Unilateral Bridging

Unilateral bridging on the left side to re-educate 9 o’clock control:

• The patient is lying flat on their back with their left knee bent and the left foot flat on the floor with their arms resting on the floor at the sides.
• Instruct the patient to imagine that there is a string attached to their left knee that is pulling the knee forward over their left big toe as they slowly lift their left hip, then pelvis and finally the spine off the floor shifting their weight onto the right buttocks.
• The patient should not lift any further than is comfortable while keeping their shoulders flat on the floor.
• Then instruct the patient to slowly lower back to the floor initiating the movement from above down, first touching the middle back, then the lower back, then the pelvis and finally the hip to the floor.
• Have them repeat this exercise slowly 6-8 times trying to get them to feel that their hip, pelvis and spine can move independently from each other rather than as a block.
• Have them repeat the exercise on the right side to re-educate 3 o’clock control. Instruct the patient to always start with the easiest side first