Physical Therapy day 2

Physical therapy Spondylolisthesis BJJ day 2: 

Friday 6/24/2016.  Started me out with a 6 minute warm-up on the stationary bike with level 4 resistance.  My heart rate topped out at a 89 during the warm-up (I haven't done cardio in 4 weeks).  Next was a timed exercise on a total gym machine incline body weight squats taking my legs to a 90 degree angle.

I was told to continue doing squats for the duration of the time which was 3 minutes.

Following that was resistance bands around both ankles as I did side walks down the path and back a total of 4 sets.

Next was balance board and this really worked out my feet, groin muscles and core as I tried to balance on a square board with a ball on the bottom.

First set was keeping my balance front to back trying not to let the board touch the ground front or back for 1 minute.  2nd set was the same but this time trying to lower forward and back slowly with out touching the ground for 1 minute.  The next two sets were exactly the same but the board was set so that the balance part was right to left.  At the end of this my feet felt worked out similar to when I used to rock climb.  On to the therapy table where I did 30 pelvic tilts hold while pressing my lower back into the table.

This made my back feel better.

Next set was also for 30 reps and it was same as before 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.  30 reps.

The second half of my session was stretching.  I have been told that with spondylolisthesis, it is common to have very tight hamstrings and that is true for me.

1st stretch was a hamstring stretch using the therapy table.

Start seated on the table with one leg straight on the table and the other off the side of the table to the floor and stretch the straight leg.  1 min stretch and the turn and switch legs.  I did both legs twice.

2nd stretch was lying on my back 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.

1 minute stretch for each leg 2 times each.

3rd 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. 


4th stretch was back on the therapy table using the stretch strap to stretch my IT band.

One leg flat on the table with the other leg in the air held straight using the stretch strap to pull across my body.  This is an area I need a lot of work on.  Often times when I get a massage, the therapist tells me my IT band is very tight so this was no surprise for me.  1 minute each leg 2 times each.

5th stretch was called the Thomas stretch. 

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.