Remedial massage and its effect on Low back pain

Remedial massage and its effect on Low back pain

Low back pain is an extremely common symptom for many people, affecting up to 85% of the population at some point in their lives.

Low back pain (LBP) can be a complicated issue, yet it can also be a rather simple biomechanical fault of imbalances in the hips.

Muscle Imbalances:

A frequent cause of LBP is due to muscle imbalances. Remedial massage therapists can treat these imbalances between muscles of the hips, legs and back, which play a major role in LBP. For example weakness/under activity of the muscles at the back or side of the hip, like Gluteus Maximus or the hip abductor muscles, can cause muscles in the front of the hip like Psoas Major, to over activate and potentially pull the lumbar vertebrae and sacrum out of alignment. This misalignment can soon cause twinges or pain in the lower back and put the lumbar area at greater risk of more serious injuries if not treated.

Myofascial trigger Points:

Another cause of LBP are the presence of Myofascial trigger points. These can arise in muscles for a variety of reasons; muscle overactivity, underactivity or as mentioned above can be caused by muscle imbalances.  Common active Myofascial trigger points found to be associated to LBP are in muscles like Quadratus Lumborum, Psoas Major, Multifidi and the Gluteal muscles. Trigger points prevent nutrient flow and inhibit muscle function, which can lead to faulty movement patterns and pain. Remedial massage therapists can treat trigger points, bringing health back into muscles, relieving pain.

Remedial massage therapy has been shown through studies to be extremely beneficial for patients with low back pain, especially when treatment is combined with exercises and education.

Remedial massage can be used as part of a multi-disciplinary approach accompanied with modalities such as physiotherapy, yoga or osteopathy, or as an effective stand-alone therapy.

No one wants to live with low back pain. Let your closest remedial massage therapist help you today so you can enjoy the activities you love!