Prone Planks with Alternating Hip Extension
- The patient starts in prone lying resting on their elbows that are positioned under the shoulders.
- Instruct the patient to rise up on their toes and forearms until they feel that their spine is straight. Observe their spinal position and provide feedback as indicated to make sure they are able to achieve and hold a neutral lumbar spine for 10 seconds.
- Once the patient can perform 10 repetitions holding each one for 10 seconds they can increase the level of difficulty by lifting and holding one foot off the table for 10 seconds, then they reverse and lift the other foot off the table for 10 seconds before lowering back down to the floor.
- An EMG analysis of 18 exercises designed to strengthen the gluteal muscles found that the prone plank with hip extension with the knee flexed had the highest % of MVIC of any of the exercises tested (Boren et al., 2011.) Caution is therefore advised when prescribing this exercise especially early on in the rehabilitation of a patient.
