When it comes to the various reasons for back pain, a considerably but far too often passed over core muscle is the quadratus lumborum, the deepest muscle of the abdominal wall.
Actually, the quadratus lumborum is a muscle with a multitude of jobs and different combination movements may overload the quadratus lumborum. According to data the quadratus lumborum muscle is maybe one of the most common muscles to produce back pain. Quadratus lumborum is involved in extension of the lower back, this muscle runs from the 12th rib and the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae down to the top of the pelvis on each side.
Because almost all back pain sufferers sit for 70-90% of the day, their quadratus lumborum muscles are commonly unstretched, and overused. Be that as it may, if you have pain on only one side and your everyday job call for sitting a lot without good back support your pain is perchance resulting attributed to your QL muscle being unstretched, and overused. Of course, you should seek the advice of your health care professional because your pain may be coming from another muscle or something else altogether.
Most often pain from the QL muscle travels down to the Sacro-Iliac (SI) joint and lower buttocks area. In addition, pain may commonly be felt near the top of the pelvis and in the groin and lower abdomen on that side. If indeed one of your quadratus lumborum muscles is producing you pain, the quadratus lumborum pain is due to habitual overuse unless of course you realistically injured it during a fall or whatever, which is a very unlikely and a recovery could take weeks of daily quadratus lumborum stretching.
Regrettably, stretching the quadratus lumborum muscle is more problematic than strengthing due to the issue of accessing the QL on account of it lies a particularly deep in the abdominal wall along with a number of superficial muscles protecting it. For this reason and many others, this muscle can be easier stretched by your physiatrist or chiropractor.
One excellent stretch to do frequently is to lie on your side with your back towards the side of the bed. Next, extend your top leg back and down towards the floor. Next turn your upper body slightly in the opposite direction while reaching up with your upside arm. Not only that, hanging that upper leg off the side of the bed may aid to enhance the stretch. Just remember, if you are in a lot of pain, be careful, make sure to let your physical therapist or chiropractor know you may not be able to do the stretch for the QL’s if it feels overly painful.
Finally if you have tormenting pain in your back or have a disc concern such as a herniated disc or discs or disc degeneration, see your physical therapist or chiropractor or spinal decompression expert for advice and/or therapeutics.
Jesse is the co-founder and visionary CEO of The Healthy Back Institute®, the world-leading source of natural back pain solutions. His mission as a former back pain sufferer is to help others live pain free without surgery and pharmaceuticals.
