Low Back Tightness
Are you dealing with low back tightness? Very often, I hear from my clients that their low back hurts. But what does it mean? Should they be worried?
Did you know that lower back pain is one of the most common complaints? Often tight back seems to be a result of a sedentary lifestyle
What is Actually ‘Tight’ With Low Back Tightness?
Often we feel tightness and pain. Usually, you can point to it, but we are not sure what it is.
The white area that you see on the right side is the thoracolumbar fascia, which consists of really strong and thick connective tissue for muscles and other structures to connect to.
Identify The Triggers Of Low Back Tightness & Slowly Re-Work Them Into Life
Before you start doing anything and everything you have heard that can improve your low back pain, examine your fife and try to find out when your low back pain is triggered. Does your back feel tight after specific activity or exercise? Clients often tell me that their low back feels tight after long car drives or long travels. If you identify any triggers the next step is to re-work them into life.
I often say to my clients that sometimes low back pain may not be the back’s fault, it may just be the victim. We have to investigate above and below the low back to see if the neck, shoulders, pelvis, or hips are contributing to the issue.
For example, if you have flat feet, all your posture will be affected and you are more likely to experience shoulder, hip or lower back pain.
Firstly try to recognise your body imbalances with help of professionals – physio, chiropractors, osteopath or a good PT and try to understand your body.
Stretching
Before you get started with mobility (stretching) exercises focused directly on your lower back you should know that excessive tightness travels upstream and downstream. In other words, if your hamstrings, glutes, obliques, hip flexors, and/or psoas are tight, they can pull on the muscles, ligaments, and tendons surrounding your lumbar spine. The good news is that by prompting these spots to relax, you’ll also alleviate low back pain and tightness.
The next step is to strengthen all weak areas.
Strengthening
Often low back pain is a result of weak muscles surrounding your low back – glutes, hamstring, adductors, abductors and core muscles so what you want to do is to strengthen them.
Focus your training on posture training and deep core strengthening.
In this case, I highly recommend pilates. Pilates focuses on deep core muscles and posture-supporting muscles.
No matter how long you have suffered from back issues, it is never too late to start feeling better.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!