The lumbar spine has a natural inward curve (“neutral spine”). When we lose that curve (“flexed spine”), the risk of injury increases. This can happen when we bend forward at the waist. The string in this exercise provides useful feedback since a straight spine is “longer” than a curved spine, creating tension in the string which can be felt by the wearer. If the tension in the string becomes too great, the clip at the waistband slips off, indicated by the arrow in the photo below.
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String clipped to shirt collar
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String clipped to waist band of pants
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| Neutral spine lifting |
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| Flexed spine lifting |
