Side Lying Isometric Abduction

Instructions

1. Lie on your side with both legs straight.

2. Place a ball under the knee of the bottom leg.

3. Keep the bottom leg straight and resting on the ball.

4. Keep the top leg straight and stacked over the bottom leg.

5. Press the bottom leg gently down into the ball to create contact and stability.

6. Hold the contraction for the prescribed amount of time while keeping the leg straight.

7. Relax the effort slowly.

8. Reset and repeat for the prescribed number of reps or holds.

Common Compensations

• Do not roll your pelvis backward.

• Do not bend the bottom knee during the hold.

• Do not let the top leg take over the work.

• Do not shrug or tense your neck and shoulders unnecessarily.

• Do not hold your breath during the isometric contraction.

• Do not press so hard into the ball that you lose alignment.

Extra Info

• You should feel this mostly in the outer hip and glute area of the bottom leg.

• You may also feel the inner thigh and deep hip muscles helping stabilize the position.

• Because this is an isometric, the movement may be very small or not visible at all.

• The goal is controlled muscle activation while keeping the body still.

• You should not feel sharp pain in the hip, knee, or low back.