Low Back Ache/Stiffness Complaints

 YOUR STORY:

I’ve had back problems for years. Intermittently my low back starts hurting on a long walk, it’s stiff first thing in the morning, or if I’m standing too long.

CONDITION:

Lower back pain is very common. It can result from a strain (injury) to muscles or tendons in the back. Other causes include arthritis, structural problems and disk injuries. Pain often gets better with rest, physical therapy and medication.

No matter the cause, there is usually a muscular aspect associated with the majority of your discomfort. A weak core (internal stabilisers) causes an imbalance between the global (larger) muscle groups and these internal stabilisers. The larger muscles in your buttock/glutes often take on the compensation becoming over worked. This built-up fatigue refers to the lower back, decreasing your normal endurance. Heat and stretch usually feels good, although temporarily.

ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT:

Active range of motion and palpation usually susses out the muscular aspect to the issue and should always be attended to first. 90% of the time I find that the Gluteus Medius is very tender to palpation; indicating built up taught bands of fibres (trigger points) in the muscle belly. The fastest way to reduce or eliminate this referral pain is with a Dry Needling release. This is also a diagnostic treatment; if the issue is not stemming from these muscles they do not react to the needling, but if they are they will involuntarily twitch. This twitch is a fast contraction, and since the issue is that they are stuck in contraction, they end up releasing to their natural length; A FACTORY RESET.

Now the muscle will regain its normal endurance and the low back pain subsides or disappears. From here you move on to core strengthening to prevent future fatigue. Granted this is not the cause of all low back pain, it is usually what I find in patients with this complaint. A good follow-up to the needling is Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy; a concussive soundwave that goes deep into all the muscle fibres, surrounding ligament and fascia, increasing blood flow and loosening what the needles miss. Add heat treatment to that along with stretching and you are back to normal quickly.