Predisposing Factors to Low Back Pain

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While weight is one predisposing factor (see discussion below) of low back pain (LBP), there are several other factors which can lead to LBP. Tissue tension is a huge factor in LPB. Tight hamstrings can be one factor. The tight hamstrings will pull the pelvis posterior, which flattens the lumbar spine and decreases the spines ability to accept a load. Tight hip flexors can be another contributing factor. Most of us tend to sit all day which chronically shortens the hip flexor muscles. Those muscles originate of the lumbar spine and when they are tight they increase the lordotic curve of the low back decreasing its ability to accept a load and leading to pain and dysfunction. LBP can also be from a disc herniation/bulge, facet joint dysfunction, stenosis, misalignment, and injury to name a few other contributing factors.

Regardless of the cause, the muscles will become tight and those tight muscle pull on the pelvis and lumbar spine and rest of the body begins to compensate in order to continue to function. This compensation leads to other tissue working harder. That’s when things will go into protective spasm. The body will try to splint the injured area with this spam which will lead to adhesions forming on the lumbar spine further decreasing mobility and increasing pain. As you can see it can become a vicious pain-spasm-pain cycle. In order to break the cycle or avoid the cycle from occurring you must maintain mobility in the hips and lumbar spin (and the whole body), as well as increase muscular stability (see yoga below for some tips).

Attached is an article which looks at the effectiveness of different treatment options for LBP. An important thing to remember if you are self-treating LBP, if it hurts, don’t do it! Please ask Nathanael about how you can eliminate your LBP and come to ICWA’s classes to reduce your risk of suffering from this debilitating condition.

You can search Exercise for nonspecific low back pain listed or copy and paste the following.

PDF Article

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=13c6ea85682e7d03&mt=application/pdf&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui%3D2%26ik%3D9bb6d9e436%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13c6ea85682e7d03%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dsafe%26realattid%3Df_hccgwvtd0%26zw&sig=AHIEtbRuCgohjaOoxD34vJ3itnRuo-hflQ