Which of the following is NOT listed as a spinal mobility exercise?

• A. Long Box Rocking
• B. Long Spine Massage
• C. Jackknife
• D. Tendon Stretch

Answer: (D)

Focusing on how the spine moves is the key concept here. Spinal mobility exercises are those that actively promote articulation of the spine—flexing, extending, and sometimes rotating the vertebral segments with control.

Long Box Rocking dialates mobility by guiding the spine through a rocking motion on the box, encouraging gradual, segmental flexion and extension. Long Spine Massage also centers on articulating the spine along the length of the box, sequencing each vertebra smoothly as you roll. Jackknife takes the spine through a pronounced arc of flexion to extension, emphasizing controlled vertebral movement rather than just a leg or hip action.

Tendon Stretch, in contrast, targets the posterior chain and hamstrings with a stretch that often leaves the spine relatively neutral or with minimal articulation. It isn’t driven by moving the spine through its joints in the same way the other three are, so it isn’t categorized as a spinal mobility exercise.