Rolling Through the Arms

  • Patient is lying supine with the arms separated overhead and legs apart, at the 10 and 2 and 8 and 4 o’clock positions.
  • Ask the patient to roll onto her stomach by reaching obliquely across the trunk to roll onto her stomach using only her right arm.
  • Instruct the patient to lift up her head and look under her left axilla to facilitate the movement. A common dysfunctional pattern is that the patient will extend the head and neck rather than lead with head and neck flexion making this movement more difficult to perform.
  • The lower body should not contribute to the roll, but follow the rotation of the spine and pelvis. Watch to insure that the patient doesn’t push off through the right foot to assist this movement.
  • Once prone ask the patient to roll over onto her back using the right arm only.
  • The head and neck should extend and rotate to the right as the arm is brought back.
  • The lower body/legs should not contribute to the roll. A common substitution pattern is for the patient to push off with the right foot or left hand to assist this movement.
  • Ask the patient to repeat the movement 5 to 6 times as tolerated to both sides.
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