Massage Warsaw- Massage Therapy – Warsaw Acupuncture

Category: Lower Back Pain

  • Gluteus Medius Exercises to help IT Band Pain

    The gluteus medius muscle is located in the upper part of the glutes, just below the hip bone (iliac crest).  The gluteus medius muscle is very important in stabilizing our hips during exercise or sport.  It is weak in most people and this weakness can be a major source of problems in the lower back, SI joints and IT band.  Running or jogging can reveal long hidden weakness in this muscle, but you don’t have to be an athlete to have gluteus medius problems.  Because simply standing, walking, or sitting requires participation of the gluteus muscle, clients that lead mostly sedentary lifestyles often develop weakness here that leads to different pain syndromes.

    Here is an interesting article and another explaining the importance of the gluteus medius muscle as well as some exercises to help strengthen it.

  • Hamstring Stretch

    The hamstrings are very involved in lower back pain as they help to control the curvature of the lower spine and the tilt of the pelvis.  Stretching the hamstring can help to relieve lower back pain.  I have included two videos here that show different approaches to stretching the hamstring:

     

    Guidelines for performing the stretches:

    1. Check with a health care professional before you attempt these exercises to ensure that it is safe for you.
    2. Do the exercises slowly and gently.
    3. Failing to follow the instructions or consult with a health care professional could cause your symptoms to worsen.
    4. Try to breathe slowly and keep your body relaxed. Do not tense up or hold your breath as this will invite muscle spasm.
    5. You should feel a gentle stretching sensation, but you should not feel any pain during the exercises. Be especially careful of any sharp or pinching pain. If you do feel pain, decrease the range of movement by stopping before you get to the point of pain. Continue the exercise within the pain free range.
    6. If you cannot find a comfortable, pain free way to do these exercises, discontinue immediately and seek the advice of a health care professional.
    7. Do the exercises in a set of 3 for a minimum of 3 times a day for best results.
    8. Hold the stretch for a minimum of 15 seconds each time.
    9. Receiving massage or acupuncture treatments as part of your rehabilitation can improve your recovery.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Seated Gluteus Maximus Stretch

    This video shows how to stretch the gluteus maximus muscle.  The gluteus maximus muscle is very involved in hip pain and low back pain.  This stretch can help to resolve tightness or pain in those areas.  The beauty of this approach to stretching is that it can easily be done at the office and help to manage low back pain that flares up at work.

    Guidelines for performing the stretches:

    1. Check with a health care professional before you attempt these exercises to ensure that it is safe for you.
    2. Do the exercises slowly and gently.
    3. Failing to follow the instructions or consult with a health care professional could cause your symptoms to worsen.
    4. Try to breathe slowly and keep your body relaxed. Do not tense up or hold your breath as this will invite muscle spasm.
    5. You should feel a gentle stretching sensation, but you should not feel any pain during the exercises. Be especially careful of any sharp or pinching pain. If you do feel pain, decrease the range of movement by stopping before you get to the point of pain. Continue the exercise within the pain free range.
    6. If you cannot find a comfortable, pain free way to do these exercises, discontinue immediately and seek the advice of a health care professional.
    7. Do the exercises in a set of 3 for a minimum of 3 times a day for best results.
    8. Hold the stretch for a minimum of 15 seconds each time.
    9. Receiving massage or acupuncture treatments as part of your rehabilitation can improve your recovery.

     

  • Hip Flexor Stretch

    Here is a video that shows the basics of how to stretch out your hip flexor muscles (psoas major and iliacus).  These muscles are very involved with groin pain, low back pain, and hip pain.

    Guidelines for performing the stretches:

    1. Check with a health care professional before you attempt these exercises to ensure that it is safe for you.
    2. Do the exercises slowly and gently.
    3. Failing to follow the instructions or consult with a health care professional could cause your symptoms to worsen.
    4. Tilt your pelvis posteriorly to get a better stretch.  This can be done by moving your pubic bone forward and up toward the ceiling.  This move serves to flatten the lower back.
    5. Remember to keep your shoulders and back straight .  Do not lean forward as this is cheating.
    6. Hold onto something to stabilize yourself.
    7. Try to breathe slowly and keep your body relaxed. Do not tense up or hold your breath as this will invite muscle spasm.
    8. You should feel a gentle stretching sensation, but you should not feel any pain during the exercises. Be especially careful of any sharp  pain. If you do feel pain, decrease the range of movement by stopping before you get to the point of pain. Continue the exercise within the pain free range.
    9. If you cannot find a comfortable, pain free way to do these exercises, discontinue immediately and seek the advice of a health care professional.
    10. Do the exercises in a set of 3 for a minimum of 3 times a day for best results.
    11. Hold the stretch for a minimum of 15 seconds each time.
    12. Receiving massage or acupuncture treatments as part of your rehabilitation can improve your recovery.

     

  • Piriformis Wall Stretch

    This is a wonderful yoga stretch for the piriformis muscle and all the hip muscles. It is a unique approach because it is almost completely passive. You don’t have to do anything but lie there and wait for as long as you would like (spending 10 minutes in this position can be a freeing experience). Because it is so passive, it can also be meditative. Take this opportunity to work on your deep breathing and look for room to intensify the stretch further.

    Please note the person demonstrating the stretch is a yoga instructor and extremely flexible.  Your version of this stretch will look quite different.  You may want to start further away from the wall to decrease the intensity of the stretch.  Only bend the leg on the wall when you feel you are ready to increase the intensity.

    Guidelines for performing the stretches:

    1. Check with a health care professional before you attempt these exercises to ensure that it is safe for you.  It is especially important to rule out any disc problems before you do this exercise.
    2. Do the exercises slowly and gently.  Failing to follow the instructions or consult with a health care professional could cause your symptoms to worsen.
    3. Try to breathe  slowly and keep your body relaxed.  Do not tense up or hold your breath as this will invite muscle spasm.
    4. You should feel a gentle stretching sensation, but you should not feel any pain during the exercises.  If you do feel pain, decrease the range of movement by stopping before you get to the point of pain. Continue the exercise within the pain free range.
    5. Pay attention to the position of the lower back.  As the instructor explains, the back should be straight, not bent.  Bending at the lower back is cheating and does not stretch the piriformis muscle.  Also, if you are feeling leg pain or tingling because of true sciatica or sciatica due to a disc problem, you may cause more damage to the disc if you perform this exercise incorrectly.
    6. If you cannot find a comfortable, pain free way to do these exercises, discontinue immediately and seek the advice of a health care professional.
    7. Do the exercises in a set of 3 for a minimum of 3 times a day for best results.
    8. This stretch works best if you hold it for 5 minutes, but you can hold the stretch for a minimum of 15 seconds.

     

     

  • Dead Butt Syndrome

    Dead Butt Syndrome is a name I haven’t heard of before reading this article.  It is a memorable name and will give some attention to an all too common condition that bodyworkers have been treating for quite some time.  Dead Butt Syndrome refers to weakness in the gluteus medius muscle in runners and specialized athletes.  The gluteus medius muscle in addition to your gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus makes up the bulk of your “butt”.  The gluteus maximus muscle is used to propel your body forward by bringing your leg backward.  The gluteus medius muscle has more of a stabilizing role, keeping your hip steady as your run, walk or stand.  The weakness in the gluteus medius muscle can lead to stabbing hip pain, pain in the knees, ankles or basically anywhere from your lower back to the tips of your toes.

    A regimen of strengthening, stretching, and massage or acupuncture can help resolve this condition.