Tired of Low Back Pain?
*These blog posts are intended as education. If you are suffering from severe pain, please consult your physician to ensure your issues are not something more serious!
Us too! But that doesn't mean it magically disappears. Well, it might at the hands of Robert and the Lystra PT team. Low back pain can have many causes and a lot has to do with your job. Sorry, this isn't an excuse to quit your day job. According to this link for the American Chiropractic Association, experts say that at least 80% of Americans experience back pain in their lives! 80%!! And I bet that MOST of those people do nothing about it.
We are here to discuss one common cause of low back pain: Tight hip flexors.
Picture this: It's the end of a long Monday at work, you stand from your desk after cracking your back and slouching all day. Your lower back is aching so terrible you pop ibuprofen so that it knocks the edge off the pain. You assume it's your posture, and you would be correct in this assumption, but only partially. Another simple mistake is simply NOT taking a break from the computer and standing throughout the day.
When we sit in a flexed position for extended periods of time, our psoas (pronounced so-as) can shorten and pull on the lower back.
You may experience:
low back aching
sharp pain in the low back or front of hip
difficulty standing straight
clicking or popping in the front of the hip
weak glute (buttock) muscles due to inhibition (fancy way of saying they are turned off)
stiffness, discomfort, or pain in the front of the hip with prolonged sitting or lying down
This is your PSOAS
Okay, now that we have a picture, you can see that this large muscle extends up from the top of your femur to your lower vertebrae (the 12th thoracic and 1-5 lumbar). This muscles function is to flex your hip. Bring your knee toward your chest and you've flexed your hip! This function is vital in everything we do including going up stairs, running, and walking.
If this muscle is tight from sitting in a flexed position all day, when you stand it pulls on your lower back- causing you lower back pain.
How can we prevent, or even help alleviate, low back pain caused by tight hip flexors?
Here are 2 Simple Steps to Prevent & Relieve Hip Flexor Tightness
Stand at your desk every 20-30 minutes, if time is permitting. Take a scenic stroll around your desk chair. Walk down to the restroom or get some coffee. Go let your boss know you're the bomb diggity. You get it.
Download these stretches and try them multiple times a day (before you get out of bed, at work, when you get home, and before bed).