Quadratus Lumborum (QL) Muscle Stretch

Your quadratus lumborum is a deep muscle in your lower trunk that is responsible for a variety of actions:

1. Lateral flexion (bending sideways from your waist)
2. Extension of the lumbar spine (bending backwards at your lower back)
3. Assists the diaphragm with inhalation (aids in proper breathing mechanics)
4. Elevates the ilium ipsilaterally (lifts one side of your pelvis at a time)

The Quadratus Lumborum is a deep muscle that has attachments on 4 out of 5 of your lower back vertebra, the top of your pelvis, and it also attaches on your lowest rib. It plays an important role in stabilizing the lower trunk.

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The Quadratus Lumborum also plays an important role in stabilizing your lower back and these muscles are often working hard behind the scenes even if you don't realize it! Because this muscle group does so much work contracting and relaxing repeatedly throughout the day, they can often become VERY tight.

I actually had not realized just how tight my QL's had gotten until I started stretching them for the first time. From that point on I made sure that QL stretching was included as part of my Spinal Hygiene to maintain the health of my spine and to prevent risk of future injury. I continued to spend a few minutes each day stretching out this muscle and then after a couple weeks of stretching my QL's consistently, I felt like a new person! 

I'll describe some of my favourite Quadratus Lumborum stretches below.

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1. Stand next to a wall but leave a small gap
2. Take your leg that is FURTHEST from the wall and cross it BEHIND your other leg
3. Use your arm CLOSEST to the wall to lean against the wall to help with balance 
4. Take your other arm and reach over the top of your head, trying to touch the wall
5. Keep both feet planted flat to the ground
6. Now push your hip away from the wall to deepen the stretch

To reduce the amount of stretch then start by standing closer to the wall. Alternatively, you can control how far you reach over your head, as well as controlling how much you push your hip out. 

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1. Stand beside a wall, leaving a small gap
2. Lean sideways so your shoulder and hip are against the wall
3. Push your upper body away from the wall using your arm
4. Ensure your hip is still pressed against the wall
5. The more you push your torso away from the wall, the deeper the stretch will be

To reduce the amount of stretch then stand closer to the wall before leaning against it.

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1. Stand with arms straight up
2. Bend sideways until you feel a stretch along the side of your upper torso
3. Keep feet planted and hips facing forward
4. Rotate your torso/shoulder forward (so that you end up with your arms out forward like you're Superman flying). You should feel the stretch deep in your lower back now
5. Final position should resemble the picture

To increase the amount of stretch, reach out further with your arms and/or bend more at the waist.

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1. Sit with legs crossed or spread out in front of you
2. Cross one arm towards opposite hip and press down toward the floor
3. With your other arm, reach over the top of your head and bend sideways

Increase this stretch by reaching further over your head, causing you to bend further to that side.

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None of the stretches shown should cause any pain or discomfort. If you feel any pain during your stretch, please stop and consult your Chiropractor, it might be time to have your spine checked. Click HERE to make an appointment.

Don't ever force the stretch. As you're reaching into the stretch, try to breathe out. As you breathe out, focus on keeping your QL and lower back muscles relaxed. As the lower back muscles relax, let gravity drag you deeper into the stretch. You should find that you're able to stretch further when you relax into the stretch. It just takes a bit of mindfulness, practice and consistency to stretch properly.

​Try some of these great quadratus lumborum stretches out for yourself and feel the difference it makes! 

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Thrive Chiropractic
214 Wellington Street
Kingston, ON
K7K 2Y7
(613) 217-1560