there’s a bit of technique to employ. You’ll use your inhale to help start the movement. Inhale naturally increases spinal extension.
Is spinal flexion bad?
Flexion is a functional and fundamental movement of any body part including the spine. It is NOT dangerous to flex the lumbar spine, as it is not dangerous to flex the hips, the elbows or the fingers. Sure it is true that people often injure themselves while bending or lifting.
What muscles cause flexion of the spine?
These muscles include the large paired muscles in the lower back, called erector spinae, which help hold up the spine, and gluteal muscles. The flexor muscles are attached to the front of the spine and enable flexing, bending forward, lifting, and arching the lower back.
What muscles flex the thoracic spine?
Spinal Muscles: A Comprehensive Guide
| THORACIC MUSCLES | FUNCTION |
|---|---|
| Longissimus Thoracis | Extension, lateral flexion of vertebral column, rib rotation |
| Iliocostalis Thoracis | Extension, lateral flexion of vertebral column, rib rotation |
| Spinalis Thoracis | Extends vertebral column |
| Semispinalis Thoracis | Extends & rotates vertebral column |
What are the muscles that flex the vertebral column?
| Name of Muscle | Action |
|---|---|
| Iliocostalis | Extends and flexes laterally vertebral column |
| Longissimus | Extends and flexes laterally vertebral column |
| Spinalis | Extends vertebral column |
| Semispinalis | Extends neck and vertebral column |