Low Back Pain: A Full-Body Approach
Are you someone who suffers from low back pain? No matter if you stretch, strengthen, or release, it doesn’t seem to get any better? Or maybe it does get better for a little bit but, but after a while, the pain always comes back?
If this applies to you, then don’t worry, you are not alone. Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders out there and can be a huge pain, literally and metaphorically speaking, to get rid of. Most of the time, when somebody has low back pain, they try to address their pain at the spot of the lower back, however, this is only addressing one piece of the puzzle. The best and most effective way of getting rid of chronic low back pain is a full-body approach, which addresses all imbalances and mechanical deficits throughout your body.
A Full-Body Approach
The lower back makes up the back portion of your core or the center of your body where you generate the majority of your stability from. This means that your lower back basically separates your upper body and lower body into halves, which is important because it means that both upper and lower parts can contribute equally to the cause of low back pain. Granted, there have to be some musculoskeletal or biomechanical events occurring at the lower back which is producing your sense of pain, however, the cause of those musculoskeletal or biomechanical deficits is usually a result of something else, either further up or further down the kinetic chain, or, oftentimes, both.
Taking A Look At Your Feet
For example, if you currently experience low back pain, it is always a good idea to take a look at your feet. If your feet are able to properly stabilize themselves during any kind of weight-bearing activity, then chances are, it may not be contributing to your pain. However, if your feet tend to collapse inward or you notice yourself putting more weight through the outside of your feet, this may indicate that you have some weakness or mechanical deficit occurring in that area of your body. This can contribute to poor mechanics leading up the kinetic chain and ultimately contribute to your low back pain, especially if you experience your pain more when standing, walking, running, etc.
Low Back Pain When Sitting
On the contrary, if you experience more low back pain when sitting, it may be a good idea to look at and address any deficits in your upper body posture. More specifically, if you tend to push your head forward, round your shoulders, and curve your back this may contribute to a similar cascade of mechanical insufficiencies leading down the kinetic chain to your lower back which can contribute to your pain.
Traumatic Injury
It is also important to note that sometimes low back pain may just be pain originating from your lower back and nowhere else. This is usually the case with any kind of traumatic injuries such as a fall, car accident, or physical injury to your lower back. If this is the case, then it may be important to address the pain at the low back rather than exploring other areas of the body.
Be sure to consult with a physical therapist if you are someone currently experiencing low back pain and if you want to start treating the right areas of your body to finally get rid of your pain for good.