Tag: lower back pain massage in york

Sciatica And Lower Back Pain – How Massage Helps

Sciatica and lower back pain in general can have many causes, some of them more serious than others. In most cases, massage can provide significant relief from muscle tension or inflammation.

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What Is Sciatica And Lower Back Pain?

Sciatic Nerve For Sciatica Massage In York
| The sciatic nerve runs from the hip and down the back of your leg to your foot

Sciatica is pain in your lower back and leg that is the result of pressure on your sciatic nerve. This runs from your hip down the back of each leg as far as your foot. It activates and supplies sensation to the muscles in the pelvis, legs and feet. As a slipped disc could be the underlying cause of your sciatica, a visit to your doctor as soon as possible is advisable. But it could be the result of tight muscles in your lower back, glutes or your leg. These can become inflamed and press on your sciatic nerve, which can cause chronic, long-term pain if left untreated.

Sciatica is a condition which involves pressure on your sciatic nerve, but isn’t necessarily related to general lower back pain. Tightness in your hips or lower back, or a weakness on one side of your back, can often lead to lower back pain. This is typically ongoing and uncomfortable yet bearable. However it can flare up into a debilitating injury from something as simple as bending down to tie your shoelaces.

Symptoms Of Sciatica And Lower Back Pain

Depending on the original cause of your pain, there are a variety of symptoms you could have. You might feel one or more of the following, or your symptoms could change. For example, it can be quite mild and have very little effect on your life, or it can be so severe you are unable to do everyday tasks. It might come on gradually and get worse over time, or it might be sudden and intense.

Also the way people experience sciatica and lower back pain can vary considerably. It might be a dull ache that you only feel in your lower back, or it might feel more like a burning sensation that can extend to the back of your legs or even your feet. You might have muscle spasms and tightness in your lower back, upper back or hips, and you might only feel pain after prolonged sitting or prolonged standing (1).

Is It Sciatica Or Lower Back Pain

Sciatica and lower back pain are not the same, though they can have similar causes. Unlike lower back pain, sciatica uniquely transmits its characteristic pain down the leg and foot, even though both can originate in the lumbar spine. The difference is, a muscle spasm in the lower back can cause back pain, but only if the muscle presses on or impinges the sciatic nerve will it cause sciatica. Sciatica can also result in leg tingling, numbness or weakness that can cause your leg to give way when you are standing. Sciatica pain usually affects one leg and is more burning or sharp compared to a dull ache or throb.

The specific location of the sciatic nerve compression determines the symptoms you experience. L4 issues usually cause problems with your thigh and you might feel weakness when straightening your leg. L5 issues can go as far as your big toe. They can also cause numbness on top of your foot, especially between your big toe and second toe. S1 issues are more likely on the outside of your foot and little toes. You might also have weakness when trying to stand on your tiptoes.

Common Causes Of Sciatica And Lower Back Pain

Sciatica and lower back pain that does not involve your sciatic nerve generally have the same causes:

Bad Posture Needs Sciatica Massage In York
| Which of these common examples of bad posture most matches your own?

Poor Posture

Whatever the cause of poor posture the result is weakened, tight muscles or muscles doing work they’re not designed for. For example, tight muscles on one side means that the other side has to do extra work. This can increase the chances of a strain on either side.

Heavy Or Awkward Lifting

Heavy lifting, or lifting in awkward ways, can put stress on areas already susceptible to injury. Bending forward at the waist and twisting to pick something up with one hand is an example of awkward lifting.

Sitting For Long Periods

If your job involves a lot of sitting, many muscles will become shortened and weak. The most affected areas are usually the hip flexors and hamstrings. In turn this prevents the hips being in their correct position which puts pressure on the lower back.

Being Overweight

The more overweight you are the more likely you are to have poor posture and the more stress there is on your back. This can cause chronic lower back pain and lead to a slipped disc or sciatica.

How Massage Can Help Sciatica And Lower Back Pain

Most causes of sciatica and lower back pain can be relieved by sports massage from a massage therapist(2). If the cause is a slipped disc, your muscles can become inflamed and further press on the sciatic nerve. This can be close to the injury or further down your back or your leg. If the cause is poor posture, whether from being overweight, awkward movements at work or prolonged sitting, sports massage can loosen tight muscles. This allows them to work correctly and be strengthened evenly on both sides so there are no imbalances. Sports massage can also reduce muscle spasms and increase blood flow which speeds up the healing process.

Book A Mobile Massage

If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here

Gluteus Medius – Is It Causing Your Lower Back Pain?

If you have lower back pain there could be many possible causes, but one that is often overlooked is an issue with your gluteus medius. This could be acute, such as from a recent injury or sudden increase in activity. Or it could be chronic, having come on due to frequent jogging or long periods of sitting. An injured or tight gluteus medius can in turn lead to referred pain in your lower back. This is especially likely if there has been a change to correct posture and muscle function. And no amount of stretching or foam rolling is going to help your lower back pain if the source of the problem lies elsewhere.

What Is The Gluteus Medius

Gluteus Medius Use When Walking
| The glute medius move your leg outwards and stabilises your pelvis when walking

The gluteus medius muscle is deep under your gluteus maximus, which is better known as your buttock. It abducts your hip joint, which simply means that it moves your leg outwards away from your other leg. It also acts to stabilise your pelvis and keep it level when one foot is off the ground. Obvious examples are when you’re walking or running. When one foot is down and the other is up, it is the gluteus medius on the side that is down that is working.

Problems can be caused by anything that involves you bending forward, especially while twisted or lifting something heavy. This could be in the gym or something like using a spade in the garden. Anything that puts more strain on one side than the other. The damage can also be done over longer periods. This is more likely if you lean or twist when sitting or jog on a road with a camber.

How Does The Gluteus Medius Cause Lower Back Pain

QL Link To Gluteus Medius
| A tight or weak gluteus medius can cause your QL to take over a job it wasn’t designed for, leading to lower back pain

The quadratus lumborum (QL) is a deep muscle in your lower back. It runs from your hip to your lumber vertebrae and up to your lowest rib. It is used when you bend at the waist to one side and when straightening your back after bending down. But what does this have to do with your gluteus medius? Well if you have a tight, weak or painful gluteus medius, whatever the cause, your QL will take over the role of hip abduction when walking(2). This means your QL does a job it wasn’t designed for which puts excessive stress on your lower back.

That’s just one example of how your gluteus medius can cause lower back pain.

Attempting to treat your lower back with stretching or even massage can provide some relief. But unless the underlying cause, the gluteus medius, is also dealt with it will only be temporary.

Pain In Your Gluteus Medius

Gluteus Medius Pain Before Massage
| Gluteus medius pain is most commonly felt along your belt line

Although the cause of your lower back pain could be your gluteus medius, you might not actually feel any pain in that area. If the muscle is just weak or tight you probably won’t realise there is an issue with it. This is because your QL is doing the work instead. But it’s doing work it’s not designed for, which is why it’s your back that hurts instead.

If you do feel anything it most commonly comes along your belt line and up into your lower spine area. But pain can also be felt just under your hip and down into your buttock or even the top of your leg. Least common is pain directly over your tail bone area(1). You could suffer from one or all of these, especially if you continue to do whatever originally caused the issue.

How To Treat Lower Back Pain Caused By Your Gluteus Medius

If your gluteus medius is the cause of your lower back pain (or the reverse) then both issues need treating. Massaging just your lower back will provide only temporary relief at best. But massaging both areas is much more likely to cause lasting benefit which can be enhanced with regular stretching. If originally caused by poor posture or prolonged sitting this should also be dealt with, along with strengthening the muscles.

Have you had lower back massages in the past that provided only temporary relief, or none at all? Then your gluteus medius could be responsible and need treating by a qualified massage therapist.

Book A Mobile Massage

If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here