Low Back Pain is a Common Problem
In the current AMTA Massage Therapy Journal, it states that, “Generally speaking about 80 percent of the adults ages 30-60 in the United States have reported suffering from lower back pain at some time in their lives. According to the National Institutes of Health, its is a leading contributor to missed work days and job-related disability.”
On a positive note, low back pain can often be alleviated if dealt with proactively or in the early stages.
low back pain relieved with massage
Some of the best things you can do is to improve your posture. Here are a few ideas:
- While I have studied and practice various modalities of body and healing work, I find the best results for performance enhancement and pain relief such as with low back pain with Rolfing types of Work called Structural Integration (SI). Structural Integration works with both dysfunctional patterns in the fascia and gravity to bring the body back into healthy alignment. During the ten sessions, I work with different areas of the body, until I help the client find their structural integrity so that they can move in better balance, more length, and with more vitality through life. However, if someone is have an acute low back pain issue, we can often see great pain relief in just one session.
- One of the best things you can do for posture is to exercise. Yoga, Pilates and other types of sport can build and strengthen core connection and flexibility. However, it’s important to know that you want to go for symmetry and length in the body as a target.
- If you are working seated most of the day, take a few moments every 1/2 hour or so and stand and stretch.
- While you sit, imagine doing so with a tall straight, but flexible spine. Imagine a sting pulling the top of your head up.
- Keep your feet on the floor when you sit.
- When you stand allow your shoulders to pull back but relaxed.
- Keep your knees soft.
- Tuck your lower anterior ribs in.
- Practice pelvic tilts.
- Lie on your back with knees up and explore your feet connection from the balls of your foot to the heel. Body awareness!
- When you sleep on your side, put a pillow between your legs.
- Sleeping on your side is better than sleeping on your belly for low back pain.
- Doing the Cat-Cow and Cobra Yoga exercise daily can be great for low back pain too!
- General Massage can help with muscle aches, tenderness or spasms. Also with stiffness and lack of mobility.
Low Back pain can be helped by becoming proactive in your life. However, if the pain is extreme-make sure you don’t ignore it.
Call your physician for an appointment:
The majority of herniated disc problems occur between L4 and L5. If you are feeling any tingling, numbness or weakness, this may be more than a soft tissue issue. While massage is usually still very helpful, you may want to contact your doctor and let him/her know that you are experiencing these symptoms.
Sharon Hartnett CST, SI, LMT
Columbus, Ohio 740 966-5153