Could Stretching Your Hamstrings Ease Your Lower Back Pain?
Lower back pain, as shown by some studies, is the number one musculoskeletal complaint when it comes to people visiting a physical therapist such as a physiotherapist, osteopath or remedial massage therapist. Yet, lower back pain can be difficult to assess and could be caused by a myriad of underlying issues, ranging from SIJ (lower back joint with pelvis) dysfunction to subluxations (misalignment) of the lumbar spine to chronic muscle imbalances.
After ruling out the likelihood of SIJ dysfunction or lumber spine subluxations, I find the majority of cases appear to stem from muscle imbalances, and these clients will improve rapidly after only a few treatments of remedial massage and corrective exercise therapy.
Types of Muscle Imbalances
The classic muscle imbalance seen in this area is often referred to as the Lower Cross Syndrome, which involves the weakening of the gluteal and abdominal muscles, and the shortening and tightening of the hip flexors and lower back muscles. In fact, a great proportion of individuals will exhibit this pattern, even if they are not experiencing any pain or symptom at the present time.
It is easy to see how these imbalances come about. In our lifestyles today, most of us sit a lot more than our ancestors used to. We have desk jobs, we drive to work, we sit at the dining table and then slouch on the sofa! Unless you partake in some activity such as yoga, chances are that your lower back hardly ever gets extended (bent backward). With our bodies in this forward flexed position for most of the day, our brains simply recalibrate the lengths, tones and range of movement of our deep flexor muscles, making them short and tight. This tightness then in turn neurologically switches off the gluteal (buttocks) and abdominal muscles and before you know it, you have a vicious circle, leading to further tightness / weakness, until one day your back decides it's time to bail out!
What do the hamstrings have to do with all of this?
With the gluteal muscles switched off, the load has to shift somewhere else. The gluteal muscles and hamstrings work together in extending the hip joint, which occurs with every step when you walk or run. With the gluteal muscles on holiday, the hamstrings have to work extra hard, and in doing so, tend to get short and tight. Furthermore, the tight hamstrings tilt your pelvis posteriorly, which adds strain further strain to your lower back muscles!
So how do I address my Lower Back Pain?
If you suffer from acute or chronic back pain, it is best to visit a remedial massage therapist or an osteopath or physiotherapist with expertise in this area to be assessed in the first instance. If your lower back pain is found to flexion related, as described above, you will most likely find that stretching your hamstrings daily, and learning exercises to activate your gluteal and core abdominal muscles will go a long way to improving you back pain.
After ruling out the likelihood of SIJ dysfunction or lumber spine subluxations, I find the majority of cases appear to stem from muscle imbalances, and these clients will improve rapidly after only a few treatments of remedial massage and corrective exercise therapy.
Types of Muscle Imbalances
The classic muscle imbalance seen in this area is often referred to as the Lower Cross Syndrome, which involves the weakening of the gluteal and abdominal muscles, and the shortening and tightening of the hip flexors and lower back muscles. In fact, a great proportion of individuals will exhibit this pattern, even if they are not experiencing any pain or symptom at the present time.
It is easy to see how these imbalances come about. In our lifestyles today, most of us sit a lot more than our ancestors used to. We have desk jobs, we drive to work, we sit at the dining table and then slouch on the sofa! Unless you partake in some activity such as yoga, chances are that your lower back hardly ever gets extended (bent backward). With our bodies in this forward flexed position for most of the day, our brains simply recalibrate the lengths, tones and range of movement of our deep flexor muscles, making them short and tight. This tightness then in turn neurologically switches off the gluteal (buttocks) and abdominal muscles and before you know it, you have a vicious circle, leading to further tightness / weakness, until one day your back decides it's time to bail out!
What do the hamstrings have to do with all of this?
With the gluteal muscles switched off, the load has to shift somewhere else. The gluteal muscles and hamstrings work together in extending the hip joint, which occurs with every step when you walk or run. With the gluteal muscles on holiday, the hamstrings have to work extra hard, and in doing so, tend to get short and tight. Furthermore, the tight hamstrings tilt your pelvis posteriorly, which adds strain further strain to your lower back muscles!
So how do I address my Lower Back Pain?
If you suffer from acute or chronic back pain, it is best to visit a remedial massage therapist or an osteopath or physiotherapist with expertise in this area to be assessed in the first instance. If your lower back pain is found to flexion related, as described above, you will most likely find that stretching your hamstrings daily, and learning exercises to activate your gluteal and core abdominal muscles will go a long way to improving you back pain.
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