Why It’s More Than Just Your Core and Glutes for Low Back Pain
The story is as old as time.. ‘oh you have back pain? Strengthen your core. Strengthen your glutes as well.’ This has been traveling through the fitness and rehab space forever. Now, it isn’t to say this is wrong, because it isn’t. The issue I bring up today is what if we are missing the BEST muscle group to target for even quicker results? Let’s tune in!
The ‘core’ is commonly referred to, but I still want to clarify what most people mean when discussing the ‘core.’ Usually, this is strictly the abdominal muscles. Thankfully, discussion surrounding the ‘core’ has progressed well into now also including (though it always included these things they just weren’t talked about) the diaphragm and the pelvic floor. These are all highly important areas to the full function of the core as we know it. The glutes are your powerful hip muscles filling out the back side of your pants!
Now when someone is dealing with low back pain, the discussion from loved ones and providers has revolved around the core and the glutes. What I want to discuss today is the best muscle group to target when you have back pain… the BACK MUSCLES.
How have we been able to skip aside and around the actual muscle group located directly on top of the area of pain for so long without it ever being mentioned that we may be missing an extremely important cog in the wheel? When we have knee pain, we address the quadriceps and the hamstrings (muscles DIRECTLY on top and bottom of knee). When we have elbow pain, we address the muscles DIRECTLY on top of the elbow. It is time for us to include the BACK muscles into the conversation when treating low back pain.
Some of our favorite ways to incorporate the low back muscles in a physical therapy plan of care for low back pain first starts with are you ‘flexion intolerant’ or ‘extension intolerant.’ This boils down to ‘it hurts when I bend forward’ or ‘it hurts when I bend backwards.’ This is taking a very simple approach, but if it hurts when you bend forwards, find movements that have you bend backwards or control neutral (examples being a plank and then cobra pose in yoga). You would take the opposite mindset if it hurt to bend backwards. These are to initially calm down the pain, but then it all leads back to LOADING. Strengthening the low back become imperative. There is so much variance with this, and everyone’s pain story is different, so here is where we recommend finding a trusted physical therapist to help you with your low back pain strengthening plan!
We would be happy to discuss further how Loon State Physical Therapy can be a teammate in getting you back to moving and feeling your best while eliminating your low back pain! Our convenient Minneapolis physical therapy, Edina physical therapy, and Stillwater physical therapy locations will happily welcome you to get you back to moving at your best. Call us at (612) 405-8503 or book with us online at www.loonstatephysicaltherapy.com for an in-person or virtual appointment.
We look forward to being your teammate through this recovery journey!
Andrew Eccles
Owner and Physical Therapist at Loon State Physical Therapy
