Seated Version of the Cat and Cow Yoga Stretch (When There is No Way to Get on All Fours)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwRPAac2Vto

The cat and cow yoga stretch is a mainstay of many routines we recommend for patients with lumbar and generalized spine pain. It is a combination of active range of motion, gentle core muscle firing and segmentation of the spinal segments that stimulate normal proprioception at the level of the brain.

The cat and cow is accessible to a lot of people, minus the logistical challenge of being able to get on all 4’s to do it. That is not always accessible to patients during the daytime when away from home.

The seated variation is an effective way to get in a similar maneuver during the daytime, it can be done on most any chair and even while driving. One of the keys is to be close to the edge of the chair and be able to open the knees in a V position to allow for full trunk movement in flexion and extension.