One of the most common complaints that walks through my door is a client suffering from “low back pain”.
What’s Causing My Low Back Pain?
There are several different muscle groups that can be the culprit of this ailment. Unless the pain is coming from the quadratus lumborum (which is your lift-with-your-back-and-not-with-your-legs muscle) the solution to finding relief does not come from rubbing the back at all.
So… My Back Hurts, But That’s Not Where The Problem Is?
Instead, it comes from focusing on the anterior (or front) and lateral/medial (or side) muscles of the body. Now there’s no one protocol to solve all low back problems.
However, in my experience, the key is focusing on lengthening out the constricted shorter muscles of the front and sides results in the relief of pressure and pulling on the back or posterior muscles. The simple fact of the matter is that gravity is our nemesis when it comes to good posture.
If It Isn’t My Back, What Is It?
Typical culprits of that low back pain include but are not limited to the adductors, obliques, abductors, TFL (Tensor Fasciae Latae), quads, psoas, abs, serratus anterior, etc.Don’t worry if you don’t know any of these muscle groups, your therapist will. And if they don’t, then it’s time to find another therapist. At Blue Heron Massage all our therapists understand the dynamic of anterior pull and posterior weakness as well as how to work through these imbalances.
