Exercises That Work Your Thoracolumbar Fascia

The thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) covers a diamond-shaped area of the lower back and is a growing focus of research on lower back pain. Studies have increasingly found that to relieve or prevent lower back pain, it can be helpful to focus on strengthening exercises and stretches that target the TLF.

It might be hard to tell whether your lower back pain is due to problems with your fascia or whether your muscles or joints are to blame.

The main treatment prescribed for lower back pain is pain medication, which only addresses the symptoms and not the root cause of the pain. Physical therapy rehabilitation and spinal manipulation are effective treatment options for MPS that are used less often.

1. Fully relax your abdominals and push your fingers into your oblique muscles, which are on the side of your abdomen, about 2 to 5 inches laterally from your navel.
2. Begin to stiffen your abdominals gently while feeling your fingers pushing out from this resistance.
3. Maintain this stiffness throughout all of the thoracolumbar fascia strengthening exercises or stretches described below.

Dr. McGill’s “Big Three” lower back exercises, as explained by the American Council on Exercise, include a curl-up, a side-lying plank, and a quadruped bird-dog exercise.

​Move 1: The McGill Curl-Up​

1. While lying on your back, extend one of your legs and bend the knee of the other leg.
2. Keep a natural arch in your back by placing your hands under your lower back.
3. Lift your chest while pulling your shoulders and head off the floor as a unit. Your back should stay in a neutral position without touching your chin or tilting your head backward.
4. Perform this hold for 10 seconds before lowering yourself back down in a slow and controlled manner.

​Move 2: Side Bridge​

1. Lying on your side with your forearm on the floor, elbow stacked under your shoulder, place the hand of your other arm on the opposite shoulder for stabilization. Your feet should be pulled back and knees bent at 90 degrees with your knees resting on the floor.
2. While maintaining a straight line from your head to your knees, lift your hips off the floor and hold for 10 seconds.
3. Repeat on the opposite side.
4. To advance this movement, straighten your legs and rest on the sides of your feet instead of your knees.

​Move 3: Bird Dog​

1. Get on the floor on your hands and knees with your knees stacked under your hips and hands stacked under your shoulders.
2. Extend your left arm forward and extend your right leg backward at the same time until both are parallel to the floor. Your hips should be in line with your torso and not dipping to one side or the other.
3. Hold this position for 10 seconds before repeating on the other side.

It’s recommended that you perform eight repetitions (reps), four on each side, for your first set. Then perform more sets while decreasing the number of reps by two each time, with your last set consisting of four reps, two on each side (eight, six, four).

A Technique to Complement Exercise

• The thoracolumbar fascia, a sensitive connective tissue in the lower back, is a key focus in relieving and preventing back pain, especially when stiff from inactivity or injury.
• Unlike muscle and joint pain, fascial pain (from “adhesions”) can improve with movement, and it often responds well to heat.
• Targeted exercises like the McGill curl-up, side bridge (plank), and bird dog strengthen the core, offering effective treatment beyond just pain medication.