A Victim between a stiff rib cage and tight hip joints.
How it works:
Anatomy
The joints in the lumbar spine are oriented from front to back, allowing us to bend and straighten (forward and back movement). They also sidebend a little.
The rib cage allows a lot of rotation, much like a slinky toy. So do the hip joints.
Many people limit rotation of their hip joints by clenching and gripping the deep buttock muscles. This places extra demand on the lower back to rotate when it is not designed to.
The rib cage can get stiff from shallow breathing and sitting for long hours at a desk. The thorax and rib cage can also get compressed with lack of movement, and or lifting weights, or exercising without stretching.
The problem:
When these two areas get stiff the lumbar spine tries to compensate, but it is not anatomically designed to do so.
A long period of these patterns can result in arthritis or disc injuries in the lumbar spine. It appears as though there is no cause for your back pain, but there is a cause!
This type of back pain can creep up on you over months and have no discernible cause.
Treatment:
First we accurately assess your whole body mechanics and muscular balance, not just your lower back. We need to determine where movement has been lost, and is therefore putting strain on your lower back.
Maintaining rotation in the areas above and below the lumbar spine is important for treating and preventing back pain.
Your body is fully assessed here at Physio Therapy Yoga in Milsons Point, North Sydney, using an Integrated whole-body approach. We identify where your imbalances are and show you how to correct them.
Stretches you may begin with:
1.Child’s Pose (Yoga) lengthens and decompresses the whole spine and pelvis; crouch on the floor and sit back on heels, stretch arms out in front. Take deep breaths in this position into your back ribs.
2. Hip stretch; lie on your back, place feet flat on a wall with knees at 90 degrees. Lift one ankle and place it over the opposite knee. Then roll pelvis away from you. Feel the stretch in your buttock muscles.
Many more stretches can be prescribed for you depending on your body.
Discover the cause of your back pain to treat it properly and prevent recurrence.
