Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been prepping for my upcoming seminars in both Australia and Boston.  One of my primary presentations is on low back pain, and, as always, it’s caused me to really examine everything I do.

When examining someoen with low back pain, it’s important to note if the back pain is truly the cause of the pain, or does the issue begin somewhere else?  In other words, examine the following:

– Are you unstable at the lumbar spine?  OR, do you
– Have a hip mobility issue?
– Have a thoracic spine mobility issue?

Many of the unstable lumbar spines we see are due to poor/inefficient movement patterns.  You’ll see a lot of this in women who perform a lot of Yoga and Pilates.  I’m not going to throw these practices under the bus altogether, but quite often these practitioners don’t focus on quality of movement as much as they do quantity of movement.  If you want to engage in these practices, make sure you find a good instructor who understands their biomechanics.

When you’re evaluating someone with low back pain, be very cognizant of not only how they move, but where they get that movement from.  Chances are the low back pain isn’t so much a cause as it is a symptom.

Stay strong

MR