Thomas Stretch

Step 1

Sit at the end of a massage table with your mid thigh aligned with the edge. Sit tall, lifting your head towards the ceiling.  Stiffen your abdominal muscles to engage (“brace”) your spine, then depress and retract your scapulae (pull your shoulders down and back) without arching your low back. 

 

Step 2

Keeping your abdominals engaged, lean slightly backwards drawing your left knee off the table towards the chest and folding your hands under your left thigh with out moving your torso.  Continue leaning back, keeping your head in line with your spine, and abdominals engaged.  Draw your right knee up towards the ceiling, lifting your right thigh off the table.

 

Step 3

Begin to round out your back, lowering it to the table one vertebra at a time.  Keeping hold of your left thigh, allow your right knee to stay pointed toward the ceiling.  As your lower your head coming into a supine (on your back) position, keep a hold of your left leg and lower your right thigh straight down to the table maintaining the bent knee position to allow your  lower leg to hang off the table and a stretch through the right hip flexor. 

 

Step 4

Hold the stretch position for 15-30 seconds at a time for a total of 2-4 repetitions.  Complete  all repetitions on one side before alternating to the other leg.