Are you on a quest to relieve back pain? You probably are if you answer yes to more than a few of the following questions.
- Is it difficult to stand up every morning as you get out of bed?
- Once you start walking, does the pain usually subside?
- How about when you get out of a chair after sitting for a while?
- Or, what about when you are standing, do you feel the need to sit down to relieve your back pain?
I have been there, done that!
Was Back Pain My Fate?
In 2002 I was 42 years old and I felt all those things. I just could not believe that I could be in that much pain. I was too young and too athletic to have my back disable me. I remember, at my worse, crawling out of my car onto my hands before I could stand up. That was crazy!
Yes, I did exactly what everyone else did. I went to my doctor and she offered me some pills. Then I tried physical therapy and then a back brace, especially when I was doing any activities.
My doctor then said, if these did not help, surgery could be in my future. She certainly thought my back pain was here to stay for the rest of my life. I could not believe it. I had always been strong. I was working out at the gym 3-5 days per week, running, and eating better than I ever had. I did all the things every professional had told me to do. I was mad and frustrated and determined to find a solution.
How I Learned to Relieve Back Pain
Today, at 60 years old, I wake up with no pain. I work in my yard with no pain. I can do anything I want without any pain. Want to know my secret to relieve back pain? It’s not your back. You heard me right. While I did have pain in my back, the underlying issue, which is the one most conventional doctors and therapists don’t address, is your body mechanics and how you move (or don’t move!)
What I learned 17 years ago changed everything for me. I began studying the mechanics of the body and how the body balances from side to side and front to back. The muscles on one side will influence the muscles on the other side. Next, I studied the relationship between muscles and bones. Believe it or not, this stumps many doctors and therapists. The bones follow the muscles. This is a scientific law, called Wolff’s Law.
Leg tension = back tension
My back was hurting because the muscles on the front of my thighs and inner thighs were so tight from working out, working in my yard, and just moving through my life. When these muscles get tight, they can shift the pelvis forward causing compression in the lower back. Like anything else, when you hit the pause button, stand straight, and take a deep breath, you relieve some of the tension and start to feel better.
The same thing happens when you sit too long. If you feel relief by standing up, it’s because your hamstrings, back thigh muscles, are too restricted or short and need to be stretched out. That is the reason why you feel relief when you stand up.
Once I learned how to stretch correctly and combine this with learning how the brain fights back, I was able to release the tension, the back pain subsided – and never returned.
Relieve Back Pain with Stretch n’ Release
While you may think that all you need to do is find some leg stretches, think again. The typical stretching that is done at the gym or physical therapist’s office is not the same and more often than not becomes more of a strength training session than a stretch session as overly ambitious people push too hard.
This is where the Stretch n’ Release Technique differs. By combining stretching with the training of your brain to learn to not fight back, you can release the emotional tension behind your pain.
In a typical session with a client, whether in person or by Zoom, we look at the dynamics of your particular back pain and root out the source of the tension. Then I demonstrate how to utilize the Stretch n’ Release Technique and daily stretches to relieve back pain for good.
Interested? you can learn more here in my recent video or sign up for a complimentary 30-minute session on Zoom.