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Williams Flexion Exercises

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Williams fexion exercises focus on placing the lumbar spine in a fexed position to
reduce excessive lumbar lordotic stresses. Exercises are designed to (1) strengthen the
abdominal, gluteal, and quadriceps muscles, and (2) stretch the erector spinae,
hamstring, and tensor fasciae latae muscles and iliofemoral ligament.

INTRODUCTION
Williams fexion exercises — also called Williams lumbar fexion exercises, Lumbar
fexion exercises or simply Williams exercises — are a set or system of related

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williams flexion exercises
Visited on 02/27/2018
physical exercises intended to enhance lumbar fexion, avoid lumbar extension, and
strengthen the abdominal and gluteal musculature in an effort to manage low back pain
non-surgically. The system was frst devised in 1937 by Dr. Paul C. Williams (1900-
1978), then a Dallas orthopedic surgeon.

Williams Flexion Exercises for Lumbar Spine

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RATIONALE 
Williams believed that the basic cause of all pain is the stress induced on the inter-
vertebral disc by poor posture. He theorized that the lordotic lumbar spine placed
inordinate strain on the posterior elements of the inter-vertebral disc and caused its
premature dysfunction. He was concerned about the lack of fexion in daily activities in
the accumulation of extension forces that hurt the disc.

GOALS OF WILLIAMS FLEXION EXERCISES

The goals of these exercises are to open the intravertebral foramina and stretch the back
extensors, hip fexors, and facets; to strengthen the abdominal and gluteal muscles; and
to mobilize the lumbosacral junctions.

CORE EXERCISES
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Williams believed that the back pain was the result of human evolution in movement from
a quadruped to an upright position, proposing that the standing position was the cause of
back pain because it placed the low back in a lordotic curve. Williams advocated seven
exercises to minimize the lumbar curve-

pelvic tilt exercises, partial sit-ups, single knee-to-chest and bilateral knee-to-
chest, hamstring stretching, standing lunges, seated trunk fexion, and full
squats. 

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Williams fexion exercises- Source Athletic Training and Sports Medicine

By
Chad Starkey, Glen Johnson

1- Pelvic tilt exercises: 

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet fat on foor. Flatten the small of your back against
the foor, without pushing down with the legs. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds.

2- Partial sit-ups: 

The athlete lies in "hooklying" position (supine with knes bent and feet fat). With hands

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williams flexion exercises
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behind his or her head, the athlete elevates the upper torso until the scapulae clear the
resting surface and stress is placed on the rectus abdominus. After returning to the start
position, the sit-up is repeated for a prescribed number of repitions. 

3- Knee-to-chest:

Single Knee to chest. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet fat on the foor. Slowly
pull your right knee toward your shoulder and hold 5 to 10 seconds. Lower the knee and
repeat with the other knee.

Double knee to chest. Begin as in the previous exercise. After pulling right knee to chest,
pull left knee to chest and hold both knees for 5 to 10 seconds. Slowly lower one leg at a
time.

4- Hamstring stretch:

Lying supine, the athlete places both hands around the back of one knee. The athlete
straightens his or her knee and pulls the thigh toward his or her head so the hip goes into
fexion. Williams believed that fexible hamstrings are necessary to accomplish full fexion
of the lumbar spine. Although tight hamstrings limit lumbar fexion in standing with knee
straight, we now know that tight hamstrings actually  tilt the pelvis posteriorly and
promote trunk fexion.

5- Standing lunges:

This exercise actually results in some extension of the lumbar spine when performed
properly. Nonetheless, it is a good stretching exercise for the entire lower extremity,
especially the iliopsoas, which may be a perpetrator of low back pain if it is abnormally
tight or in spasm.

The athlete begins the forward lunge in a standing position with the feet shoulder width
apart. He or she then takes a big step forward with the right leg and plants the foot out
front, keeping the body relatively straight. The knee should stay over your ankle and not
extend out over the toes to minimize stress on the knee joint.

6- Seated trunk fexion:

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williams flexion exercises
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This exercise is performed by sitting in a chair and fexing forward in a slumped position.
Maximum trunk fexion is obtained and direct stretching of the lumbosacral soft tissue
structures occurs. 

7- Full squat:

William's squat position is with the feet placed shoulder width apart, the hip and knees
are fexed to the maximum available range of motion, and the lumbar spine is rounded
into fexion. Upon reaching maximum depth, the athlete "bounces the buttocks up and
down" 15 to 20 times, with 2 to 3 inches of excursion on each bounce, then repeats 3 to
4 times.

For years, the Williams Flexion Exercises

were the main stay of most low back pain
prevention and care programs. They In modern era Williams fexion
certainly accomplished the goal of fattening exercises are specifcally used in
the lumbar spine and were advocated by medical conditions like Spinal
physical therapists who worked with Stenosis, Spondylolisthesis, and
sports and industrial injuries. Although the facetal locking where spinal
success was limited, William's extension is painful.
comprehensive program helped advance
the idea that strong abdominal muscles are
needed to prevent low back pain and improve core strength.

References For Williams Flexion

Exercises
1. Therapeutic Exercise for Musculoskeletal Injuries 4th Edition By
Houglum, Peggy A.
2. Athletic Training and Sports Medicine By Chad Starkey, Glen
Johnson
3. Clinical Decisions in Therapeutic Exercises , Planning and
Implementation ... By CTI Reviews
4. Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Secrets - E-Book By Jeffrey D.
Placzek, David A. Boyce

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williams flexion exercises
Visited on 02/27/2018
5. The Shoulder and the Overhead Athlete edited by Sumant G.
Krishnan, Richard J. Hawkins, Russell F. Warren
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_Flexion_Exercises

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