Exercise Prescription — Left-Side Recovery

Full cadence, timing, sets, reps

0 sessions logged•Avg pain: 1.0•Avg tightness: 3.0•Avg sleep: 9.0

Quick symptom log

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Daily — Morning

Daily, first thing

TVA activation → NS downregulation → glute re-education (20–25 min)

  1. 1
    Posterior pelvic tilt
    2×10Slow, deliberate

    Draw lower abdomen gently inward, hold 5 sec, breathe normally

  2. 2
    Box breathing 4-4-4-4
    1×20s

    10 rounds · ~2–3 min

  3. 3
    Jaw release
    1×60s

    Open wide, move side to side, rest: lips together teeth apart

  4. 4
    Neural floss — sciatic nerve
    1×12left2s up · 2s hold · 2s down

    ⚠ Mild tension only. Stop if radiating/burning/numbness.

  5. 5
    Glute bridge
    2×102s up · 3s hold · 2s down

    Squeeze both glutes hard. Externally rotate left foot slightly.

  6. 6
    Donkey kick — left
    2×15left3s up · 2s hold · 3s down

    Hand on glute max. Feel contraction — not hamstring, not deep glute.

  7. 7
    Clamshell
    2×15left2s up · 1s hold · 2s down

    Feel it behind the hip, not at the front.

  8. 8
    Standing abduction — TFL monitor
    2×123s up · 1s hold · 3s down

    Hand on TFL, minimize engagement. Drive from back of hip.

Daily — Evening

Daily

Lateral chain release + mobility (20–25 min)

  1. 1
    TFL foam roll
    1×90sleft

    Very slow — 1–2 inches/sec. Breathe into tender spots.

  2. 2
    Standing TFL stretch
    2×45sleft

    Cross left leg behind, lean right, reach left arm overhead. Rest 15s between.

  3. 3
    Figure-4 stretch
    2×60sleft

    ⚠ Stop immediately if radiating sensation down leg. Rest 15s between.

  4. 4
    QL decompression twist
    2×60sleft

    Knees to RIGHT, breathe into left lower back. Gentle only. Rest 15s.

  5. 5
    Half-kneeling hip flexor
    2×75sleft

    Tuck tailbone BEFORE shifting forward. Rest 20s between.

  6. 6
    Thread the needle
    2×45sleft

    Slide left arm under right. Rest 15s between.

  7. 7
    Doorframe lat stretch
    2×45sleft

    Left hand on frame at shoulder height, rotate torso away. Rest 15s.

  8. 8
    Neck / scalene stretch
    2×45sleft

    Tilt right ear to right shoulder, slight chin tuck. Gravity only. Rest 15s.

  9. 9
    Prone Y-T-W — left arm
    2×10left3s up · 1s hold · 3s down

    Y, T, W separately. Feel lower/middle trap — not neck.

  10. 10
    90/90 breathing — left arm reach
    2×30sleft

    5 slow breaths: inhale 4 · exhale 6. Feel left ribcage expand.

3×/Week — Strength / Stability

Mon / Wed / Fri (gate: glute activates reliably)

McGill Big 3 + functional strength (25–30 min)

  1. 1
    Modified curl-up (McGill)
    3×83s up · 2s hold · 3s down

    One knee bent, one leg flat. Lift only head/shoulders. Rest 45s.

  2. 2
    Bird dog
    3×83s extend · 3s hold · 3s return

    Hold completely still. Left glute fires on left leg extension. Rest 45s.

  3. 3
    Side plank (modified)
    3×20sleft

    Build from 20, add 5s/week. Left glute med should engage. Rest 45s.

  4. 4
    Single-leg glute bridge — left
    3×12left2s up · 2s hold · 3s down

    ⚠ Gate: only when bilateral bridge shows left glute firing. Rest 60s.

  5. 5
    Banded lateral walk
    3×152s per step

    Feel glute med on STANDING leg. Rest 60s.

  6. 6
    Thoracic rotation
    3×152s rotate · 1s hold · 2s return

    Rotate from mid-back — not neck or lower back. Rest 45s.

Daily — Before Bed

Daily, before bed

NS downregulation for sleep (5–7 min)

  1. 1
    Box breathing 4-4-4-4
    1×20s

    10 rounds · ~2–3 min

  2. 2
    Jaw release
    1×60s

    Open wide, move side to side, rest: lips together teeth apart

  3. 3
    Pigeon pose
    1×75sleft

    Optional — skip entirely if any radiating sensation. Not required.

Weekly schedule

DayMorningEveningStrength
MonFull circuitFull mobilityYes
TueFull circuitFull mobility—
WedFull circuitFull mobilityYes
ThuFull circuitFull mobility—
FriFull circuitFull mobilityYes
SatFull circuitFull mobility—
SunBox breathing + jaw onlyLight / rest—

Progression rules

  • Week 1–2: Morning activation + evening mobility only. No strength block.
  • Week 3: Add strength block only if left glute is reliably felt in donkey kick and clamshell.
  • Add load (bands/weights) only when bodyweight reps feel controlled and the correct muscle is working.
  • Increase side plank by 5 sec per week.
  • Never progress an exercise that's still recruiting the wrong muscle.

⚠ Stop signs

  • Radiating pain, burning, or numbness down the left leg during any exercise → stop immediately
  • Sharp pain (vs. dull stretch) in lower back → stop and rest
  • Nerve symptoms during figure-4 or pigeon → skip those exercises that day

Habit — Every Sit-to-Stand

Before rising from any chair: breathe into belly → brace core outward (like bracing for a punch) → hold brace, then stand. Takes ~3 sec. Do every single time until automatic.

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